For the semi-professionals of South Melbourne, Wednesday night's FFA Cup quarter-final is about revenge and redemption. But if they are going to make it through to the semi-finals they will have to do so without their skipper, Bradley Norton.
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The left-back took a gamble and booked a holiday for late September and is their one big absentee as they head to Queensland for one of the biggest games of the season.
Two years ago South travelled to the Gold Coast to take on Palm Beach Sharks in a round-of-32 game but things didn't go as planned. Palm Beach went through to the last 16 on penalties.
Now South have the perfect chance to make amends, with the stakes being much higher.
A victory against Gold Coast City (they changed their name in 2015) would put South into the last four of the competition, alongside A-league heavyweights Adelaide United and Sydney and either Western Sydney Wanderers or fellow National Premier League club Blacktown City.
Board member Bill Papastergiadis believes that his club, which has been agitating for a spot in any A-League expansion, is poised to make a statement about its ambitions in the cup this season.
"It's something we have made a bit of a priority this year," he says.
"We have done well in the league the last couple of seasons but we want to promote the club on the national stage and there is no better way to do that than in the FFA Cup.
"We are pushing to be considered for a place in the A-League, and we think that if we can get through this game and draw an A-League team in the semi-final we can sell out Lakeside."
Papastergiadis says the memory of their last encounter with Gold Coast is still raw for the players.
"This really is a shot at redemption. Two-thirds of the squad are the same and they would like nothing more than to erase that memory.
"We know it won't be easy. They won against the Western Knights and then beat local opposition Moreton Bay in the last round."
South have not played a competitive game since their NPL season ended a few weeks ago, but coach Chris Taylor took plenty of confidence from their behind-closed-doors friendly against Melbourne Victory last week, which they lost 1-0.
"It was a nice hit-out for us and we got a lot out of it," the NPL title-winning coach said.
"Bradley Norton booked his holiday to come after the grand final. Other than that, everyone is available. If we get through and get A-League opposition it would be good to get a big crowd. We have played games in winter with not many people there - it's not always romantic," he said jokingly.
