THE last thing Brisbane needs right now is more stormy weather, but some Kiwis — like their side growing in confidence by the day — are claiming lightning may strike again on Saturday night in the World Cup final.

Stacey Jones, the half-back in New Zealand's Tri-Nations victory of 2005 — when the Kiwis went into the final as underdogs but won the decider 24-0 — believes the man who lost his job after that failed Australian campaign, Wayne Bennett, will give the Kiwis their biggest advantage before another showdown with the Kangaroos in similar circumstances.

Somewhat remarkably, Kiwis mentor Stephen Kearney and Bennett, his assistant, have coached no less than eight of the expected Australian starting side and 10 of the 17-man squad through various roles. And as such Kearney, through assisting Craig Bellamy at Melbourne Storm, has spent far more time with full-back Billy Slater, outside-backs Israel Folau and Greg Inglis and hooker Cam Smith than Australian coach Ricky Stuart.

Bennett, meanwhile, has coached captain Darren Lockyer, key forward Petero Civoniceva and winger Brent Tate at Brisbane (as well as both representative levels) as well as Civoniceva's front-row partner Steve Price in origins and Tests. Bench players Karmichael Hunt (club) and Craig Fitzgibbon (country) have both spent time under Bennett.

Jones believes that the Bennett-Kearney partnership is one key reason history can repeat. "Stephen Kearney knows a lot of the Melbourne players in the team and obviously Wayne Bennett knows a lot of the Australian players, their little secrets," Jones said.

Jones, one of the key Kiwis in the 24-0 defeat, said there were similarities between the 2005 squad and the current players.

"In the Tri-Nations, the longer the camp went on the tighter we got as a group," Jones said.

"I think this Kiwi team's the same. I had a bit to do with them at the start of the camp, and they're very tight.

"The other thing the Kiwis have is that the Australian team has been absolutely on fire. Maybe they might be due to play not quite as well."

The fact the Kiwi coaching staff have had such an influence on so many of the Australian stars wasn't lost on Smith, who said yesterday: "Both coaches have had a hand in nearly all the players in our team's careers so far — they've either coached them or been a part of their development. I guess there'll be no surprises."

Of course, Stuart is still yet to finalise his line-up, and Tate is still only rated a "50-50" chance of playing, according to team doctor Hugh Hazzard.

Lock Paul Gallen received a corked thigh in the semi-final against Fiji on Sunday, but Hazzard said he was not in any doubt "at this stage".

The Kiwis' growing confidence clearly has the Australians a little worried.

While the Kangaroos defeated the Kiwis 30-6 on the second night of the tournament, both Smith and Folau said they expected the New Zealanders to be far tougher in their final fling.

"We know that. They've played against England twice.

"We saw both of those games and they played pretty good … we're going to get a lot thrown at us this week," Folau said.

Said Smith: "We're going to have to aim up all over the park."