Rugby league: Kangaroos rate NZ genuine Anzac threats

For the first time in living memory, the Australians are talking up New Zealand's chances in a league test and there is no mealy-mouthed, tongue-in-cheek game promotion about it.

The way they have signalled they will handle the naming and confirmation of their Kangaroo side for the Anzac clash next Friday confirms it.

The four selectors and coach, Chris Anderson, will make their call from Bondi's Swiss Grand Hotel, where the Kangaroos will camp until the game, at 8pm tomorrow after the weekend's NRL round.

Both Anderson and the best bet for a surety in the team in captain Brad Fittler yesterday sounded warnings about the ability of the Kiwi side and the need to take in a fully fit team.

In the last four Kiwi-Kangaroo tests, the sides have finished within four points of each other, the last two involving two-point margins.

"We need to take a committed side out there and we can't be carrying blokes," Anderson said of the Good Friday game at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

The main focus for him, New South Wales selectors Johnny Raper and Eddie Lumsden and Queenslanders Artie Beetson and Les Geeves this weekend will be whether Newcastle brothers Andrew (groin) and Matthew Johns (ankle) come through without those persistent injuries bothering them.

Andrew Johns is an automatic selection for halfback if fit, and Anderson favours Matt Johns at standoff and regular Brad Fittler at lock. But the four selectors favour captain Fittler at standoff.

"There's a fair chance I might play lock, it doesn't really bother me, I just hope they leave me there so I can establish myself in the game," the skipper said.

If Andrew Johns is not fit the selectors will go for Brett Kimmorley at half.

The other contentious position is hooker, with Penrith's Craig Gower to make his return from injury this weekend. Anderson is known to favour Bulldog Jason Hetherington there but the selectors will go with the incumbent.

There are choices in the centres, but given Kiwi Richie Blackmore's history of terrorising smaller Australians, Anderson might well want similar size and intimidation there, giving Terry Hill the nod over Ryan Girdler to partner Shaun Timmins.

And in the front row there is a choice between the Storm's Rodney Howe and Robbie Kearns to partner Bronco Shane Webcke.

Howe makes more yards and more mistakes, Kearns makes more offloads.

Shark Jason Stevens and the Eels' Michael Vella have a good chance of bench starts if Anderson decides to go with a four-forward bench to counter the obvious size advantage the Kiwis have, otherwise Storm standoff-lock Scott Hill's form should get him a spot there.

The Kangaroos could not afford to get blinkered into believing they knew how the Kiwis would approach the game, Fittler said.

"You always worry about their big men but last year it was the little blokes that did the damage."

The Kiwis will begin assembling at their base at the Parramatta Park Royal from tomorrow as their games finish. Coach Frank Endacott is due to arrive from England mid-morning on Monday and run training at 2pm.

His main concern will be that all Kiwis get through the round isuspension-free.

Richie Blackmore and the Paul brothers arrive in Sydney on Tuesday evening.

Possible Ausralian squad: Darren Locker, Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Terry Hill, Shaun Timmins, Brad Fittler, Andrew Johns, Shane Webcke, Craig Gower, Robbie Kearns, Bryan Fletcher, Gorden Tallis, Jason Smith; interchange Scott Hill, Rodney Howe, Michael Vella, David Fairleigh.