Mitchell Duke emerged from quarantine to pull on a Western Sydney Wanderers shirt while Rhyan Grant so nearly snatched the headlines in his first mullet-less public appearance during another entertaining matchweek of A-League action.
Here is a wrap of some of the highlights involving Socceroos in domestic action over the weekend.
READ: Mitchell Duke returns to Western Sydney Wanderers
Wellington Phoenix 2-2 Western Sydney Wanderers
Mitchell Duke was introduced off the bench as three goals scored in eight second-half minutes saw Western Sydney Wanderers equalise, take the lead and lose it as Wellington Phoenix had the final say in a 2-2 draw at WIN Stadium on Sunday night.
The Phoenix took the lead in the first half through Mirza Muratovic before the Wanderers drew level in the 71st minute thanks to a Kwame Yeboah goal. Eight minutes later, the scores were locked at 2-2 after a Bruce Kamau's finish was cancelled out by Louis Fenton's header to ensure the Phoenix took a point from the entertaining contest.
Muratovic scored nine minutes into the piece to give the Phoenix a first-half lead they held until the break. Ulises Davila ran rampant in the opening 45, assisting the Muratovic opener and teeing up Reno Piscopo for a chance which may have resulted in a second Phoenix goal if not for a loose touch from the Australia under-23 international.
It was a rare blemish throughout Piscopo's impressive first-half display, highlighted by a half-volley struck with technique and force which rattled off the post, only just evading the target.
Wanderers began to turn momentum in the dying embers of the first half and completed their transition into dominance throughout the early stages of the second stanza, forging a number of chances as Bernie Ibini, Nicolai Müller and Yeboah were joined by Tate Russell in sending shots toward the Phoenix goal.
After 70 minutes of frustration, the Wanderers finally drew level thanks to a set-piece routine designed on the training track and executed to perfection. Jordan O'Doherty found Keanu Baccus at the back post with a free-kick, who volleyed across goal for Yeboah to head home, restoring parity in the contest and setting up an enthralling ending in Wollongong.
Yeboah's goal was the first of three to be scored within eight minutes. Wanderers went ahead as the game opened up after Daniel Wilmering put a cross on a platter for Kamau to put his side into the lead, before Fenton equalised three minutes later with a free-kick routine not dissimilar to the three-touch set-piece which led to Yeboah's goal just eight minutes prior.
With little more than ten minutes to play, the open fixture could have gone either way, with both teams pushing hard for a winner. But, the scoring spree was over after Fenton's headed finish, leaving both teams with a share of the points in the 2-2 affair.
Sydney FC 0-0 Brisbane Roar
Rhyan Grant struck the woodwork twice but Sydney FC could not find a way past Brisbane Roar in Saturday's entertaining 0-0 draw at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Bobo came off the bench for his first appearance for the Sky Blues since rejoining the Harbour City outfit in January and drew an outstanding stop from Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young.
Grant also hit the bar twice for Steve Corica's side who dominated proceedings after the triple substitution of Luke Brattan, Alex Baumjohann and Bobo on the hour mark but did not capitalise on several good chances in the second half.
Brisbane also enjoyed opportunities to score with Dylan Wenzel-Halls going close and Sydney 'keeper Andrew Redmayne forced into action on other occasions but the visitors were held scoreless for the third consecutive A-League match.
LISTEN: Socceroos Podcast | Rhyan Grant
READ: Aussies Abroad: Sainsbury shines for Kortrijk as Boyle scores again
Key moments
Sydney were mostly in control in a first half that saw little freedom offered to both sides attackers. Calem Nieuwenhof fired over the bar after the ball broke to the youngster on the edge of the box, while Kosta Barbarouses - fresh from his double against Wellington Phoenix last time out - swept an early effort across goal.
Milos Ninkovic forced Jamie Young into a diving save to his left as Steve Corica's men searched for a route through a well-drilled Brisbane rearguard.
But Brisbane had their sights on goal too. Rahmat Akbari's deflected effort had Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne scrambling, Dylan Wenzel-Halls headed Corey Brown's cross wide, and Jay O'Shea could not direct an ambitious volleyed effort on target.
After a tetchy opening, the match broke open in the second half. Macaulay Gillesphey forced a good save from Redmayne from miles out, while at the other end Patrick Wood kept Young sharp at the near post after the Sydney youngster had tore down the right flank.
Dylan Wenzel-Halls hit the side netting after Ninkovic coughed up possession on the edge of the Sydney box, before Young made an outstanding save to deny Kosta Barbarouses, smothering the Kiwi's effort after Anthony Caceres had found him inside the box following a waltzing run.
Barbarouses twice got the better of Corey Brown in the space of three minutes, and on both occasions it led to Grant hitting the frame of the goal. First, Grant hit the crossbar after Barbarouses' cutback ricocheted into his path, before volleying the ball onto the left post when Barbarouses had driven into the area.
The save of the match came when Young stuck out his left foot with cat-like reflexes to kick away Bobo's header after Baumjohann found the Brazilian in the box.
Wenzel-Halls fired a powerful effort into the side netting and Alex Wilkinson saved the day for Sydney when Jack Hingert appeared ready to pull the trigger from close range as both sides were left to rue missed opportunities.
