Mortlock a gamble at twelve?

The man who carved through a brittle All Blacks midfield a year ago is now being eyed as a potential target for the visitors in Saturday's Tri-Nations decider.

The man who carved through a brittle All Blacks midfield a year ago is now being eyed as a potential target for the visitors in Saturday's Tri-Nations decider.

Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock will shift to the unfamiliar inside centre position to cover for the injured Berrick Barnes, and could even be the back-up number ten if injury befalls Matt Giteau at a packed Suncorp Stadium.

Coach Robbie Deans' decision to select a bench of five forwards and two backs, in anticipation of a high-octane encounter, left him with no specialist cover in the playmaker's role and raised eyebrows in Australia this week.

The desperate Wallabies will hope and pray nothing should ground Giteau come kick-off as their Tri-Nations hopes would certainly unravel without the star pivot against New Zealand.

Mortlock even had a run at fly-half in the Wallabies training session as Deans put the team through their paces at a sun-drenched Ballymore.

All Blacks assistant coach and former Test pivot Wayne Smith admitted it was a risky Wallabies strategy.

“Not sure I would do it,” Smith told NZPA.

“It is a pivotal position but I know Rob well, I've known him for a lot of years and he'll have a back-up five-eighth (fly-half) in his mix, there's no doubt about that.”

The All Blacks had midfield issues in last year's trans-Tasman Test in Melbourne when Luke McAlister was rushed into the unfamiliar number thirteen jersey when Leon MacDonald was injured.

Mortlock made the crucial line-break through the midfield that led to the Wallabies' match-winning try.

Smith wasn't prepared to label Mortlock's shift to number twelve as much of a risk, although it cut down the Wallabies' kicking options as both sides look certain to play a safety-first aerial strategy.

“It's not a hell of a difference between twelve and thirteen, fundamentally most of the skills are the same,” said Smith.

“They've had a kicking option there with Berrick Barnes and I'm not sure Stirling gives them that.

“There are other kicking options in their team. The same thing's been levelled at us with Ma'a (Nonu) but we found other people to kick. I'm sure they'll have a plan.

“Stirling's a great player, along with Richie (McCaw) he's one of the great players in the world at the moment. I guess he'll step up pretty easily there.”

Mortlock and Ryan Cross will start a Test together for the first time, but Giteau had no concerns about the relatively new combination who square off against Nonu and Conrad Smith.

An outside centre who started his 71-Test career on the wing, Mortlock's ball-playing ability was even the butt of light-hearted jokes from his former long-time centre partner.

“This year I think that Stirling has learnt to pass so he can play inside centre and outside centre, he's been going very well,” he jibed before going into bat for the captain.

“I think both centres complement each other really well. Stirling's adapted to it quite easily.

“He and Berrick are very different players but Stirling has certainly shown that he's capable of ball playing and I think he enjoys it, he doesn't get beaten up as much.”

Meanwhile, the All Blacks safely negotiated training on Thursday with reserve prop John Afoa (shoulder) still the only injury concern. A decision on Afoa's fitness will be made on Friday, with Neemia Tialata ready to step in.

“He's trained well, it's just whether he's up to Test match level or not,” said Smith.