"The difference between the '82 team and today's is they were amateurs - a lot of us are professionals," the 28-year-old said.

"The '82 team probably went into that World Cup hoping to enjoy it, do well and not get hammered. We are going in to win games. That's the different mentality. A lot of our team are seasoned pros."

Fallon's coach Ricki Herbert was also a member of the '82 side that lost to Scotland (2-5), USSR (0-3) and Brazil (0-4).

New Zealand assembled in Auckland today for a three-day camp before they fly out to Melbourne on Saturday for a one-off 'friendly' against arch-nemesis Australia at the MCG on Monday.

Fallon backed up Herbert's comments that the strongest players would be picked.

"You've got to pick the best man for the job. That's junior stuff where everyone gets a go," he said. "It's business time. It's a ruthless game and you've got to play your best team."

The All Whites also play pre-World Cup fixtures against Serbia, Slovenia and Chile, but Fallon cited the Aussies as the toughest prospect.

"Australia is going to be the toughest because they are our rivals," he said. "It's always a magical game against Australia. It'd be brilliant if we can do well against them."

It's been five years since the Socceroos beat the All Whites 1-0 in London and Fallon was predicting a physical encounter where the result was important.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few injuries because I'm not going to hold back against them, he warned.

"We're not messing around and I'm going to give everything. They probably think we are the lesser country, so they won't want to lose."

Fallon, whose future English club Plymouth Argyle is 'uncertain', still had goose-pimples every time he thought back to that goal at Westpac Stadium in November.

"Every time I see it I say 'thank you god for getting me that goal'. It's changed my life, especially in New Zealand. No-one knew who I was. They probably knew my father more than me," he said.

Tommy Smith, like Fallon in 2009, was the beneficiary of a FIFA eligibility rule change which allowed the English-born defender to make his debut for New Zealand in the 0-2 loss to Mexico in March after representing England at Under-17 level.

"People hear my accent and think 'he's not a Kiwi', but I spent most of my football education over here and I owe a loyalty to New Zealand that I don't owe to England," the 20-year-old Smith said.

New Zealand are ranked 78th in the world and are16-1 longshots for a top-two group finish to make the knockout stages.

Fallon added: "We are a very tight group that works hard and we have huge belief. I don't care about people writing us off. It doesn't faze me."