As Melbourne Victory striker Besart Berisha enters his sixth A-League season, coach Kevin Muscat believes he's never been fitter.
The veteran striker is full of fire as he heads back to his first A-League home in Friday night's season opener.
The manner of Victory's finals exit last year -- courtesy of two late Brisbane Roar goals at Suncorp Stadium -- still rankles the Albanian.
"It is hard to get over," Berisha said. "Brisbane had no chance against us. We were the better team.
"You're so close to go to the semifinals and you lead by 1-0 with four minutes to go and they get two goals.
"I was very emotional because we should win the game."
Berisha's anguished face became the iconic image of the night, showing the pain of a defeat that ended their title defence.
The 31-year-old said he was grateful to league chiefs for the chance to vindicate, as he sees it, that loss.
"It's the best draw," he added. "We have a great team this year and my belief it's good to have the hardest games in first to get into the league straight away.
"Then the derby straight after and then the champions Adelaide, that's great."
As he begins a third season with Victory, the tempestuous striker said Muscat believed he had the condition to suit his ambitions.
"I'm in the best shape I've ever been in, this is what Kevin tells me," he said.
"This is my sixth year after five years of proving I can score goals every year.
"Now people know me so I have to be quicker, stronger, better."