Todd primed for Glory outing

Todd's pre-season was ruined by a knee injury and the former English Premier League defender was left further frustrated when a bout of illness ruled him out of Perth's 2-2 draw with Melbourne Heart last week.

The 35-year-old is finally ready to play his first game of the season but admits he may have to make his return via the bench given the club's unbeaten start to the campaign.

"It's been a very frustrating time for me, ever since I came back from (holidays in) England," Todd said.

"I trained a week and then did my cartilage.

"I was getting back and ... had a stress reaction in my knee, then got ill coming back from (a pre-season trip to) China.

"I just couldn't shake the illness off. But I'm raring to go, make up for a little bit of lost time.

"While I've been out the boys have doing great.

"I understand the manager's point of view (of maybe starting me on the bench), the lads have done that well that if you've got the shirt, you keep it.

"I've had no minutes of football. You've got no god given right to play.

"I'm just hoping to play some part in the game."

Todd was confident he could get through 90 minutes if given the chance.

"I think the first game you come back, adrenaline gets you through," he said.

"I'll just be happy to play a part at any point in the game."

Ladder-leading Glory will also be boosted by the return of defender Jamie Harnwell and winger Mile Sterjovski, but striker Michael Baird is out after being handed a controversial two-match suspension for diving.

Phoenix knocked Perth out of the finals last season but Todd said there was no thoughts of revenge.

"I think that's all history now, we've put that to bed," he said.

"We were disappointed with what happened ... but it's a new season, our focus is on trying to win the game.

"There's no payback, not in my view anyway."

Glory has beaten Wellington in the past three encounters in Perth but Todd said Phoenix strike duo of Paul Ifill and Chris Greenacre would need to be shutdown if the Glory was to snare maximum points.

"They're a good team. they did very well last season, it won't be an easy game for us," he said.

"Ifill and Greenacre have been dong really well."