Kangaroos skipper Darren Lockyer has labelled Australia's return bout with New Zealand as a "make or break" game, believing his side's chances of defending its Tri-Nations crown will hinge on the result of Friday night's clash in Auckland.

The tourists are on the back foot after last week's shock 38-28 loss to the Kiwis in the tournament opener at Telstra Stadium, with Lockyer adamant that anything bar an Australian victory could prove fatal to his side's hopes of making the November 26 final at Leeds.

"In the context of the tournament, the Tri-Nations, this is a vital game for us," Lockyer said.

"We get over to Great Britain two down, we're in a pretty big hole. It could make or break us."

Should the Australians lose, they would need to win both games against Great Britain and hope other results go their way to make the final.

With another week of training and bonding under their belts, the Australians should prove to be a more formidable opponent at Ericsson Stadium come Friday night, a venue they have not won at since 1999.

But complacency continues to be a worry for an Australian team tagged by Kiwis coach Brian McClennan as the best sporting side in the world, though Lockyer said any doubts as to the ability of the New Zealand side had now well and truly been dispelled.

"If the players thought it was going to be an easy game last week it was a good wake-up call," he said.

"I don't think it was complacency. We haven't beaten the Kiwis first game after the season's finished for a couple of years so we knew we were in for a tough match and we just didn't play up to the standard that we wanted.

"The first week was probably a week where everyone was getting used to one and other in the team. It's past that now, it's more about taking out an attitude there on Friday night knowing we're playing for Australia and we're probably playing for our chances to stay in the tournament."

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