The decision to pick the midfielder indicates a divergence of opinions on the timeline of Mooy’s recovery between the Socceroos’ medical staff and their Huddersfield Town counterparts.
The Terriers have declared Mooy unfit for the entirety of the next month’s tournament in the UAE, and the struggling Premier League club were expecting Graham Arnold to overlook him for the Socceroos’ defence of their 2015 crown.
Such an eventuality would have paved the way for Terriers coach David Wagner to pick Mooy for vital relegation matches at some point in January, should his key man make a speedy recovery.
Arnold would only be able to recall Mooy as an injury replacement were he to bypass him entirely when unveiling his initial squad.
But with Socceroos physio Phil Coles already on the ground in Yorkshire, and in possession of the MRI scans supplied by the club, Australia have effectively called what some might see as Huddersfield’s bluff by including Mooy in the hope he may be fit enough to jet out to Dubai for the knockout stages should Australia progress.
Wagner has insisted that Huddersfield have “nothing to hide” regarding Mooy, but Arnold is keen to avoid a potential scenario which would see him playing for his club, and not his country, at a vital time for both.
What has developed into a low-key standoff between the two parties could become more heated should Mooy be deemed fit at some point during the tournament, with the round of 16 beginning on January 20.
It’s likely Huddersfield - currently sitting two points off safety in the Premier League relegation zone - would be inclined to resist him being exposed to further risk playing overseas.
Arnold, meanwhile, is set to keep faith with striker Jamie Maclaren, who is out of favour at loan club Hibernian and yet to score in seven appearances for his country.
Maclaren was replaced by Hibs teammate Martin Boyle during last month’s 1-1 with Korea Republic in Brisbane, with the winger going on to score twice in the 3-0 win over Lebanon while the ex-Brisbane Roar man remained on the bench.
Whilst Arnold is looking for goals to come from an array of attack-minded players in a highly offensive formation, Maclaren will get another shot at making the central striking role his own in a joust with Tomi Juric, who has also found consistency hard to come by.
Maclaren has only scored once so far in 10 Scottish Premiership appearances this season - five of which were off the bench.
It’s his second coming at Easter Road, where he garnered cult status after netting eight goals in 13 starts last campaign.
A free-scoring role at the Asian Cup would give Hibs coach Neil Lennon pause for thought and boost Maclaren’s club future, whether in Edinburgh or elsewhere.
