[Source: 1News]

The All Whites will be led by Newcastle United striker Chris Wood and Empoli fullback Liberato Cacace in their trans-Tasman clashes with the Socceroos this month, although their squad is missing some other key names.

All Whites coach Danny Hay named a 24-man squad today for the matches on September 22 and 25 in Brisbane and Auckland. But there’s no Clayton Lewis or Sarpreet Singh, sidelined through injury, Kosta Barbarouses, who will miss with suspension, or Marco Rojas.

The Auckland clash will be the first match for New Zealand on home soil in three years.

“The majority of the squad have never represented the All Whites in New Zealand,” Hay said.

“The players are absolutely buzzing for this. It has been so long since we played at home … this is going to be a proud moment for everyone.”

There are nine Europe-based players in the squad and seven from the A-League, including four from Wellington Phoenix.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold will name his squad on Wednesday.

New Zealand’s last match was the inter-continental World Cup playoff in June, when Costa Rica edged the Kiwis 1-0 for a place in Qatar.

Hay said Rojas, at Chile’s Colo-Colo, would be best served staying in South America to break into the first team.

“He’s so important in terms of what he’s doing over there, creating pathways for Kiwi footballers,” Hay said.

While Australia will use the matches as a springboard to the World Cup, beginning in November, New Zealand will head into hiatus following the series.

Hay said the governing body were feeling the pinch from missing Qatar and weren’t likely to play again until March.

“There was more than just getting to the World Cup in that game against Costa Rica. The $16million was a big factor and it was a big part of New Zealand Football’s financial planning,” he said.

The matches could also be Hay’s last at the helm, with a contract expiring at month’s end.

The 47-year-old said it was undecided whether he’d stay on, but he felt he had more to offer in the role.

“We’ll have time to sit down on how everything’s gone and then make some decisions,” he said.

Hay was controversially chosen for the role ahead of Des Buckingham, who led New Zealand to a win against Erling Haaland-led Norway at the 2019 Under-19 World Cup.

ALL WHITES SQUAD TO FACE AUSTRALIA

Goalkeepers: Alex Paulsen, Oli Sail, Michael Woud

Defenders: Kyle Adams, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Dane Ingham, Tim Payne, Nando Pijnaker, Winston Reid, Storm Roux, Bill Tuiloma, Deklan Wynne

Midfielders: Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Cam Howieson, Ben Old, Marko Stamenic

Forwards: Andre de Jong, Alex Greive, Elijah Just, Callum McCowatt, Ben Waine, Chris Wood