Mitchell Pearce’s representative career remains in limbo after the Sydney Roosters halfback was overlooked for a place in Australia’s injury-hit 24-man squad for the Four Nations.

After being axed earlier this year by NSW coach Laurie Daley from the Blues’ successful State of Origin campaign after his Kings Cross arrest, Brisbane playmaker Ben Hunt was preferred for the final halves spot in the Kangaroos’ squad for the four-week tournament.

Hunt or Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans will partner Cooper Cronk in Australia’s halves for their opening Four Nations fixture against New Zealand in Brisbane on October 25.

Cronk’s Queensland halves partner Johnathan Thurston and NSW duo Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds were all ruled out of the Four Nations due to injury.

Pearce scored one of the individual tries of the season in the Roosters’ preliminary final loss to South Sydney and was last week awarded the Jack Gibson medal as the Tricolours’ player of the 2014 season.

But Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens said Hunt was preferred due to his versatility.

“He falls into that category as Daly did, he has started as seven, played a bit of six, played a bit of 13, played a bit of nine as the years have gone on in this tournament situation,” Sheens said.

“He obviously plays halfback for his club, but he has played different roles and Hunty edged out young Pearce on that basis.”