Aloisi was sent to the stands by referee Jarred Gillett in the final round of the 2012-13 season after disputing a penalty and red card decision against Patrick Gerhardt.

FFA’s disciplinary committee then handed Aloisi a two-game suspension, while Gerhardt was given just a one game ban.

But a loophole in the competition’s rules allowed the coach and player to serve the suspensions in FFA sanctioned preseason matches against Western Suburbs and a La Trobe University XI.

The fall-out has added some extra spice to tonight’s Melbourne derby.

Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou labelled the decision as an “aberration” with Aloisi now available to sit on the sidelines in the highly-anticipated clash.

“It’s an aberration,” Postecoglou said. “I think they’ve closed that loophole (but) I’m surprised it was there.

“In the 30-odd years I’ve been in the game you served your suspension in the competition you receive that penalty.”

Responding to Postecoglou’s comments, Aloisi said: “I followed the rules, and the rules are that I can coach.

“So whether he’s happy about it or not it doesn’t bother me. I’m just making sure I’m there for my team.

“I served the suspension that FFA put in front of me.”

Speaking ahead of the opening round, the 37-year-old believes he knows how Victory will play but the unpredictably of their new signings makes it difficult to gauge how the game will pan out.

“We’ve focused on what they’ve done in pre-season and we know how Victory are going to play,” Aloisi added. “But they’ve got a few players that didn’t play last year.”

“Lucky I’ve got inside information on (Contreras) having played with him and Rashid will probably step in.

“We know him as a player but we don’t know how he’s going to play with Victory. But we know Ange doesn’t change his style of football no matter who he plays against.

“Whether we surprise them or not we’ll have to see (tonight).”

Aloisi also heaped praise on Heart captain Harry Kewell ahead of his first A-League game at the club.

“He wanted to come here early to get fit and since then he’s been such a positive influence on the rest of the squad,” the coach said.

“Harry’s not going to be a screamer or a shouter, he’s just a good leader by the way he performs on the pitch, the way he trains and sets high standard.

“Harry’s here to do well - he wants to do well for himself, for the club and I’m sure at the back of his mind he’s still got the Socceroos.

“It helps that I played with him so I knew how good he was. He still surprises me every day at training with some of the things he can do. We can’t wait for him to do that at a weekly basis.

 “Along with Mark Viduka (Kewell has) the best ability that I’ve seen in any Australian player.”