Emerging Socceroos midfielder Ryan Teague is trying to put Melbourne Victory's grand-final loss behind him, but it's hard when you have a trio of Melbourne City players in your face at the breakfast table.
Marco Tilio, Aziz Behich and Kai Trewin had little time to celebrate Melbourne City's 1-0 grand-final triumph over the Victory, with the trio jumping on a flight to Perth on Sunday morning ahead of Thursday night's World Cup qualifier against Japan at Optus Stadium.
Victory's Teague, Kasey Bos and Daniel Arzani are also in the Socceroos squad, ensuring there has been plenty of friendly teasing over the past couple of days.
"There's a bit of banter. I sit on the same table as all three of them (City players), so you can imagine there's a little bit," Teague said with a smile.
"(They've been saying) all the things you can imagine about beating us, beating Victory.
"It was disappointing to lose the grand final. That's three grand finals lost in two years I've been at Melbourne Victory (including the Australia Cup grand final).
"But I'm here now, I've got to put it past me.
"I've got plenty of time later on to look back and reflect. But my sole focus now is the game against Japan."
Japan (20 points) have already qualified for the World Cup, leaving Australia (13 points) and Saudi Arabia (10 points) to battle it out for the second automatic qualification berth.
The Socceroos' goal difference of plus seven is far superior than that of Saudi Arabia's minus two.
Saudi Arabia face lowly Bahrain away this week before hosting Australia in Jeddah next Tuesday.
If the Socceroos are able to beat Japan, it would almost certainly be enough for Australia to hold onto second spot - barring a calamitous loss to Bahrain in the vicinity of five goals next week.
Socceroos veteran Milos Degenek would love to appear at a third World Cup.
And given the 2026 event is being held across the US, Canada and Mexico, Degenek is expecting big things.
"It's going to be a really special World Cup in the States," he said.
"Obviously, they're going to go all out guns blazing and show the world they've got everything - probably flying taxis and everything will be around at that time."
Teague made his international debut earlier this year in the Socceroos' crucial 2-0 win in China.
The 23-year-old actually had the chance to play for either China or Malaysia, but said it was a no brainer to choose the Socceroos.
"My grandfather was born in China, and my mum's half Chinese," he said.
"I'm super proud of my culture and my heritage. But as a kid, my goal and ambition has always been to play for the Socceroos."
