In doubt: Aaron Mooy is an injury risk. Photo: Brendan Esposito
They need just a single point to win the premiers' plate but there's no guarantees for the Western Sydney Wanderers - especially with several key players racing to prove their fitness ahead of Friday night's game against Newcastle Jets at Hunter Stadium.
It's a battle that marquee star Shinji Ono has already lost, but one that star midfielder Aaron Mooy and captain Michael Beauchamp will be fighting right until kick-off.
With a travelling support of up to 8000 fans predicted to make the trip to Newcastle, the Wanderers will hardly feel away from home when they walk out to a crowd that could top 20,000.
However, fan support will be the least of coach Tony Popovic's problems as he tries to prepare a team capable of claiming all three points, not just the one they need to claim their first piece of silverware. Though he could push Mooy and Beauchamp if required, he's unlikely to take any risks - even if they will have an extra week to recover as a result of finishing in the top two.
"[It's] hard to say really, they trained on their own yesterday and we will try and put them through their paces a bit more but if they are not fully fit they won't play,'' Popovic said on Thursday. "If the medical staff says they are 100 per cent and if mentally they believe they are 100 per cent, then they're available.
''There's no point risking a player who is 60 per cent fit. I don't think that helps the player or the team.''
After a splendid run with injuries all year, they have all come at the wrong time for the Wanderers.
''You've got to take it as it comes and we've had a great run,'' Popovic said. ''That's why this game is great. You can never take anything for granted, whether you're doing well or not. You've got to be prepared.''
The only ray of light at the selection table seems to be the inclusion of Dutch winger Youssouf Hersi, who will take his place on the right-side of the front third after serving his one-match suspension in the Sydney derby.
Adam D'Apuzzo and and Jerome Polenz are also definitely out, potentially paving the way for Tarek Elrich to start at right back and Shannon Cole - who scored the equaliser against Sydney FC - at left back.
The news is mixed on Ono. While he's out again after a groin strain, it was initially feared that he had torn the muscle, which could have ruled him out for much of the finals. ''The scans didn't reveal too much damage, which was encouraging for us,'' Popovic said. ''He's in a positive frame of mind and we're still optimistic that he'll be available for the game [Wanderers' first final].
''He's our marquee player and he's our creative spark, but when he hasn't been available, the players that have come in have done a very good job.''
Iacopo La Rocca will miss the next four matches - keeping him of at least one game of next season - after elbowing Terry Antonis in injury time last week.
"It was disappointing to the club and me and the player," Popovic said. "It was a moment of madness and he knows that himself and we have dealt with that and we put that behind us."
Meanwhile, Perth Glory veteran Travis Dodd insists his career is not over despite tearing both his anterior and lateral cruciate ligaments in last week's win over Melbourne Victory.
''After the game, the doctor and the physio were both pretty confident that the ACL was still intact and at worst I thought it was going to be 12 weeks,'' the 33-year old said on Thursday.
''When I got the news on Monday, I was pretty shattered because it's turned out to be 12 months. I've had a couple of days to process it and accept it and now I'm looking forward to getting the surgery done and being positive. I don't want that to be the last game I played.''
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