It is the time of year when staying power is important, and the best clubs are training hard, albeit smothered in woollen hats and gloves, with jets of condensed breath signalling effort.
Swaddled in even more layers of clothes, coaching staff bellow encouragement, or roar abuse as players test their technique under the "glare" of yellow floodlights.
Technical's coach, Mike Fridge, knows the value of discipline and hard work during training at this time of year.
"We have a big weekend coming up, playing University in the FPL at the Caledonian on Saturday, and travel to Timaru on Monday to face Northern Hearts at Aorangi Park," Fridge said.
He is not looking too far ahead, eyeing up the students.
"First things first. We will be without a key player in centreback Tim Myers, so there will be a slight reshuffle."
Fridge rates the student side as dangerous despite being fifth in the FPL, and knows its capability in attack.
Caversham training at Tonga Park resembled the Everglades after recent floods, which required the sports grounds to be re-marked around large puddles.
Under Richard Murray, Caversham training continued unabated on drier patches, with the coach more concerned about his growing list of injuries to first-team squad players.
"Jeremy Wild, Ant Hancock, Tim Horner, Harley Rodeka, Ben Hawkey and Seamus Ryder are serious losses, especially with two matches in three days," he said.
Murray said Caversham would still be competitive against Green Island at Sunnyvale today, but the Monday cup tie against Southend United will not be easy in Invercargill.
In other 2.45pm league kick-offs, Invercargill's top side, Spirit FC, plays Northern at the Gardens, with the Magpies having delighted coach Steve Brook with six goals last week, and Spirit also on top form after a 2-0 win over Braes.
Erratic Roslyn-Wakari plays a similar up-and-down side, Queenstown Rovers at home on Ellis Park, while Mosgiel, without injured Regan Coldicott and suspended Tim Dunn, should still be too strong for Braes at Ocean Grove.
The pick of the Monday cup ties, all kicking off at 2pm, should be old rivals Roslyn against Northern at Ellis Park while University plays Grants Braes at Logan Park.
