Defenders in the Soccersouth Premier League will already be marking down names of strikers worthy of attention this season and two new faces have already emerged.
High on the list will be Roslyn-Wakari's Ant Hancock, who banged in four goals last week and Caversham's tall, rangy American, Carson Gorecki, who opened his account with a hat trick.
Hancock, who played for South Canterbury last year, is well known as a difficult striker to contain, but little is known of the tall, rangy Gorecki, who will aim to replace last year's Golden Boot winner Tim Cook, who netted 24 goals for Caversham.
An added fillip to this year's competition is the end-of-season championship play-offs against Canterbury's top two sides. At present, Halswell leads the Mainland League, with Ferrymeade Bays and Nelson Suburbs close behind.
After an arid summer of few goals, there could be a bagful in the SPL as the usual suspects Caversham, Dunedin Tech and Roslyn-Wakari, chase title dreams and mow down lesser teams on the way.
Already there is a suggestion of the haves and have-nots, with Mosgiel leaking nine goals and Northern seven, in round one.
But today at Tonga Park, both teams will fancy their chances when Caversham hosts Roslyn-Wakari at 2.45 pm.
Home team coach Steve Fleming and Roslyn's Terry Boylan are old adversaries, and know the importance of this early fixture.
Both clubs will have almost their full complement of players now that summer football is over. Roslyn's Mike Eisenhut is injured, and the transfer of former Roslyn keeper Liam Little to Caversham will also add some spice to the match.
Last year's honours were even with a win apiece. Roslyn's 2-1 win was Caversham's only loss of the season.
After a bye last week, Dunedin Technical should field a strong side in the only early SPL match on Tahuna Park, against the Otago Youth side that lost 0-1 to Spirit FC.
This week, Ken Cresswell's Spirit side is at home in Invercargill with a fixture against Steve Brook's Northern, blasted 7-0 by Caversham in the first match.
Northern will take heart from the fact that the Youth side held its own for most of the match with Spirit, and Brook will now be aware of the threat of import Barry Gardiner who scored last week's winner.
New Mosgiel coach Colin Falvey will get a look at the Southern Alps when the Irishman takes his team to Central Otago to play Queenstown.
The Plainsmen slumped to a nine-goal defeat against Roslyn but should do better with Falvey's presence on the field against a Queenstown side that impressed with personal ball skills last week, but had an erratic team shape.
University coach Jimmy Vaughan's side will be tested in the 2.45pm match at the Caledonian Ground by Kevin Scoullar's Green Island that cranked up late pressure to beat Grants Braes last week.
Braes has this week's bye.