Topor-Stanley played his first minutes of the pre-season in last Sunday's trial loss to Wellington Phoenix and is hoping to get further time in Tuesday's trial game against NSW NPL side Apia Leichhardt Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.
"I had plantar fasciitis. It's a really annoying injury to the bottom of your foot and it's hard to get rid of. It was hanging around for a while, but it's gone now. It just took its time. Topor-Stanley said.
"The result wasn't there for us against Wellington, but personally it felt good to get through unscathed after being tested by an opposition that was probably a bit more advanced than us physically at this stage and go on to next week.
The Wanderers will play an FFA Cup quarter-final on the road against Perth Glory on 29 September. The competition gives the Wanderers the opportunity to win its first trophy since becoming the first Australian club to win the AFC Asian Champions League in November, 2014.
"We've got another trial match coming up and then the FFA Cup game. I'd love to play in that. It's a chance to get into the semi-finals of a competition to win a trophy. That's the big aim for us - to win another trophy - and our focus is to be fully prepared for that game."
There has been speculation, mainly based on the fact there have been Spanish additions to the coaching and playing staff, that Wanderers would dramatically alter its playing style this season.
"I think we're always changing little things, but the bare essentials and the core values of the Wanderers have always been the same, the Wanderers skipper said.
"That is, to be terribly hard to beat and have everyone defending and everyone attacking and everyone pulling their weight.
Topor-Stanley has led the Wanderers since the end of the 2013-14 season, after previous captain Michael Beauchamp lost his regular position in the team and the 30 year-old skipper is always eager to learn.
"I don't think you ever stop learning about leadership. I think there are always lessons to learn and different scenarios you have to deal with in real time. Some things you can plan for and some things you can't and you do your best to prepare for all sort of situations.
"If things happen out of your control you've got to do your best to draw on the experience you've had in your career and encourage everyone to pull together to overcome those difficulties."
Last season presented a horror schedule for Wanderers, with the end of one ACL campaign and the start of another combined with the A-League season.
The month-long break midway through the season due to the Asian Cup meant ACL games and deferred A-League games had to be squeezed even closer together than normal, causing player fatigue.
Wanderers will have a smoother schedule this A-League season, with no ACL involvement for the club. Topor-Stanley said players always preferred to be playing in the big competitions, but since they were back to a normal schedule, they would try to take advantage of it.
"It's going to be nice in a way to have a week between games and get that full benefit of recovery," he said. "But at the same time you want to be up there playing in the Champions League every year. I'm confident we'll get back to that stage soon enough."
