Tedesco's non-selection comes after he lost the NSW State of Origin captaincy earlier this year, with his Blues replacement at fullback Dylan Edwards, picked in Meninga's squad.

Neither of the Origin skippers — Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic — were selected in Australia's Pacific Championship squad.

There was no place for Kalyn Ponga in Meninga's side either, after the Newcastle fullback withdrew himself from selection and then backflipped last month, while the 2022 World Cup-winning halves pairing of Nathan Cleary (shoulder) and Cameron Munster (groin) miss out as both are set for off-season surgery.

There are eight uncapped players in Meninga's side including Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses, Melbourne winger Xavier Coates and Penrith's Lindsay Smith.

"We saw some outstanding individual performances through the finals series as well as the grand final," Meninga said.

"This group has experience in the green and gold and will be motivated to win.

"This is an important tournament for the Kangaroos. We will face some high-quality opposition in Tonga and New Zealand in what is the biggest international competition in the Pacific."

Australia, who lost its last Test 30-0 against New Zealand, will face Tonga in Brisbane on October 18 and then take on the Kiwis in Christchurch on October 27.

Meanwhile, Jillaroos coach Brad Donald has dropped Olivia Kernick from his Australian squad, deciding her Dally M-winning NRLW season was not good enough to warrant keeping her spot.

Donald named his 21-woman squad for the Pacific Championships on Monday, with Kernick's omission by far the biggest shock.

The Sydney Roosters second-rower claimed her maiden Dally M Medal last week, and was close to best on field in her club's 32-28 grand-final win over Cronulla on Sunday.

But that somehow did not help her cause at the selection table, dropped from the Australian side after their last-start loss to New Zealand last year.

Australia Kangaroos squad

• Mitch Barnett* New Zealand Warriors
• Matt Burton Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
• Bradman Best* Newcastle Knights
• Patrick Carrigan Brisbane Broncos
• Xavier Coates* Melbourne Storm
• Lindsay Collins Sydney Roosters
• Reuben Cotter North Queensland Cowboys
• Angus Crichton Sydney Roosters
• Tom Dearden* North Queensland Cowboys
• Dylan Edwards Penrith Panthers
• Harry Grant (vice captain) Melbourne Storm
• Ben Hunt St George Illawarra Dragons
• Zac Lomax* St George Illawarra Dragons
• Liam Martin Penrith Panthers
• Mitch Moses* Parramatta Eels
• Cameron Murray South Sydney Rabbitohs
• Reece Robson* North Queensland Cowboys
• Lindsay Smith* Penrith Panthers
• Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Dolphins
• Tom Trbojevic Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
• Isaah Yeo (captain) Penrith Panthers

*Denotes uncapped players

Australia Jillaroos squad

• Tarryn Aiken Sydney Roosters
• Kezie Apps (co-captain) Wests Tigers
• Ali Brigginshaw (co-captain) Brisbane Broncos
• Lauren Brown Gold Coast Titans
• Abbi Church Parramatta Eels
• Yasmin Clydsdale Newcastle Knights
• Quincy Dodd Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
• Millie Elliott Sydney Roosters
• Jessika Elliston Gold Coast Titans
• Olivia Higgins Newcastle Knights
• Keilee Joseph Brisbane Broncos
• Isabelle Kelly Sydney Roosters
• Shannon Mato Gold Coast Titans
• Mahalia Murphy Parramatta Eels
• Tiana Penitani Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
• Julia Robinson Brisbane Broncos
• Simaima Taufa Canberra Raiders
• Jess Sergis Sydney Roosters
• Sara Togatuki Wests Tigers
• Tamika Upton Newcastle Knights
• Jakiya Whitfeld North Queensland Cowboys

AAP/ABC