If they've never heard of the 'Soccer Ashes' then Jackson Irvine will make sure his Socceroos' teammates realise that beating New Zealand for the newly rediscovered trans-Tasman trophy really will be something special.
Irvine's been deeply in love with the traditions and heritage of the game since he was a kid, and the romantic idea that the Roos will be playing to win one of Australian sport's forgotten treasures for the first time in 69 years quite blows him away.
"Yeah, it's cool," said Australia's coolest midfielder, the bohemian, guitar-playing figure who fits his hipster St Pauli club in Germany like a glove.
"It's football heritage - and that's why people love the culture of the sport and the small moments that mean something in the history of the game.
"And it's nice to be able to be out there on Tuesday night and compete for something that has that heritage.
"If the players don't know about it, we'll make sure that they do before Tuesday."
Irvine will tell them the extraordinary tale of how football's Ashes legend was created after New Zealand beat the Aussies in a series at Sydney Cricket Ground in 1923 - 100 years ago.
The trophy contained remains of cigars smoked by the two captains, Australia's Alec Gibb and New Zealand's George Campbell, at a banquet.
They were put in a silver-plated razor case used by a soccer-official-turned-Kiwi-soldier at Gallipoli in World War I.
The case was set in an elaborate casket made of woods from the two nations - a combination of New Zealand rewarewa and Australian maple - inlaid with a kangaroo in between two silver ferns.
This unique prize was played for over the next three decades until it mysteriously disappeared in 1954, lost to history until it was rediscovered in mint condition nearly 70 years later in a garage by relatives of former Australian Soccer FA chair Sydney Storey.
The Anzac treasure will be played for at the Gtech Community Stadium, home of Premier League Brentford, on Tuesday (5.45am Wednesday AEDT).
It will be the 67th meeting between the Socceroos and the All Whites - Australia lead 42-13 with 11 draws.
There's been 47 matches since the Ashes went missing, including plenty of World Cup qualification battles, but the spice has largely disappeared since Australia moved to the Asian Federation in 2006.
"Every game is important when you play for your national team - but there's a trophy at stake now, something which gives things a little bit more of an edge," Irvine said.
"We'll be out there to win it, that's for sure."
