>>>    click here to see 442 at the launch pics   

The scribes arrived like celebrities in a fleet of luxury sports cars while the real stars – Adam D’Apuzzo, Labinot – "Call me Mike Bassett" – Haliti and Kwabena Appiah-Kubi rocked up like blokes who don’t have to try that hard.

Before you could say two Maseratis, a Lamborghini, a BMW and a soft-top Audi,  it was down to the hard work of looking the part.

Football tragics Andy Jackson, Aidan Ormond and Kevin Airs flew the flag for FourFourTwo, the latter earning some high praise for his comic timing under pressure with the first Scottish step-over in recorded history.

With the high-flying Wanderers still a few players short of a full roster for next season it was an opportunity to run the rule over potential signings among the gaggle of hopefuls on the astro turf at Fraser Park.

Perhaps it was just Nike’s usual attention to detail but by the end of the speed and skills tests many of the journos had taken on the Sunset Orange and Fireberry hues of the speed control boots.

D’Apuzzo took part is some questionable refereeing while “Labby” in nets let in some soft goals not wanting to over-exert himself before the real deal on Saturday when the Wanderers have a chance to go top of the A-League pile if they defeat Perth Glory at home.

The talent on show was a mixed bag said D’Apuzzo, who actually wears the super light Mercurial for his day job and not simply for photo ops.

“I was actually impressed with David Zdrilic (SBS)”, he said. “He’s played at the highest level and can still do some amazing things with the ball and Chad Gibson (inaugural Brisbane Roar skipper) was being his usual tricky self.

“One of the guys from Men’s Health (graphic designer David Ash and his dodgy headband) was a surprise packet. He won one of the speed events with the ball and then he was showing some great skill in the game as well.

“But I think the Nike guy – Damian Everetts (Nike Aus Football Sports Marketing Manager) – was probably pretty close to best on ground for me. He wouldn’t be a bad signing.

"He’d just have to lose a couple of kilos then he’d be right.”

Then again, maybe he was just angling for some more boots.

D’Apuzzo saved a special mention for online editor Kevin Airs whose strategic faceplant over the finishing line during the first speed and skills sprint showed extraordinary dedication to what was universally described as a muck around.

“Yeah he had a few stumbles but he’s got a good personality, funny guy so he’d be great to have around the change-room,” he added.

“Maybe he can help out our kit man and help with the water bottles. If it’s an intense situation we can bring him in and he can settle the mood.”

Ah, so half-time entertainment then. [Waterboy? Mascot? I was aiming for defensive midfield rock...Oh. - KA]

At one point D’Apuzzo and his teammates were able to escape through the backstreets of Marrickville.

“It’s not every day you get to ride around in a Maserati,” he said. “The guy was kind enough to find a few quiet streets and give it a hit so we could experience the sound.”

And what of the actual boot, the reason we were all supposedly there?

“We had the media there to experience what we experience – the lightness of the boot and the tighter ball control," explained d'Apuzzo.

"Speaking to the media they were experiencing the same thing. They were surprised it was comfortable considering how light it is.

"And I love the boots for that reason.”

*The new Vapor IX is engineered with a completely new upper to deliver the level of support and touch for a deadly combination of speed and skill for players who rely on tight cuts and turns combined with bursts of explosive speed to beat the opposition and available in shops for money.

But we have ONE PAIR of US size 9 (UK 8) to give away, seeing as Kev is unlikely to need them in his new role as assistant kitman and part-time waterboy.

Follow him on Twitter on @kevinairs442 to find out later this afternoon how to win his worn-once pair. He may even sign them for you. But you'd probably prefer he didn't...

    >>>    click here to see 442 at the launch pics