The Football Ferns were not blessed with a favourable draw at the Tokyo Olympics - having been thrown into the group of death alongside the USA, Australia and Sweden - but they believe a bit of inside knowledge on one of the tournament's stars may go a long way.
Superstar midfielder Alex Morgan leads a world-class United States outfit, keen to erase memories of a shocking quarter-final upset at the hands of Sweden in Rio five years ago.
The US are clear favourites to win gold in Tokyo, but New Zealand skipper Ali Riley and Ria Percival may have some ideas for slowing them down, by cutting the head off the snake.
Riley is currently playing alongside Morgan at Orlando, while Percival was her teammate in England last season.
"A role model in women's football, she came to the club, to Tottenham, with us this season," Percival said.
"She's a massive character and player, and person. You never know what she's going to do, she's very adaptable and can play really different styles. Playing against her and knowing how she plays a bit more just gives us an insight."
It'll be the job of defenders like Claudia Bunge to stop the likes of the Americans and Australian goal machine Sam Kerr.
"I guess it can be a little bit daunting at times, but also it's an amazing opportunity for myself and the whole team in general," Bunge said.
"And people like Ali Riley and Ria, they're also mentors for us younger girls, so yeah they've just put a focus on playing our game and sticking to the team tactic."
They will be hoping those insider tips can help the Football Ferns navigate a group that is as tough as it gets.
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