“Harry is 100% down to earth considering where he’s been and what he’s done,” the 19-year-old Victory defender told au.fourfourtwo.com.

"He gets along with everyone in the group and he’s good with the young players in the group too.

“When you see someone like that, for a young player it’s what you want to achieve yet to see him so down to earth is good for the team.

“There’s no arrogance in the changing room and positive as well. He’s contributed a lot to the club and the young players as well. Harry’s come down and it’s lifted the standard of training.”

This progression will be tested on Saturday for what looms as a difficult away game against an in-form Central Coast Mariners – a side that’s won its last two games.

Missing will be Kewell, as well as Carlos Hernandez, Ante Covic and Matt Foschini all out for Victory because of international duty or suspension.

Nineteen year old Sydney-born keeper Lawrence Thomas – a hero against Roar after Covic was red-carded in the first minute - will take over the gloves.

Franjic, who played his only game this season in the Melbourne derby against Heart, is hopeful he finds a spot in the squad. He can play on the right so he could be in the mix for Foschini's spot and add to his six appearances overall for Victory.

The former Melbourne Knight  and Bulleen Lions player has been touted as a future star with his inclusion in the Young Socceroos squad for Colombia 2011 (though he  was an un-used substitute in all three group games).

And Franjic has a coach in the A-League who knows him well in Mehmet Durakovic, who coached the teenager at the VIS and in the Victory youth team.

“Mehm, it’s been great to work with him at the various levels and now with the senior team, which is good because he wants to give younger players a run," said Franjic.

And for a youngster, to see the surging level of media interest in the club has been an eye-opener. Though Franjic takes a philosophical view of it all.

He added: “We all know it’s there, but we don’t focus on it.

"When things are going well you don’t want to read about everything being great. But at the same time, when things are bad, you don’t want to read the media and they’re killing us.

“You kinda just learn to accept that it’s there, and now you can’t control and just focus on what you have to do.

“Every day I’m marking some of the best players in the league in Archie, Carlos, Harry. So you’re kept busy. And I was able to get a game against Heart.

“I guess I’m doing what everyone who’s ever played football at any sort of level wants to do. Great facilities, great players and at the biggest club in the country, I’m definitely not complaining.”