The New Zealand rugby league World Cup captain Nathan Cayless says they didn't stick to the game plan, and it cost them against Australia.
The Kangaroos demolished the Kiwis 30-6 in a five-try rout in Sydney, with forward Sika Manu scoring the only try for New Zealand.
Cayless says everything they wanted to do on the field went out the window.
In last night's other results New Zealand Maori lost 34 - 26 to the Indigenous Australian side in the curtain raiser, while France beat Scotland 36-18.
New Zealand play Papua New Guinea next, on Saturday, while Tonga begin their campaign against Ireland tonight.