England coach Shaun Wane has defended his decision to snub the Super League's best player, as he instead opted for six NRL stars to help lead the charge against Australia in the Ashes.
Wane on Monday night confirmed Gold Coast fullback AJ Brimson was in line to make his English debut, with NRL players making up a quarter of their 24-man squad.
John Bateman, Kai Pearce-Paul, Herbie Farnworth, Morgan Smithies and Dom Young will all feature, with Victor Radley unavailable after ruling himself out.
But it is Brimson's selection that is most notable, given it comes ahead of the Super League's Man of Steel Jake Connor.
Connor was named the competition's best player of 2025 last week, after moving to Leeds this year and setting up 30 tries in 24 games.
Like Brimson, Connor can play at fullback or in the halves, and previously played eight Tests for England and Great Britain in 2018 and 2019.
But Wane said the Man of Steel award "doesn't mean anything" to him when choosing for the the three-Test series that begins at Wembley Stadium on October 25.
"He's a very good player, Jake, but when I'm picking a squad, what you will never hear from me is, 'He's won the Man of Steel, he needs to be in'," Wane said.
"I don't know who picks the Man of Steel, I don't know what goes into it.
"I don't even know who's in the Dream Team. It never comes into my reckoning, these things that mean a lot to other people.
"I just watch the players play and think who can do a fantastic job against Australia.
"It was more about his form than anything else. I don't see the obsession, why every single person (talks about) the Man of Steel. It doesn't mean anything to me."
Brimson's selection comes after he switched his international allegiance from Australia to England in May.
The 27-year-old qualifies through his English mother, and under current rules his switch makes him ineligible to add to his four State of Origins for Queensland.
"I was convinced with AJ. He can play. He's a talent and can be an asset for England for many years," Wane said.
With Connor not in the squad, Wane opted for just three specialist halves in Mikey Lewis, Harry Smith and former Canberra No.7 George Williams.
Williams is set to return to the NRL in 2027, after agreeing to a two-year deal with the Dolphins.
Back-rower Morgan Knowles, who will join the Dolphins next year, is also included.
Former South Sydney and Sydney Roosters winger Joe Burgess is named for his first squad since 2015, earning a recall alongside veterans Alex Walmsley and Kallum Watkins.
ENGLAND SQUAD:
John Bateman, AJ Brimson, Joe Burgess, Daryl Clark, Herbie Farnworth, Ethan Havard, Morgan Knowles, Matty Lees, Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten, Mike McMeeken, Harry Newman, Mikolaj Oledzki, Tom Johnstone, Kai Pearce-Paul, Harry Smith, Morgan Smithies, Owen Trout, Alex Walmsley, Jake Wardle, Kallum Watkins, Jack Welsby.
With PA.
