Northland's Ella Gunson, Stacey Michelsen, Anna Thorpe and Charlotte Harrison have been named in the Black Sticks' squad of 18 to help defend the Oceania Cup from August 25-29.
The winning team at the Invercargill-based tournament will automatically qualify for next year's World Cup in Argentina.
Lining up against the Kiwi girls
will be Samoa and Australia - who Black Sticks' coach Mark Hager said would be dangerous after observing them at the Champions Trophy in Sydney last week.
"We definitely need to tighten our defence or Australia will hurt us," he said.
While Hager believed his attack compared well with the best teams in the world, there was work to be done on the defence, which conceded 23 goals in five matches during recent test series against India, China and Argentina.
Putting the record into perspective however, Argentina, who beat the Black Sticks 3-0, went on to win the Champions Trophy in Australia last week after an intense final against the hosts.
Australia, who lost on strokes, are expected to move from fifth in the world to third as a result of their second placing.
"Australia are a cohesive young group and very solid defensively, and conceded three goals during the tournament."
Hager said he was looking forward to gaining a further guide as to where his team stood against another world class side.
It will also be the first time he will put out his top 18 players, after rotating a squad of 25 during the Argentina and China series.
"This is a good opportunity for the 18 to prove themselves and to see how they perform under the pressure of qualifying for a World Cup," Hager said.
Gunson and Michelsen, along with fellow Junior Black Sticks Lucy Talbot, Gemma Flynn and Katie Glynn will turn up in Invercargill fresh from playing in the Junior World Cup from August 3-16 in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
New Zealand women's team for the Oceania Cup:
Kayla Sharland, Emily Naylor, Krystal Forgesson, Kate Saunders, Katie Glynn, Stacey Carr, Ella Gunson, Beth Jurgeleit, Clarissa Eshuis, Lucy Talbot, Stacey Brannigan, Gemma Flynn, Anna Thorpe, Kate Mahon, Charlotte Harrison, Bianca Russell, Stacey Michelsen, Anita Punt.
