Hockey Australia named squads for both the world league final and a Test series against India and it was good news for World Cup-winning Olympians Eddie Ockenden and Tim Deavin and also highly rated youngster Josh Beltz.

McDonald believes Beltz is being offered another prime opportunity to prove himself, Deavin has established himself among the core selections and Ockenden is sufficiently safe as to need resting.

Beltz, 20, of Hobart Diamondbacks, has been named in the Test series to take place ahead of the world league, also in the Indian city of Raipur.

Tasmanian Institute of Sport coach McDonald said the size and nature of the Test squad, including the resting of star players like Ockenden and Jamie Dwyer, suggests it is being used to showcase emerging players like Beltz, who debuted in the recent Oceania Cup triumph in New Zealand.

"It's a really good opportunity for Josh," he said. "He played well in the Oceania Cup and the Australian Hockey League and they are clearly looking hard at the defensive make-up of the team. The door is ajar. With continued strong performances he could throw it open."

McDonald pointed to the absence of Victorian veteran Chris Ciriello from the world league squad to the possibilities open for emerging defenders.

And while he believed Ockenden, 28, of North-West Grads, was being rested from the Test tour, the presence of Tamar Churinga's Deavin, 31, in both squads was significant.

"In my eyes Deavo is almost irreplaceable now. He would be in the top seven or eight core players in that team which already includes the likes of Ockenden, Andrew Charter, Simon Orchard and Mark Knowles.

"The challenge to Tim is to maintain that and improve on it. I think Deavo's form in New Zealand and the AHL has elevated him to a whole new level.

"As it is Melbourne Cup day, in terms of Rio I would say we have two of the favourites and another coming up on the rails, and it's a dry track!"

Kookaburras squad for Hockey World League final: Daniel Beale (QLD), Andrew Charter (ACT), Matthew Dawson (NSW), Tim Deavin (TAS), Jamie Dwyer (QLD), Matt Gohdes (QLD), Blake Govers (NSW), Kieran Govers (NSW), Jeremy Hayward (NT), Fergus Kavanagh (WA), Mark Knowles (QLD), Tyler Lovell (WA), Trent Mitton (WA), Eddie Ockenden (TAS), Matthew Swann (QLD), Glenn Turner (NSW), Jake Whetton (QLD), Aran Zalewski (WA).

Kookaburras squad for Indian Test series: Daniel Beale (QLD), Joshua Beltz (TAS), Kiel Brown (QLD), Joel Carroll (NT), Tristan Clemons (WA), Tom Craig (NSW), Chris Ciriello (VIC), Matthew Dawson (NSW), Tim Deavin (TAS), Matt Gohdes (QLD), Blake Govers (NSW), Kieran Govers (NSW), Jeremy Hayward (NT), Leon Hayward (NT), Trent Mitton (WA), Flynn Ogilvie (NSW), Simon Orchard (NSW), Glenn Simpson (VIC), Matthew Swann (QLD), Jake Whetton (QLD), Tristan White (NSW), Dylan Wotherspoon (NSW), Aran Zalewski (WA).