WHEN Rhyan Grant graced Bathurst's soccer fields he was a defender who enjoyed a tough contest and while he has since gone on to be an A-League star and Socceroo, that element of his game has not changed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
If anything it has become even more pronounced, Grant having earned plenty of praise for his huge work ethic and stern defence.
He freely admits he likes "to get stuck in" and come Saturday night when Grant lines up for Sydney FC in the A-League derby against Western Sydney Wanderers, that is exactly what he plans to do.
It will be the 17th time Grant has done battle with the Wanderers and it's something he clearly enjoys.
"I like to get stuck in and their crowd and some of their players don't enjoy it, but it's just another footy game everyone wants to be a part of," Grant told SydneyFC.com.
"It does get a bit fiery, but that adds to the atmosphere and adds to the game with that extra spice and I'm sure it'll be the same this weekend."
With 13 wins and a draw through 15 A-League matches, Grant and his Sydney FC team-mates are the form unit of the competition. They lead the league by 13 points.
Wanderers have done it tougher, sitting on eighth with five wins. That's how Grant wants to keep it.
"We definitely want to make sure we get the win and keep our record going at the moment," he said.
"We want to win every game, especially these ones. When it comes down to it we always want to get the three points, but it's always sweeter against the Wanderers."