The return of captain Winston Reid headlines the All Whites squad for the upcoming football friendly with Japan.
Coach Anthony Hudson has named 22 players for the trip to Nagoya, with plenty of talking points.
West Ham defender Reid is back after recovering from a calf injury, but he won't be joined by Ipswich centre back Tommy Smith, who hasn't yet recovered from a hamstring problem.
The midfield has been boosted by the return of Marco Rojas, who now plies his trade with SC Heerenveen in the Dutch top tier. His creativity will be crucial alongside Ryan Thomas, who has established himself as the premier midfielder in the team.
Brisbane Roar wing-back Dane Ingham returns, after he was sent home during the Oceania qualifiers because of fitness concerns. He's in thanks to a lower-back injury to Storm Roux, who hasn't been considered.
Holding midfielder Bill Tuiloma is also back after gaining plenty of game time at the Portland Timbers with their second division side. Despite recently signing with Scunthorpe United, attacking midfielder Clayton Lewis has been left out.
The All Whites have named two keepers, with the reliable Stefan Marinovic joined by the inexperienced Michael Woud. The 18-year old currently plays for the Sunderland U-23 side and is set to make his debut, after coming through the New Zealand Under-20 team.
New Zealand has played Japan five times, winning on three occasions. They last played in Tokyo in 2014, losing 4-2.
Their clash with Japan is on Friday 6 October, at 11:20pm (NZT).
All Whites squad: Stefan Marinovic, Michael Woud, Winston Reid, Andrew Durante, Michael Boxall, Themi Tzimopoulos, Sam Brotherton, Deklan Wynne, Tom Doyle, Dane Ingham, Kip Colvey, Michael McGlinchey, Bill Tuiloma, James Musa, Ryan Thomas, Moses Dyer, Chris Wood, Shane Smeltz, Marco Rojas, Kosta Barbarouses, Monty Patterson, Myer Bevan
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