Anton Lienert-Brown wary of Australia challenge

New Zealand centre Anton Lienert-Brown is wary of the challenge posed by the Wallabies as the two teams take on each other in the Bledisloe Cup opener in Melbourne on Saturday.

The Wallabies started the campaign with a 12-43 defeat against South Africa and followed it with another three-point loss against the Pumas as they are languishing at the bottom of the table.

The result also meant the team is yet to experience a victory since Eddie Jones took over this year but Lienert-Brown is not willing to take them lightly.

"When they play us, they go up another level, and with Eddie Jones at the helm now, he'll have a few tricks up their sleeve," he told the All Blacks official website.

"They will have stewed on a disappointing couple of weeks for them – they wouldn't have been sitting comfy in their week off – so we know they'll bring it to us. I don't doubt they'll come into the game with plenty of belief."

Meanwhile, Lienert-Brown is returning from suspension after he was banned for a high tackle on new All Black Dallas McLeod in the Super Rugby final. His three-week suspension was reduced to two after he completed the World Rugby coaching intervention programme successfully.

"I felt good until I ran into my mate Dallas' head. That was frustrating, but everything before that, I felt I got myself into a good place, and over the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to get back there.

"I'm human and there have been times I've been frustrated, but you've got to quickly get over it, move on, and focus week by week. When you're not playing, you've got to get better and get fitter."