SYDNEY, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - National Rugby League champions Manly Sea Eagles were rewarded on Tuesday with six players named in Australia's squad for this month's rugby league World Cup in Australia.

Clive Churchill Medal winner Brent Kite and fullback Brett Stewart joined four uncapped teammates -- forwards Glenn Stewart, Anthony Watmough and Josh Perry and winger David Williams -- in the 24-man squad for the October 25 to November 22 tournament.

Manly romped to a record 40-0 victory over previous champions Melbourne Storm in last Sunday's NRL grand final.

Melbourne have five players in the national squad, represented by Michael Crocker, Israel Folau, Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater.

Selectors named seven new caps in their squad with Canberra backs Terry Campese and Joel Monaghan and Gold Coast forward Anthony Laffranchi joining the Manly quartet, Stewart, Perry, Watmough and Williams.

Standoff Campese, 24, is a nephew of former Wallaby great winger David Campese, who scored a then world record 64 in 101 rugby internationals.

Brisbane's Darren Lockyer was named the Kangaroos' captain.

Australia have held rugby league's World Cup since 1975 and are again hot favourites to successfully defend their trophy.

The Kangaroos, coached by Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart, begin their World Cup defence against New Zealand at the Sydney Football Stadium on October 26.

The Kangaroos? campaign will also mark 100 years of Tests against England when the two nations meet at Melbourne?s Docklands stadium on November 2, along with a match with Papua New Guinea in Townsville on November 9.

Ten nations will compete in the World Cup?s 18 matches with the final at Brisbane?s Lang Park on November 22.