The All Whites' warm-up for next month's football World Cup is heating up with the players hitting the training paddock in preparation for Monday's opening friendly against the Socceroos at the MCG.
New Zealand hasn't played Australia since 2005, a 1-0 loss in a friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground in London.
The goal-scoring hero from the Bahrain qualifiers, striker Rory Fallon, reckons the first of four friendlies is going to be the toughest too.
Fallon thinks it's always a magical game against Australia and it'd be brilliant to do well against them - but despite all the trans-Tasman rivalry, it's still a friendly that the All Whites have to use to build on.
The All Whites also face Serbia, Slovenia and Chile ahead of their opening World Cup fixture against Slovakia on June 15th.
New Zealand Football has announced a $4 million foundation to further the code here, with All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen the patron.
