The Wallabies have named two Test debutants in their run-on team to face Wales in Sydney on Saturday, as coach Joe Schmidt wipes the slate clean after last year's Rugby World Cup debacle.
And Australia will also have a new captain, with veteran Queensland Reds back-rower Liam Wright to lead the side from No. 6.
Wright will be joined in the starting XV by the uncapped Jeremy Williams at lock and by his Reds teammate Josh Flook, who has the chance to impress in the absence of the injured Len Ikitau.
Meanwhile, despite a Super Rugby Pacific season affected by both injury and fluctuations in form, powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou has been handed the No. 3 jersey ahead of Allan Alaalatoa, who was part of a Brumbies scrum that struggled through the latter part of the season.
Elsewhere, Jake Gordon has won the hotly-contested scrum-half position, with form Brumbies playmaker Noah Lolesio to start outside him at fly-half.
Filipo Daugunu meanwhile looks set to grab the vacant left wing position, with Marika Koroibete one of a number of overseas-based players not considered for Joe Schmidt's original 38-man squad. Daugunu spent much of the Super season at outside centre for the Rebels, but he has pipped the Waratahs' Dylan Pietsch for the right to wear the No. 11 jersey.
Only James Slipper, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini and Andrew Kellaway will remain from the starting XV that faced Portugal in Australia's final World Cup against Portugal last year.
"We were trying to get balance in a whole lot of ways," Schmidt explained of his selections. "Some of it is around guys who already have a relationship in their Super (teams). So we've got Tate [McDermott] and Tom [Lynagh] coming off the bench. They've got a really good relationship. You've got Hunter [Paisami] and Josh in the middle of the field. There's a few combinations like that. Andy Kellaway and Tom Wright have played a bit together in a gold jersey. I think Filipo for us, he's really versatile. He's a really good coverall for us. Starting on the wing but being able to cover other positions.
"Up front, again, we've got a real mix. We've got some experience, some huge experience with Slips [Slipper] up front. And at the same time, Taniela's been there often enough but Matt not so much. At the same time, Matt has been in the Wallabies recently and is quite comfortable there. Lukhan and Jeremy Williams - one making their debut, one with some experience. And then the back-row with some pretty good experience off the bench. What we're hoping to get out of the bench is that individuals who come on, they come into some experience around them."
Wright's ascension to the captaincy is a reward for his long-standing commitment to Australian rugby, with the Reds skipper having overcome a series of injuries throughout his six-year Super Rugby career.
But he was finally able to string a full season together for the Reds in 2024 and played a key role in the team's improvement under first-year coach Les Kiss.
"I think with Liam, he's really understated. He's a leader in a Super Rugby team anyway, and so he's got that leadership experience. He was identified by the players as a natural leader in the group," Schmidt said.
"He's a lineout caller, so he already has a responsibility in the team. Not that he calls all the line-outs, but it's one of the things that he contributes to.
So, I think what all the coaches liked about Liam is, you know, he doesn't really say that much. He just gets on and gets the job done really well. So, that's probably it in a nutshell."
Schmidt has indicated he may rotate captains across the July series, with Alaalatoa rated a strong chance to also lead the Wallabies if he is promoted to the starting side next week in Melbourne, or the week after when Australia returns to Sydney to face Georgia.
There are a further five Test debutants on the bench, while reserve hooker Billy Pollard will be playing only his second Test after he took his international bow in Argentina two years ago.
Isaac Kailea, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Tom Lynagh and Dylan Pietsch will otherwise be sampling Test rugby for the first time at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
It caps a rapid rise for Lynagh -- the son of Wallabies great Michael -- in particular, with the 21-year-old having only made his Super Rugby debut last year.
AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Josh Flook, Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Liam Wright (c), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Jeremy Williams, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, James Slipper.
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Isaac Kailea, Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Tate McDermott, Tom Lynagh, Dylan Pietsch