Perth Glory defender Dean Heffernan has denied that his side will use the pain of last season's grand final defeat to motivate them ahead of Friday's clash with Brisbane Roar.
Perth Glory defender Dean Heffernan has denied that his side will use the pain of last season's grand final defeat to motivate them ahead of Friday's clash with Brisbane Roar.
The Roar won their second consecutive premiership in a dramatic result of Glory last April, but since then it's all gone pear-shaped for the Queenslanders as they have struggled this campaign to the extent that coach Rado Vidosic was replaced by former GCU boss Mike Mulvey on Tuesday.
But Heffernan says Perth's return to Suncorp Stadium this week isn't about inflicting more pain on the Roar.
"We're just taking it as another game," declared Heffernan on Tuesday.
"Maybe there's a little bit of extra rivalry, but it's not something that we think or talk about here.
"For us, it's more about getting on a winning run.
"We had a good result last week and we've been playing well over the last few weeks without having that bit of luck.
"The three points against Newcastle were great and now we want to build on that."
The 32-year-old also claimed that he would like to see Besart Berisha, the man whose controversial penalty ultimately decided the grand final in Roar's favour, recover from his shoulder injury in time to line up for the hosts at Suncorp Stadium.
"I'd rather he played," he said.
"He's a quality player and you want to play against the best.
"He's done well for them and it would be a shame if he didn't play.
"I think he works so hard for them, he's scored some good goals and he's played most of their games since he's been here.
"You know you have to fight if he's playing and that's what we want, we want the best from him."
And having suffered the ignominy of being sent off late in last season's showpiece finale, Heffernan is hoping to remember Friday's return to the Queensland capital for all the right reasons as he chalks up his 100th Hyundai A-League appearance.
"I've been in the A-League since the start with a few trips overseas here and there and to get to one hundred games is really nice," he said.
"Hopefully I can get a hundred more."
The former Central Coast man is again set to be joined in midfield by Steven McGarry who feels that self-focus is the key as Glory bid to improve upon their miserable record of just one win from 11 visits to Suncorp.
"I think we need to stop worrying about Brisbane," he said.
"They are a very good team with some very good players, but I think we need to concentrate on what we are good at and how we can go and set the tone in terms of the way we want to play.
"We're working on our game plan rather than worrying about the Roar."
McGarry is set to start just behind lone striker Shane Smeltz on Friday evening, having impressed in that role during last week's 3-0 win over the Jets and the Scot believes that he is best suited to the more advanced position.
"This season I've dropped back into defensive midfield when Burnsy (Jacob Burns) was suspended and when Liam (Miller) was out, I played as the central box-to-box midfielder," he said.
"But I was back playing just behind Smeltzy on Friday and I love that position.
"That's probably where you see the best of me.
"I like getting involved in the final third of the park rather than on the defensive side.
"I like setting players up, crossing and scoring goals.
"I definitely prefer that, but I'm happy to play wherever the manager wants me to play."
In terms of early team news ahead of the Roar clash, Scott Jamison is expected to shrug off a corked thigh despite training away from the main group during Tuesday's session, while Japanese import Ryo Nagai could force his way onto the bench along with Steve Pantelidis who has recovered from his toe injury.