KEY POINTS:
When the captains of the 10 World Cup sides gathered in Sydney last week, they warned Australia wouldn't have it all their own way. Favourites, yes, but not raging hot favourites to claim their seventh successive World Cup dating back to 1975.
It might have been bravado but the opposition don't see the Kangaroos as invincible as they have been in the past. It's a view many share.
"Looking at this Australian squad, I wouldn't be shaking in my boots," said Frank Endacott, who coached the Kiwis to the 2000 World Cup final against the old foe. "I would respect them but I feel the Kiwis and England have every chance of beating them.
"Kiwi sides I coached would have loved to come across an Australian side like this. Back in my day, they didn't know who to leave out there were so many great players. They were legends. But there is no one in there that would intimidate the Kiwis."
Missing are the likes of Willie Mason (injured), Mark Gasnier (rugby union), Greg Bird (police investigation) and Ryan Hoffman (injured).
They also have seven new caps in their 24-man Australian squad and four alone in today's 17 to meet the Kiwis in Sydney.
It means 31-test prop forward Petero Civoniceva has more test experience than the rest of Australia's starting forward pack put together. Steve Price has played 11, Cameron Smith eight and Paul Gallen one, but for the rest it will be new territory. Add in interchange forwards Brent Kite (10), Anthony Tupou (six) and Josh Perry (0) and Civoniceva is only just overtaken.
It is a side picked on form when in the past Australian sides were often picked on reputation but it also means many of the players aren't used to the pressures that come with international football and a World Cup in particular.
This comes in many forms and is borne out in the fact people in Australia assume they will win. Commentator Phil Gould is just one.
"To my mind, in such a special tournament as this, all other nations should have been allowed to select their strongest possible teams before Australia selected their squad," Gould wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.
"We have more than enough players in the NRL to pick a winning team. We could pick five Australian teams. We could even pick a team made up of former NRL players currently playing in the English Super League and still win the World Cup.
"It's not about who wins the tournament. There is only one winner. Australia win the cup. Do as much spin-doctoring as you like. Talk up as many of the other teams as you like. No other nation can get near Australia in this competition."
Gould could well be proved correct, because there is still some incredible firepower in this Australian side and New Zealand are hardly brimming with experienced campaigners, but he would be wise to remember the 2005 and 2006 Tri Nations.
New Zealand do campaigns well when they can build momentum and they got the jump on Australia by playing two warmup games against New Zealand Maori and Tonga.
Australia have been together for a week and had a hitout against the Aboriginal Dreamtime side but some players haven't had a competitive match since the NRL regular season ended in early September.
There is still plenty of time for them to ease into it given Australia, New Zealand and England are virtually assured of a place in the semifinals.
Endacott spent a week in camp with the Kiwis as All Golds assistant coach and was impressed.
"I have been in camp with a lot of Kiwi sides but this would be the most disciplined I have ever seen," he said.
"Not one player had a beer or went out during the week. No staff had a drink either. If players were told to be on the bus at 4.30, they would all be there at 4.15. Discipline like that goes a long way to success on the field."
That's Wayne Bennett's influence. The new Dragons boss and Kiwis assistant, demands standards (although he found that players can still be wayward) and this New Zealand side seem to respect them.
Little attention has been directed towards England, who opened their World Cup against Papua New Guinea last night.
Kiwis football manager Dean Bell, who spent nearly 20 years as a player and coach in the UK, thinks this is dangerous.
"We need to be really careful here that people don't think it's a two-horse race," Bell said. "That would foolish. All I hear coming out of Australia and New Zealand is that it will be an Australia-New Zealand final.
"I know how strong the English competition is and how good the players are. They will be tough. They are building a lot of depth and have been for the last 10-12 years and have to be recognised as a force.
"Australia would be favourites - you'd have to be a fool to think otherwise - but they have lost a few good players and others aren't on form."
