Coulter-Nile and James Pattinson have been included in a 12-man squad for the clash in Hobart that starts on December 10.

Boland is on standby and will travel to Tasmania this weekend if any of the four pacemen in the squad are not going to be fit enough for the game.

National selectors will be forced to make one change to the XI, with Pattinson coming in for injured spearhead Mitchell Starc.

However, Peter Siddle has a back niggle and team management have been worried about Josh Hazlewood’s workloads since the first Test against New Zealand.

“Hopefully all the bowlers from the Adelaide Test recover well over the next few days but we are mindful our fast bowlers have had a heavy workload over this series,” chairman of selectors Rod Marsh said.

“Scott presents as a good option if the situation with any of our fast bowlers change.

“He’s bowling very well at the moment and is not far off selection.

“His seven-wicket haul against Western Australia showed just what he can do at an elite level.”

The 26-year-old has done a mountain of fitness work in recent years, dropping 22 kilograms.

Boland will play for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield round starting this Sunday unless Cricket Australia summon him to Hobart.

Coulter-Nile, who has played 13 ODIs and 11 T20s for Australia, only recently started bowling due to a shoulder injury.

He should have bowled for Western Australia last weekend but was given a one-match ban for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision in the domestic second XI league.

Coulter-Nile hasn’t played first-class cricket since the Sheffield Shield final in March.

“In an ideal world we would have liked Nathan Coulter-Nile to have played some more Sheffield Shield cricket,” Marsh said.

“But he has been a proven performer for Australia in short-format cricket and has very good pace.

“We think he is ready to compete at Test level if required.”

Steve Smith indicated after his side’s three-wicket win over NZ that Siddle should be ok to play in Hobart.

Hazlewood’s bowled a total of 119.1 overs throughout the three-Test series and Smith noted he would need a rest soon.

Pat Cummins remains sidelined with a serious back injury, while Mitchell Johnson’s retirement has also given selectors some headaches.

Australia’s 12-man squad: David Warner, Joe Burns, Steve Smith (capt), Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh, Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon, Nathan Coulter-Nile (Scott Boland on standby).

AAP