Anzac Tests used to be the domain of Australia's greats, running rampant as they had done for Queensland. Many of the same players have been there as the Kangaroos have lost three in a row against the Kiwis, the tide has turned before their eyes, reinvigorating any trans-Tasman rugby league fixture and generally reinvigorating international rugby league.

When the Kangaroos and Kiwis run out to face each other in Newcastle, the same experienced class vs youthful exuberance narrative will follow them. This Kangaroos team isn't too different from previous Kangaroos teams in recent times; the spine of Darius Boyd, Jonathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith is slightly new but they've done plenty of work together in the past and the blokes filling holes around the OG's are in form.

Whereas Sione Mata'utia and Josh Mansour have filled wing spots recently, Mal Meninga has gone with Semi Radradra and Blake Ferguson. Two wingers who are big and athletic, allowing the Kangaroos to start their sets on the front-foot and offering an aerial threat to finish sets. Greg Inglis and Josh Dugan start at centre, two fullbacks starting at centre which should ease concerns around the Kiwis players who have been selected out of position.

What I see when looking at the Kangaroos' backline are weapons, weapons for Thurston and Cronk to use at their disposal. Cronk will likely own the right edge while Thurston will wave his wand around down the left edge, as they do with Queensland and they'll always have at least two options: out the back to Boyd, short ball to Josh Papalii/Matt Gillett, early ball for Inglis/Dugan or exploiting an over-lap by a long pass to Radradra/Ferguson.

That's what is scary for us kiwi jokers as Meninga has surrounded the best play-makers in the world with weapons that are arguably better than previous selections. Put that backline, with Thurston and Cronk pulling the strings up against a weakened Kiwis backline that lacks firepower and this is where the Kangaroos have the advantage.

Everything will depend on the lads up the guts, as is generally always the case. While the Kangaroos have weapons-a-plenty in their backline, the Kiwis' forward pack have Jesse Bromwich and Jason Taumalolo through the middle. The Kangaroos still have many of the game's best middle forwards, but the Kiwis' style of play is built around the strengths of Bromwich and Taumalolo. They are mobile, have great footwork and plenty of skill which has ensured that the Kiwis have rolled through the middle with power in recent Tests.

Adam Blair will operate as the glue, but don't sleep on how Bromwich and Taumalolo's athletic ability helps the Kiwis defence through the middle. The Kiwis forward pack is such, that they have in the past run over the top of the 'Roos and that will once again be the key for the Kiwis. Manu Ma'u has been selected and he is a prime example of this, while Martin Taupau and Sam Moa fit the bill perfectly.

So do Lewis Brown and Kodi Nikorima, who aren't powerhouse forwards and they are definitely not Issac Luke but their strength is their nippy running game. Brown and Nikorima have both been selected because they will scoot out of dummy half, probably after Bromwich/Taumalolo/Moa/Ma'u have got a quick play-the-ball and hit the Kangaroos through the middle. Brown and Nikorima aren't Luke, but they are quick enough to ask questions of the Kangaroos work through the middle.

Two Kangaroos who I'm most interested in are Paul Gallen and Michael Morgan. Gallen has been the focus of plenty of attention regarding his rep future, he's still one of the best middle forwards in the NRL and is worthy of selection. He will however be heavily tested through the middle of the field, up against bigger and more athletic forwards who test him laterally.

Morgan will come off the bench to defend in the middle and act as another pair of hands in attack. This could be crucial as Morgan's combo of speed and size will ask questions of the Kiwis defence through the middle and he'll come on after Thurston and Cronk have established their wizardry, meaning that if the Kiwis don't pay Morgan enough respect, he'll be just as much of a threat as Thurston/Cronk.

For the Kiwis, it's Shaun Johnson and Jordan Kahu. Johnson is the only certified play-maker in the Kiwis, while the Kangaroos have four which places immense pressure on a halfback who isn't in the best form. A lot of this depends on the Kiwis' forward pack, who will need to be rolling forward, or else the Kangaroos will be able to load up the pressure on Johnson. A lot of people love to talk shit about Johnson without much actual analysis, he's an easy target I guess, but this Anzac Test is going to be a massive opportunity for Johnson to show that he ticks all the boxes as a world-class half.

Johnson's the only certified play-maker because we simply haven't seen Kahu do enough ball-playing in the NRL. I have loved Kahu's work in the NRL because any position he's played in, he's done a good job which tells me that he's a natural footballer who has all the skills. Kahu will need to help Johnson as much as possible both with his hands and his running game, also keep an eye on Kahu's support play through the middle as he'll look to make the most of any offload from a Kiwis forward.

Despite the Kiwis record against the Kangaroos over the past few years, the Kangaroos start as favourites thanks to the guys who are missing from this Kiwis team. What gives me hope and should give kiwis hope is that Johnson, Bromwich and Taumalolo ooze what has worked for the Kiwis in the past and what this Kiwis team is built on: speed, power, footwork and skill. Those three lads are there and that's enough to ensure that the Kiwis will be in with a sniff.