Remember it wasn't that long ago when Tahiti went to the Confed Cup and their U17s to a WC, Also Fiji went to the last Olympics not to mention NZ being pants at Futsal and beach football let alone OCL. NZ is no better off then a Island nation at the moment except World Cup where is has been the dominate team but that could change if we don't have any friendly games to build upon.
Yes Tahiti got to the 2013 Confeds Cup after the ' Horror in Honiara'. They lost 1-6, 0-10 & 0-8. When did they go to an U17 WC?
Fiji at the 2016 Olympics (after the Deklan Wynne saga) lost 0-8, 1-5 & 0-10. Whenever an OFC team other than NZ are at an international event it is embarrassing, with no visible progress. Again outside of their home conditions in the Islands they are bad, mostly very bad.
Handy Prem sides have dominated the OCL since it's inception.
And whilst yes the AWs need games to prepare for intercontinental playoffs, a near full strength side in home or neutral (eg Middle East) conditions will be a class above any OFC side.