Melbourne full-back Billy Slater will be among three news caps in Australia's team to play New Zealand in the centenary international in Sydney on May 9.

Slater's sensational start to the NRL season was rewarded when he was named in the team to be captained by returning Brisbane stand-off Darren Lockyer.

North Queensland prop forward Carl Webb and Cronulla second rower Paul Gallen will also make their debuts in the ANZAC Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Lockyer and Gallen, who was chosen for last year's end-of-season Test against the Kiwis before withdrawing with a shoulder injury, have been included despite playing a limited amount of rugby in 2008.

Lockyer has played just four NRL games this year and only one full 80-minute game last Friday after recovering from a knee reconstruction while Gallen missed three weeks through suspension.

The Australian selectors have made seven changes to the side which annihilated the Kiwis 58-0 last year, with Lockyer, Slater, Gallen, Webb, Justin Hodges, Johnathan Thurston and Anthony Tupou added to the team.

Parramatta second rower Nathan Hindmarsh is the highest profile casualty while New Zealand Warriors prop Steve Price is unavailable due to injury.

Team: B Slater (Melbourne); G Inglis (Melbourne), M Gasnier (St George Illawarra), J Hodges (Brisbane), I Folau (Melbourne); D Lockyer (Brisbane, capt), J Thurston (North Queensland); B Kite (Manly), C Smith (Melbourne), P Civoniceva (Penrith), R Hoffman (Melbourne), P Gallen (Cronulla), G Bird (Cronulla).

Interchange: C Webb (Brisbane), A Tupou (Sydney Roosters), W Mason (Sydney Roosters), K Gidley (Newcastle).