Anzac Test 2012 ... the Kiwis doing the haka before taking on the Kangaroos at Eden Park. Photo: Photosport.
The Kiwi team to face Australia in next Friday night's 2013 Anzac Test in Canberra will be named tonight.
So who will make the team as the Kiwis look towards defending the Rugby League World Cup later this year?
The last time the two nations met in Townsville on October 13 last year, the Kangaroos won 18-10.
While the Kiwis haven't won an Anzac Test since 1998, there has been little in the last three contests. The Kangaroos prevailed 20-12 in Auckland last year, 20-10 in Robina in 2011 and 12-8 in Melbourne in 2010.
The New Zealand line-up in Townsville last October was: Josh Hoffman; Sam Perrett, Krisnan Inu, Dean Whare, Gerard Beale; Benji Marshall, Kieran Foran; Jesse Bromwich, Issac Luke, Sam Kasiano; Frank Pritchard, Kevin Proctor; Simon Mannering. Interchange: Ben Matulino, Greg Eastwood, Eiljah Taylor, Adam Blair.
Contenders include:
Brisbane: Josh Hoffman, Alex Glenn
North Queensland: Kalifa Faifai Loa, Antonio Winterstein, Jason Taumalolo
Sydney Roosters: Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Sonny Bill Williams
Canterbury-Bankstown: Sam Perrett, Martin Taupau, Greg Eastwood, Dene Halatau, Frank Pritchard
Newcastle: Jeremy Smith
Penrith: Dean Whare, Sam McKendry, Lewis Brown
Canberra: Sandor Earl, Matt McIlwrick
Vodafone Warriors: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Ngani Laumape, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Russell Packer, Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, Ben Henry, Sebastine Ikahihifo
South Sydney: Bryson Goodwin, Issac Luke
Melbourne: Tafeaga Junior Sau, Jesse Bromwich, Tohu Harris, Kevin Proctor
Manly: Kieran Foran, Justin Horo
Cronulla: Sam Tagataese
Wests Tigers: Adam Blair, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Eddy Pettybourne
St George Illawarra: Jason Nightingale, Bronson Harrison
Parramatta: Fuifui Moimoi
Out of contention are Benji Marshall, Gerard Beale, Sam Kasiano, Elijah Taylor (injured), Krisnan Inu (suspended) and Nathan Fien (retired from representative football)
Some players included Roy Asotasi, Jeff Lima, Joe Galuvao and Steve Matai have reportedly declared their allegiance to Samoa
The Kiwi team to face Australia in next Friday night's 2013 Anzac Test in Canberra will be named tonight.
So who will make the team as the Kiwis look towards defending the Rugby League World Cup later this year?
The last time the two nations met in Townsville on October 13 last year, the Kangaroos won 18-10.
While the Kiwis haven't won an Anzac Test since 1998, there has been little in the last three contests. The Kangaroos prevailed 20-12 in Auckland last year, 20-10 in Robina in 2011 and 12-8 in Melbourne in 2010.
The New Zealand line-up in Townsville last October was: Josh Hoffman; Sam Perrett, Krisnan Inu, Dean Whare, Gerard Beale; Benji Marshall, Kieran Foran; Jesse Bromwich, Issac Luke, Sam Kasiano; Frank Pritchard, Kevin Proctor; Simon Mannering. Interchange: Ben Matulino, Greg Eastwood, Eiljah Taylor, Adam Blair.
Contenders include:
Brisbane: Josh Hoffman, Alex Glenn
North Queensland: Kalifa Faifai Loa, Antonio Winterstein, Jason Taumalolo
Sydney Roosters: Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Sonny Bill Williams
Canterbury-Bankstown: Sam Perrett, Martin Taupau, Greg Eastwood, Dene Halatau, Frank Pritchard
Newcastle: Jeremy Smith
Penrith: Dean Whare, Sam McKendry, Lewis Brown
Canberra: Sandor Earl, Matt McIlwrick
Vodafone Warriors: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Ngani Laumape, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Russell Packer, Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, Ben Henry, Sebastine Ikahihifo
South Sydney: Bryson Goodwin, Issac Luke
Melbourne: Tafeaga Junior Sau, Jesse Bromwich, Tohu Harris, Kevin Proctor
Manly: Kieran Foran, Justin Horo
Cronulla: Sam Tagataese
Wests Tigers: Adam Blair, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Eddy Pettybourne
St George Illawarra: Jason Nightingale, Bronson Harrison
Parramatta: Fuifui Moimoi
Out of contention are Benji Marshall, Gerard Beale, Sam Kasiano, Elijah Taylor (injured), Krisnan Inu (suspended) and Nathan Fien (retired from representative football)
Some players included Roy Asotasi, Jeff Lima, Joe Galuvao and Steve Matai have reportedly declared their allegiance to Samoa
