Australia's last meeting with New Zealand has haunted Isaah Yeo for a year as the Kangaroos captain promises improvements on a "clunky" match last week against Tonga.

The Kiwis' 30-0 drubbing in last year's Pacific Cup final marked Australia's heftiest Test loss in 115 years of international matches.

The defeat rippled into this year's series as coach Mal Meninga flagged a new era for the national team by dropping stalwarts James Tedesco, Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic.

But as he begins helping Australia to write their next chapter, newly appointed skipper Yeo admitted the last meeting against the Kiwis was still raw.

"It's sort of stung for the last 12 months," the four-time NRL premiership winner said ahead of Sunday's clash in Christchurch.

"It was a really disappointing way to finish the season, particularly in this jersey, where the expectation when you wear this jersey is you have success.

"Those boys who were part of that last year, they get an opportunity to try and turn that around a little bit. It was certainly one that stings."

Yeo insisted the Kangaroos would not be weighed down by recent history on Sunday afternoon, given only seven players remain from the 30-0 thrashing.

"We touched on it when we first came back into camp, addressed the lessons that we learned, but the reality is it's a different squad," Yeo said.

The Kiwis have also moved on from their big win over Australia as Stacey Jones prepares to blood five debutants for his first game at the helm.

"It's a new start for us, it's a new chapter, it's a new team," Kiwis assistant coach Nathan Cayless said.

"We have to start again. That's really important, the boys know that."

The Kangaroos are intent on improving on last week's 18-0 defeat of a Tongan side who would have been well in the game at Lang Park had they found their rhythm close to the line.

Australia made 19 handling errors against Tonga and had one of their three tries via a Tom Trbojevic intercept, with another coming through Tom Dearden in the final minutes.

"Clunky would be a good way of putting it," Yeo said of the last performance.

"But I thought the way we defended our line particularly in pretty hot conditions, they're a big pack and that was spoken about all week.

"I think our best footy's still in front of us."

ABC Sport will be live blogging the Kangaroos and Jillaroos Test matches against New Zealand on Sunday afternoon.

Australia Kangaroos squad

1. Dylan Edwards
2. Xavier Coates
3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
4. Tom Trbojevic
5. Zac Lomax
6. Tom Dearden
7. Mitch Moses
8. Patrick Carrigan
9. Harry Grant (vc)
10. Lindsay Collins
11. Angus Crichton
12. Cameron Murray
13. Isaah Yeo (c)
14. Matt Burton
15. Mitch Barnett
16. Reuben Cotter
17. Hudson Young
18. Ben Hunt
19. Lindsay Smith

Australia Jillaroos squad

1. Tamika Upton
2. Julia Robinson
3. Isabelle Kelly
4. Tiana Penitani
5. Jakiya Whitfeld
6. Ali Brigginshaw (c)
7. Tarryn Aiken
8. Millie Elliott
9. Olivia Higgins
10. Shannon Mato
11. Kezie Apps (c)
12. Yasmin Clydsdale
13. Simaima Taufa
14. Jessika Elliston
15. Sarah Togatuki
16. Keilee Joseph
17. Mahalia Murphy
18. Jessica Sergis
19. Abbi Church
20. Keeley Davis

AAP