With a string of absentees through personal circumstances as well as injury, the Kiwis know they are rank outsiders for Friday.
But then again -- there's nothing new in that.
"It doesn't bother us -- we're family here and we just want to play football and challenge ourselves against Australia," says Gerard Beale.
Then again, the Kiwis love it when they are written off.
"They've beaten us the last three times we've played, so it's about re-instilling what the jersey is," says Corey Parker.
With Kieran Foran out of all league indefinitely after his personal crisis, regular backrower Tohu Harris moves to five-eighth, just like he did in the 2014 Anzac Test.
He will partner up with Shaun Johnson as they take on Kangaroos play-makers Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.
"They've got two great halves, two of the best ever -- it's going to be a huge challenge but I have to do my role the best I can," says Harris.
Questions still remain over the fitness of centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall -- he was still in a moonboot and took no part in the team's laTest training session.
NRL club-mates becoming enemies in Test week is common enough, though the Kangaroos have an unusual twist on that.
Just days ago Paul Gallen dropped an elbow onto Josh McGuire's head in the Sharks-Broncos game, and now the pair are teammates.
Opposing McGuire in his Test debut will be his Broncos teammate Adam Blair -- with 34 Tests, he's the Kiwis' most capped player.
The Kiwis take on a Kangaroos outfit coached for the first time by Mal Meninga.
"He instils self-belief in you as an individual and I'm sure he will do that this week as well," says Parker.
The Kiwis have twice played in Newcastle in recent years, with a win against England but a loss to the Kangaroos.
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