Kangaroos veteran Sam Thaiday has urged the critics to keep providing Greg Inglis with motivational fuel in the lead-up to Friday's trans-Tasman Test against New Zealand at Hunter Stadium.

Inglis' form has been scrutinised in recent weeks – even by his club coach Michael Maguire – after South Sydney's uninspiring start to the season.

But Thaiday, who has played alongside Inglis at Origin and Test level for a decade, had no doubt the inspirational utility back would prove a point on Friday night.

"I'd love for you to keep on talking about him and bringing him down, because when that happens he ends up playing a great game," Thaiday said.

"So please write some bad stories about him, because I'm looking forward to seeing how he's going to react out on the field. That's what GI does best.

"When people are doubting him, and saying he's not playing some great footy, that's when he ends up coming out and playing some absolutely fantastic footy and plays himself into form for the rest of the year."

When asked if the criticism of Inglis had been unwarranted, Thaiday said the Souths skipper had been "probably trying too hard out there" to lift his struggling teammates.

Kangaroos prop Paul Gallen said Inglis was experienced enough to brush aside any unflattering reviews he may have received.

"When you are one of the best players in the game, you have to put up with that stuff," he said.

"He is back in the centre role and he won't have to do as much work as he does for South Sydney. When you see him get the ball he will be nice and fresh and pretty hard to handle."

Kangaroos lock Corey Parker said he expected Inglis "to do his job". "Every time he's pulled on an Australian jersey he's done that … what gets written and said, to most degree we've got no control over," Parker said.

Thaiday said new Australian coach Mal Meninga may have had a valid point in querying if there had been enough "pride and passion" in wearing the green-and-gold jersey.

"That might have been the case," Thaiday said.

"It was probably a squad there that had been selected on their merits, years after year, game after game and maybe we lost the shine and the polish off the jersey. Now we really want to get that passion and that pride back."

Thaiday admitted it was hard for Australia to figure out who would play for the Kiwis because "they're chopping and changing every day just about".