Boomers Tracker: Latest on the final cut for Australian Boomers’ World Cup squad

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian’s toughest job is deciding which star to cut for his final World Cup squad. So tough, in fact, that it won’t happen before the Aussies leave for Japan.

Who will make the Boomers’ World Cup squad?

Australia will take a 13-man squad to Tokyo for two pre-World Cup games as coach Brian Goorjian continues to mull over who will be the final cut.

Australia’s struggles against Brazil’s tall timber on Wednesday night had Goorjian leaning toward making big man Duop Reath his 12th and final pick.

But the Boomers are dealing with injuries to a trio of key rotation players in Jock Landale (ankle), Josh Green (elbow) and Chris Goulding (knee), with all three starved of playing time, muddying the waters for Goorjian.

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It was understood Reath was in a battle with Denver Nuggets NBA champion Jack White for the last spot on the team but both will now be on Friday’s plane to Japan.

That squad will then be cut to 12 before the World Cup gets underway later next week.

In the first two Boomers v World games, Goorjian has experimented with more traditional lineups and smaller, faster squadrons but said after Wednesday night’s loss to Brazil he was “leaning toward bigs”.

If Goorjian does go with Reath, it would mean the former Illawarra Hawk would play against second units at the World Cup behind Landale, who Goorjian said was expecting to face South Sudan Thursday night.

It is hoped sharpshooter Green was also set to play Thursday and Goorjian both he and a fit Goulding, who are “in our eight ... in the rotation”, will help with the Boomers’ shooting woes — they were 9-34 from deep against Brazil, just 26 per cent.

Originally published as Boomers Tracker: Latest on the final cut for Australian Boomers’ World Cup squad