Max Caputo and Alessandro Lopane are about to play in a grand final they both once thought was out of their reach.
The talented young duo both suffered awful long-term injuries in pre-season.
Caputo, 19, broke his ankle in a freak accident when his studs got caught in the turf at training, while Lopane, 21, went in for a knee clean-up and needed far more complex surgery than he'd ever expected.
Now both will play at a packed AAMI Park in Saturday's A-League Men decider against Melbourne Victory.
"They had to actually, like, take my kneecap off and then put the cartilage that tore off back and then put the kneecap back on and then stitch it up," Lopane told AAP.
"And it was all up to the healing process, really, until I could actually start walking again.
"It healed really well, and now I'm back.
"Where I am now, it's a great feeling. I wasn't even expecting to be able to be touching the pitch this season, but thank God I am.
"Now that we're in this position, I'm even more excited because to play a first grand final after an injury like that, it feels even more special."
The one thing that made the process easier? Having someone to share the hard rehab road with.
"Me and Max, we were holding hands during our rehab. We literally did everything together," said Lopane, who has scored one goal and notched two assists in eight games since returning.
"When I was in that time that I knew I was getting surgery, Max unfortunately had to have surgery also.
"So we both did our rehab the exact same days, and we were literally in the gym together non-stop until we got the chance to get back on to the pitch.
"Me and Max never really thought we would (play) when we were on those crutches and barely able to walk.
"I'm just extremely grateful for the physios that they were there day in, day out for both of us, to be honest.
"I'm grateful that I had him by my side and we both got through it."
Caputo was last year backed to start ahead of then-captain and all-time A-League Men leading goal scorer Jamie Maclaren.
Since returning from injury in February, he has started all 14 games, scoring five goals and assisting another.
"To think at the start of the season I'd be maybe playing in a grand final at the end of the season, it's all worth it," Caputo said.
"When you're lonely at the start of rehab, you don't know what (direction) the season is going to take, and now you're here."
