With the men's World Cup in Qatar less than two months away, Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold is in the final stages of narrowing down the 26-player squad he hopes to take there.
On Thursday night, the first of two friendly internationals played out against New Zealand at Brisbane's Lang Park, two players arguably booked their ticket.
Awer Mabil, the only goal-scorer, was the first.
After a rusty opening half-hour from Australia, where several mistakes led to major chances for the visiting side, it was Mabil who took the initiative and dragged the Socceroos in front.
Picking up the ball from midfield, the winger charged down the left and cut in-field before sending a curling strike into the top corner.
It was Mabil's eighth goal for his country but first in Australia, coming on the back of his move to Spanish La Liga outfit Cadiz CF.
"It's nice to be home again. First goal on home soil — I've been waiting for a long time and it's been my biggest wish, so it's nice to score at home and get a win, of course," he said.
The other bright spark was Scotland-born winger Martin Boyle, who bounced back from a quiet opening 45 minutes to cause problems for New Zealand's defenders in the second.
Boyle was central to another major chance for Australia after the break, streaking through the middle to latch onto a counter-attack and feed substitute Matt Leckie, but the winger's low shot was deflected by Kiwi goalkeeper Oli Sail onto the post.
Arnold, who enjoyed former mentor Guus Hiddink's cameo as assistant coach, made five changes to the side that started against Peru in their World Cup qualifier.
But there were no major experiments, with the many fresh faces included in the 31-strong squad lining the bench with a rematch on Sunday in Auckland their target.
Adam Taggart and Ajdin Hrustic subbed for Maclaren and McGree early in the second half, while Leckie and Nathaniel Atkinson replaced Mabil and Fran Karacic with 20 minutes to play.
Joel King and Connor Metcalfe then played the final minutes, on for Jackson Irvine and Aziz Behich.
Australia were shaky early and Trent Sainsbury was at the centre of it, the defender's first pass lobbing into the danger zone and then another poor touch gifting the All Whites another golden chance.
They took neither, and Sainsbury then denied a goal of his own when Jackson Irvine was deemed to have knocked down a defender in a goal-mouth scramble from a corner.
Sainsbury had poked the ball into the corner, replays suggesting the defender had simply slipped.
Empoli talent Liberato Cacace proved a menace on the left edge for New Zealand without finding the net, while Newcastle United striker Chris Wood was physical up front in a friendly that had plenty of spark 100 years on from the teams' first meeting.
Arnold conceded after the match that his team lacked energy, but provided context around the difficulty of playing matches at home for players based elsewhere in the world and looked ahead to the rematch on Sunday.
"I thought we lost the physical battle — the New Zealanders were quite physical — but it's important to remember that the boys just arrived," he said.
"Milos Degenek arrived yesterday morning. Flights out of London were difficult, there were cancelled flights because of the Queen's funeral.
"I wanted to reward the boys who gave us a lot of sacrifices and got us through the [qualification] campaign, and obviously that's the older group.
"But [Sunday] is for the kids. So what did I learn tonight? They're still working hard. There are some that need to get playing. I rewarded the ones for the campaign that we got through, but now it's about what's in front of us."
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By Samantha Lewis
A win's a win in a World Cup, right?
😃 I was wrong...but 😀
- Natty.
Audience comment
Maybe we don't want to show France any of our secret attacking plays
- Mike
By Samantha Lewis
Final thoughts
Well, it might not have been the performance that the 25,000+ fans at Lang Park wanted to see as the Socceroos edge ever-closer to Qatar, but it was an opportunity for the team to get back together, rediscover their old combinations, and shake off the rust of international travel before their second and final friendly in Auckland on Sunday.
Awer Mabil's stunning solo run and strike in the first half was enough to give Australia the narrow win over their rivals, but whether it was convincing enough for fans who have been reflecting on past iterations of the Socceroos at tonight's centenary celebrations is another matter.
We've been promised that Sunday's rematch will see a very different line-up from Graham Arnold, with possible debuts handed out to a couple of young and emerging players who could be the difference-makers come November - and, with any luck, far into the future.
Until then, I've been your host Samantha Lewis, and you've been a lovely audience.
Ciao!
By Samantha Lewis
Full-time: Australia 1 - 0 New Zealand
By Samantha Lewis
90+??'
Jamie Maclaren hasn't done much since he came on, but he just had his first shot on target since joining the match in the second-half.
He pulls wide and moves the ball to his left, but his strike is right at the big red Sail.
By Samantha Lewis
90'
We're at the mercy of the referee now, folks.
Australia has won a free kick right near the sideline, with Mooy and McGree standing over it.
But Mooy floats a tired, curling ball right into the arms of Oli Sail.
By Samantha Lewis
86' Australia substitution
Youngster Joel King comes on to replace Aziz Behich, while Connor Metcalfe replaces Jackson Irvine.
By Samantha Lewis
84' Chance Aus!!!
The Socceroos immediately counter off the deflected free kick through Martin Boyle, who charges centrally and feeds Matt Leckie on the right.
Leckie is one-on-one with goalkeeper Oli Sail, and appears to send his low shot just wide, but replays show Sail making an unbelievable save, stretching wide to brush the ball with his fingertips to re-direct it onto the post and out for a corner.
Unreal.
By Samantha Lewis
83'
New Zealand have a free-kick just outside the D after the ball deflects off Matt Leckie's hand.
Callum McCowatt is standing over it...
...and it comes off the wall.
By Samantha Lewis
81'
New Zealand almost sneak an equaliser!
Substitute Ben Waine nips in around Behich and sends a sizzling cross into the box, which is just poked away by an outstretched Degenek before a Kiwi can get their foot on it in front of goal.
Phew.
By Samantha Lewis
78'
Neither side have created much in these past 10 minutes. A couple half-chances, a few glimpses of the box. But it's been mostly a tussle in midfield with both teams introducing some fresh legs to the fray. I think we're all itching for another goal from someone, anyone. Just wake us up, please.
By Samantha Lewis
73' Yellow card Australia
Jackson Irvine picks up a yellow for sliding into the back of Matthew Garbett right near the edge of Australia's own penalty area. The Kiwi midfielder grabs at his ankle and the physios are out immediately. Looks like just a bit of magic spray will do it for now, though he's hobbling on the sideline. Deserved caution for the Socceroo, that was dangerous.
By Samantha Lewis
72' Aerial ping-pong
I counted about seven headers in that weird moment of defensive play off a Socceroos corner.
Atkinson, who's stationed at the back of the pack, gets onto the clearance twice and tries to redirect it back into the pack. A few headers later and it falls to (I think) Boyle, who tries to volley it first-time into the top corner.
If that had gone it, it may have been the most ridiculous goal ever scored by an Australian team.
By Samantha Lewis
25,392 at Lang Park!
Pretty good turn-out considering the miserable weather earlier today!
Not that you'd know there are 25,000+ people in the stadium; they've been fairly muffled all game outside of the goal.
By Samantha Lewis
69' Australia substitution
The players are feeling it now.
New Zealand full-back Libby Cacace has laid down on his back and is requesting a physio. The stop in play sees two or three of his NZ team-mates stretch out their calves and hamstrings, bending over to take a breather.
Arnold takes the opportunity to make some more subs: goal-scorer Awer Mabil is replaced by winger Matt Leckie, while Fran Karacic comes off for Nathaniel Atkinson.
By Samantha Lewis
66' Chance Aus!
The substitute almost makes an immediate impact!
Martin Boyle makes space down the right and squares across the top of the box for an oncoming McGree, who fires his shot just over the bar.
By Samantha Lewis
65'
Getting a bit physical between Socceroos defender Milos Degenek and Chris Wood.
The Australian launches himself into the air over Wood's shoulders in a leap that'd make the AFL proud, but he brings Wood to the turf in the aftermath.
The free-kick sails just over the crossbar.
By Samantha Lewis
63' NZ substitutions
Marko Stamenic comes on for Joe Bell, while Ben Waine replaces Elijah Just.
By Samantha Lewis
62' Boyle'd again!
This time it's Nando Pijnaker who Boyle gets the better of, zipping around the big man before being tripped.
Free kick Australia about 45 yards out...
...and Mabil launches it over the crossbar. A bit too ambitious.
By Samantha Lewis
61' Yellow card New Zealand
Martin Boyle makes a slaloming run in-field and skips around big defender Michael Boxall, whose only response is to stick his body in front of the sprinting Scotsman who takes a few steps and spills to the ground.
First piece of cheese of the night goes to the Kiwis.
