Brisbane Roar defender Shane Stefanutto says history will count for nothing when his side meet Perth Glory in the Hyundai A-League grand final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Brisbane Roar defender Shane Stefanutto says history will count for nothing when his side meet Perth Glory in the Hyundai A-League grand final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Brisbane have had Perth’s measure since beginning their reign of dominance, winning four and drawing two over the past two seasons – scoring 10 goals and conceding just three in their three meetings in 2011/12.
Gun striker Besart Berisha alone outscored the Glory this season, netting a double in the Roar’s 4-0 win the last time the sides clashed at Suncorp Stadium and repeating the dose in their most recent meeting, which Brisbane took 3-0.
But Stefanutto said there would be no complacency whatsoever from the defending champions, and added that the harder working team would walk away victorious.
“I don’t think that we can say that one person is going to do it for us. I don’t think you can say that this person is going to be decisive. It will be a team performance from us,” he said.
“It will be each one of us backing each other up, it will be each one of us sticking to our structures, playing our game plan and working harder than them.
“On a one-off game, what’s happened in the past is irrelevant. It’s a new day, it’s a new game, it’s a big occasion, so anything can happen.”
Speaking in front of a healthy media contingent, veteran Stefanutto was relaxed and bubbly, claiming the squad was finding it easier to absorb and enjoy the moment than they had the first time around in 2011.
He said it was impossible to know if Glory would be overawed by the occasion of playing in front of a packed house full of orange-clad fans, but he hoped big-game experience could be an edge for the Roar.
“I don’t know (if they’ll be overawed). I’m not in their camp, I don’t know what they’re thinking,” Stefanutto said.
“Obviously they’ll have momentum in terms of they’ve won three games on the trot, so they’ll probably come here confident, and that’s great, but I don’t think they’ve been to Suncorp when there’s 50,000.
“It’ll be a great atmosphere for both teams and I’m sure when you walk out you’ll go, ‘wow, this is what it’s all about’.
“This is what we live for and as footballers we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
