The star Roosters second-rower has been suspended since the opening game of the NRL season and is swapping codes to play for the Chiefs next year.

Kearney and the other Kiwis selectors need to decide if it’s worth picking Williams for the one-off Test or whether to invest in a player who’ll be around long term.

The four Kiwis selectors (Kearney, Andrew McFadden, Richie Barnett and Tawera Nikau) talked with each other for the first time last week about the direction in which they want to take the team following last year’s disappointing World Cup final against Australia.

Kearney said while the issue of Williams wasn’t brought up, it’s something they would look at as part of a bigger picture.

‘‘It was our first discussion on Wednesday night in terms of a selection meeting and once we get closer to the date [of the Anzac Test] we’ll make a call on what’s best for the team moving forward.

‘‘The next meeting will be putting everyone in the picture and filling them in on issues from the World Cup and also the injury status of a number of guys.

‘‘At the next meeting I’m sure we’ll discuss what our plan is moving forward and what the best situation is for the Kiwis rugby league team.’’

One player who looks almost certain to miss the Anzac Test, though, is hooker Issac Luke, who needed an operation after a shoulder injury in the Rabbitohs’ round three game against Wests Tigers.

‘‘I had contact with Issac over the weekend, after the incident and he hadn’t then gone in for surgery,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘I aim to get in contact with him again over the next few days, but at this stage it looks like it’s four to six weeks, so I anticipate him being unavailable for the [game] at this stage.’’

With Luke out of the running, Thomas Leuluai’s return for the Warriors from a groin injury picked up at the World Cup couldn’t be more timely.

‘‘I spoke at some length with Thomas last week, before the South Sydney game, so from that point of view it is good to see Thomas back and we’ll see how he goes over the coming weeks,’’ Kearney said.

Kearney admits that options are thin on the ground at hooker. Other than Leuluai, the other options are Elijah Taylor and possibly Matt McIlwrick at the Raiders.

‘‘It has always been a position where there has been a lack of depth for us,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘We’ve got some younger kids coming through but they’re a long way from test footy.

‘‘It’s something we’re working through in terms of development for us. At a high-performance point of view we’ve been a bit spoilt in that Issac has played a lot of tests in a row and hasn’t missed many over the last three or four years.

‘‘But we’ve just got to move on and see how Tommy goes over the next couple of weeks.’’

Kearney said there would be players in his squad for the Anzac Test that didn’t go to the World Cup.

‘‘Gerard Beale at the Dragons, Shaun Kenny-Dowall at the Roosters, Tohu Harris and Kevin Proctor at Melbourne, these are a few of the boys being considered.’’