Bruno Fornaroli has heard the hype around the young Australian strikers nipping at his heels.
But the competition for goals and attention with the likes of Western United young gun Noah Botic and Brisbane Roar teenager Thomas Waddingham is only spurring on the evergreen Melbourne Victory striker.
Fornaroli scored an opportunistic goal in Victory's season-opening win against Sydney FC and the 36-year-old is adamant he is just getting started.
"For me it's good because that pushes me to the limit, pushes me to keep training hard because the kids are coming," Fornaroli said on Thursday.
"They are faster, stronger but at the same time it's something I want to see.
"In the end I want Australian football to grow and when you see a lot of kids with that potential it's great. So I hope to see more of them."
Fornaroli joined Victory during their campaign last season but with a full pre-season under his belt feels primed to go on a scoring run.
Led by Fornaroli, Daniel Arzani and Nishan Velupillay, Victory's attack looks far more lethal than last season.
"The key was the pre-season," Fornaroli said.
"We worked so hard in every single detail - not only defensively, not only hard work in terms of physically, also like what we can do in front.
"Because you can see, if you saw the names, the quality is there.
"So we just need to know each other and create that relationship that we have outside (the field), inside the field as well."
Fornaroli delighted in Victory recruit Zinedine Machach's opening-round goal, when he flattened Sydney's Jake Girdwood-Reich in a wonderful, bustling build-up.
He expects more to follow.
"He's a very, very strong man, very strong. He has great quality as well," Fornaroli said.
Victory will attempt to kick on in their first home game of the season against Newcastle at AAMI Park on Sunday.
Suspended sanctions still hang over Victory from last season's derby pitch invasion but there are no restrictions around crowds, bar a tarp over the front three rows of the north end active area.
Fornaroli insisted both the players and fans had a clean slate and hoped for the return of Victory's famous atmosphere.
"That's what I want to see. That's why I came here to have that feeling from our fans," he said.
"Last year is last year. We have to clean this, we did as a team.
"It will be nice to have a great atmosphere at home.
"I can't wait to celebrate one goal in front of them."
