Nine rounds into the NRL season and the representative season is upon as.
Tradition rivals Australia and New Zealand will go toe to toe in Canberra on Friday night, with three Pacific Tests to take place on Saturday before City Origin takes on Country Origin for what will be the final clash between the two sides on Sunday.
Australia v New Zealand
Friday Night, GIO Stadium
The rivalry between the two sides has reach great heights in recent times with the Kiwis holding the wood over the Kangaroos before the green and gold men responded in 2016 with a number of dominant performances, culminating with a 34-8 win at Anfield in the Four Nations final last October.
As per usual, Mal Meninga has rewarded his loyal players, despite some of them not being at the peak of their powers for their NRL clubs, while Andrew Fifita returns to the national fold.
Darius Boyd suffered a hamstring scare on Tuesday but Cooper Cronk said the fullback will play on Friday night in a mouth-watering match up with the returning Roger Tuivasa-Sheck while Johnathan Thurston will also be good to go in the nation's capital.
Cameron Smith will run out for the 50th time in the green and gold, becoming just the second player to do so after his predecessor Darren Lockyer. There's no doubting the Kangaroos will want to make it one to remember for their battle-tested skipper.
For the Kiwis, Keiran Foran also makes his return as he and Warriors teammate Shaun Johnson pair up in the halves as their intimidating front pack led by captain Jesse Bromwich will look to bully the Kangaroos around the park. Dally M medallist Jason Taumalolo, Kevin Proctor and Adam Blair also start in the pack in a line up not short for star power.
Friday is the start of the run in to the end of year World Cup as this game will have a little more meaning than just a usual one-off Test.
The Kangaroos will seek to continue their recent winning formula against a refreshed Kiwi side and despite a couple of injuries to regular starters, the Roos should come out on top.
Kangaroos by 8.
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