Australian skipper Darren Lockyer says New Zealand have every right to lay claim to Test football's No.1 ranking should they upset the Kangaroos again on Friday night.

Despite heading into the Suncorp Stadium clash as World Cup champions following their stunning triumph in last year's final, the Kiwis still trailed the Australians in the official rankings which were released at the completion of the 2008 tournament.

But according to Lockyer, top dog status will go on the line at Suncorp Stadium when the Kangaroos attempt to avoid back-to-back losses to the Kiwis for the first time in almost 40 years.

"They'll be out to prove that last year wasn't a fluke and if they've beaten us the last two times you'd have to say `yeah, we can't claim to be No.1," Lockyer said.

"Obviously we've been dominant over the years but the last few years they've won a couple of big games.

"If we were to lose tomorrow night I can't see how we'd be No.1."

Last year's World Cup win came on top of New Zealand's equally amazing 24-0 thumping of Australia in the 2005 Tri-Nations final.

They were unlucky not to go back-to-back in the Tri-Nations with Australia only winning the 2006 tournament in golden point.

The Kiwis seemed unperturbed by the prospect of taking over as top dog, Stephen Kearney more concerned with improving his side's horrible record in mid-season Tests.

Not only have New Zealand not won a mid-year Test in 11 years, but the Kiwis have copped a hammering in recent years with Australia twice posting totals in excess of 50 points.

"We're not too fussed about rankings, all we're concerned about is performing," Kearney said.

"If we're fortunate enough to get the ranking, so be it, but that's not our focus."

Both sides had their final hit outs at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday, with the training runs doubling as fitness tests for Australian fullback Billy Slater and Kiwi lock Jeremy Smith.

Smith failed to overcome his ankle injury and was replaced by Sydney Roosters centre Iosia Soliola in a reshuffled line-up, Simon Mannering moving from the backs to the pack.

Smith was the third Kiwi to bite the dust following the loss of Frank Pritchard (neck) and Issac Luke (suspension) earlier in the week.

Slater seemed unbothered by his heavily strapped ankle at Kangaroos training, but a final decision on his availability is unlikely before Friday morning.

Despite boasting one of the most dynamic backlines in Australian Test history, Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens said his focus had been on getting things right in the middle of the ruck.

Australia were overrun by New Zealand's powerful pack in the World Cup final, which in effect neutralised the home side's ability to unleash their star-studded backline.

"We will play attacking football no doubt, but that's the Australian side before I got there," Sheens said.

"I just hope to be a little more patient ... we tended to go to our backs and we tended to go to the air to (Israel) Folau miles too quick - for every one we catch there's three that they run him off the ball.

"I think we've got to have a bit more to our game then just resort to the high kick.

"The natural talent in the team is there, what we've got to do is defend - we had 34 points scored against us (in the World Cup final) and that's not acceptable for an Australia side and the boys understand that, that it's not good enough."

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