After 10 games and two goals for the second team, the 18-year-old winger now trains daily with sixth-placed Violets’ senior squad, and is knocking on the door of a New Year debut.

That’s on the proviso he continues to impress coach Manfred Schmid at the club Holland and fellow Australia midfielder James Jeggo once called home.

After four years on the books of Portuguese giant Sporting Lisbon, life in Vienna represents a fresh start for Hammond - one of Australia’s brightest gems at the 2019 U-17 World Cup - and offers an enhanced prospect of forcing his way into first team calculations of a mid-ranking European club.

“I’m pushing as hard as I can for that debut, hopefully it will come soon,” Hammond told FTBL.

“It’s a different environment from Portugal but a good one. After seven years in Portugal it was also time for a fresh start and to really focus on getting some first team experience.”

A Zoom chat with Holland - who spent three seasons with the Violets -  convinced Hammond he was coming to the right place.

“He explained how it is in Austria and how good it can be for someone my age in terms of development,” added Hammond.

“He said it would be a really good experience and it was great to have his in-put because of the years he’s spent playing in this country.

“It helped a lot in making a decision - there was never a reason not to come here.

“There are similarities with Portugal in terms of intensity, though you could say it’s a bit more technical over there.

“Here there’s a lot more running and the physical side of the game is more pronounced.”

Hammond recently knocked back an approach to join Peru's youth ranks - he’s eligible through his mother - preferring instead to build on his existing Australian national team profile.

“Hopefully I’ll be involved with the Olyroos (ahead of June’s Asian Cup)," Hammond. "I’ve been in touch with (FA interim technical director) Trevor Morgan and was invited to a couple of camps but had just joined my new club and wanted to try and get my spot.

“The national team is something that’s very important to me, I love representing my country.

“I worked with Trevor in Brazil at the World Cup.”