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Wanderers striker Brendon Santalab believes he has put last season’s shoulder problems behind him and is ready to help Western Sydney atone for a disappointing 2014-15 campaign.
The 32-year-old Unanderra junior made his return off the bench last week in the Wanderers’ 3-0 trial win over Canberra FC after back-to-back operations kept him consigned to the sidelines for the bulk of the past 12 months.
He scored the club’s third goal in the win but, perhaps more important, came through the encounter unscathed.
It puts him in line for selection for the Wanderers’ round-of-16 FFA Cup meeting with Palm Beach Sharks at Cbus Super Stadium on Tuesday.
‘‘Ever since the injury last season I have been working hard to come back to get to this point. I am thankful for the medical staff and surgeons who helped get me to where I am now,’’ he said.
‘‘Now it is up to me to go out and play and that’s what I am focused on.’’ Santalab was unavailable when the Wanderers progressed through their opening round with a 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar.
Palm Beach did it the hard way to secure their date with the A-League heavyweights by winning on penalties against South Melbourne.
The Wanderers are huge favourites to progress, but after tumbling out to SANPL outfit Adelaide City last season, Santalab knows victory is far from certain. ‘‘Palm Beach are a side who have done well last year and this season, so you have to respect them,’’ he said.
‘‘It definitely won’t be easy. For many of them it will be the biggest game of their careers, so we have to be at our best.
‘‘We don’t want to get caught like last year against Adelaide City.
‘‘We have started well this time around and want to put in another good performance.
‘‘They will put up a big challenge in that first half. If we can can break them down early, I think it will help us on the night.’’
The match will be another chance for the Wanderers’ redeveloped squad to build for the upcoming A-League season.
The club cleared the decks after finishing a disappointing ninth in 2014-15.
‘‘This is a big part of our preparation moving forward to the season ahead,’’ Santalab said.
‘‘I think it is important to win games in the pre-season to keep that winning mentality going into the campaign.
‘‘This match is crucial to that and of course, there is a trophy up for grabs. Whenever trophies are there to be won it is always exciting ...’’