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SYDNEY - The Kiwis' advance party has already touched down in Sydney with experts rating them near certainties to line up in the Tri-Nations final against the Kangaroos in Sydney on November 25.
Fresh from their 34-4 drubbing of Great Britain in Wellington, the Kiwis have a nervous wait to see if the Kangaroos do the right thing and beat Great Britain in Brisbane on Saturday to ensure a transtasman final.
Despite Great Britain's upset defeat of a flat Australian side on November 4, the commentators are adamant there will be no repeat.
"New Zealand showed that if you come at Great Britain with serious power and a simple game plan, you will win," former New South Wales coach and respected analyst Phil Gould wrote in yesterday's Sydney Morning Herald.
Having labelled Great Britain as "off the pace" and "also-rans" early in the three-team competition, Gould said their boilover in Sydney was only due to the Kangaroos' "poor form and ridiculous selection process".
"New Zealand's thumping of Great Britain has restored some sanity to the Tri-Nations ... the Kiwis dominated Saturday's match to expose the gap between the standards of league played in the northern and southern hemispheres."
New South Wales' TAB Sportsbet reacted to the Kiwis' win by adjusting their Tri-Nations odds to $5, with the Kangaroos still hot favourites at $1.18 and Great Britain at $21.
A wounded Great Britain team arrived in Sydney on the same flight as the Sydney-based Kiwis including Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, Nigel Vagana, Steve Matai, Iosia Soliola and David Fa'alogo.
They have two days off before reassembling with their Kiwis teammates and coach Brian McClennan tomorrow night.
The New Zealand Rugby League pre-booked Sydney accommodation for the defending champions, confidently assuming they would be in the final and giving them an extended 10-day buildup.
Gould was glowing in his praise of the Kiwis' performance in Wellington. However he reiterated his doubts about the Kiwis' 80-minute staying power should they make the final, likening them to a high-performance car speeding around a tight-turning racetrack.
"Their raw power and unique skill-set is hypnotic; but the enjoyment is tempered by this fearful anticipation in your guts they could easily crash on the next turn."
There was no such uncertainty from former New Zealand captain Hugh McGahan and ex-coach Graham Lowe, who believe the Kiwis will retain their title in a transtasman final. McGahan even rated the Kiwis title favourites.
"Australia has been scratchy. I won't say they lack confidence but they seem to lack some cohesion," he told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.
"New Zealand have played themselves into form - despite all the Nathan Fien controversy. They are at their best when they have their backs to the wall. That showed against Great Britain."
Lowe said New Zealand had been outplayed only once this tournament.
"The Kiwis are strong favourites - I can't say it any other way," Lowe told the Telegraph.
"Australia have, in a sense, been beaten twice. Once to Great Britain and the Kiwis only lost to them late [20-15 in Melbourne] through the brilliance of Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis. The only thing that will deny New Zealand winning is Great Britain beating Australia and the Kiwis missing the final."
- NZPA
