Can New Zealand Beat Australia for 1st Time in ANZAC Test Since 1998?

"We are sick of losing." 

That was the catchphrase Kiwis' halves pairing of Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran used en-route to beating Australia to win last year's Four Nations tournament, according to The New Zealand Herald's Michael Burgess. Despite coming against a depleted Australian outfit, the win showed what this New Zealand team are capable of and will be looking to recapture that form during Friday night's ANZAC Test.

Not since 1998 has New Zealand won the mid-year match against their rivals, often forced to put out weakened teams due to injuries and dubious suspensions. That 1998 and 2012 are the only two years the match has been played in New Zealand does not help either. 

Although all of that is of little consequence to this year's group, which looks to be the best team the Kiwis have put out for an ANZAC Test in many years, perhaps ever. There is talent all over the park, and they can take confidence from having beaten the Australians in Brisbane, the location of this year's ANZAC Test, just six months ago.

It is a strong team that opposes them, though, and has a distinctly more experienced look to it than the one that lined up at the end of last year. Talented youngsters Josh Mansour, Ben Hunt, Sione Mata'utia, David Klemmer, Josh Papalii and Josh Jackson make way for a group of men who have been there and done that, while key man Johnathan Thurston returns to the team as well. 

There is a fine line between experienced and old, though, one that New Zealand will be hoping this Australian team finds itself on the wrong side of. While the consistency and quality of this Australian forward pack over the past decade is unquestionable, they are not as young as they once were and will be where the Kiwis look to gain dominance by playing a fast-paced game.

The New Zealand pack includes plenty of energy, with the likes of Jesse Bromwich, Martin Taupau, Tohu Harris and Ben Matulino all being in-form players who can make things happen. They complement the hard workers well and give the Kiwis the ability to strike at any time, rather than having to rely on building up pressure.

If they can gain ascendancy here, there is plenty of flair in the Kiwi back line, which will look to threaten all night long and cause all sorts of problems for their opponents. 

Johnson was the key player in last year's successes, an elusive runner with speed, skill, agility and a good boot. He has not reached the heights thus far in 2015, but he will need to pull out a big performance if the Kiwis are to compete with the world's best international team.

Along with the tough and tidy Foran, he forms an outstanding halves pairing, whose battle for control of the game with Thurston and Cooper Cronk will have a large bearing on the outcome.

The back five of both sides have a distinctly youthful look to them. Australia field three newcomers, with a handful of regulars sidelined with injury. They are players New Zealand will look to exploit but will need the go-forward from the forwards and control from the halves to do this.

The Kiwis have a fairly depleted back five themselves and may find it even more depleted as it would be a surprise if Jason Nightingale does take the field, which would force Peta Hiku onto the wing and Lewis Brown into the centres.

There is no shortage of finishing ability on show though. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been arguably the most dangerous player in the NRL this year and returns to the Kiwis lineup after missing last year's Four Nations. He and Australian full-back Greg Inglis represent the two most potent attacking weapons on the field, and getting each in space will be of utmost importance to their respective teams.

So is this all enough for the Kiwis to finally come out on the right side of an ANZAC Test scoreline? 

The spark and energy the forward pack holds will be important, and if they can gain dominance and play an uptempo game, the Australian pack may struggle to keep up. This will open up space for Johnson and his back line to wreck havoc. 

But it is risky betting against the Australians. They have proven record, and it will take New Zealand to be at the top of their game to beat them.