Coach John Turner nominated the midfielder as the Wolves' best in their come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Sydney Olympic in the NSW Premier League qualifying final. He set up his side's final two goals with pin-point crosses.

The first was a skilful outside-of-the-boot effort from the right side that was headed home by Matt Bailey, and the second a dipping ball that found Ilija Prenzoski for the winner.

Those crosses might never have happened if Hawrysiuk hadn't answered the phone on a frigid January night in Canada.

The 30-year-old was on a snowboarding trip and about to find a job at one of Canada's snowfields when Wollongong team-mate Michael West phoned.

"I was in Canada and having a few drinks one night when Westie (West) called," Hawrysiuk said.

"He kept on saying 'come back, come back' ... I thought about it for a while and decided to come back to Wollongong."

Hawrysiuk may have been reluctant to return to Wollongong after a lacklustre 2007 campaign, but West's pestering and then a call from Turner sealed the deal.

Wollongong FC are now just 90 minutes from the grand final.

The midfielder, who played with the Wolves in the club's swansong season in the old national league, will be one of Turner's sharpest weapons in the battle to make this year's decider.

After winning NSW titles at Bonnyrigg, Hawrysiuk is relishing the pressure of Sunday's major-semi-final against Sutherland at Seymour Shaw Park.

He agreed Wollongong were primed for revenge after the Sharks secured the premiership title with a hard-fought 1-1 draw three weeks ago.

"It was a draw, but it felt like a loss ... goal difference isn't really a way to win the premiership," said Hawrysiuk, one of a number of players to have played with both Wollongong and Sutherland.

He now is "hitting his straps" after a season disrupted by a groin injury.

Hawrysiuk also believes Wollongong's hard-fought win over Olympic will serve them well on Sunday. "We've got a lot more up our sleeve," he said.