Le Fondre now has 10 goals in eight matches, six less than he had in all of last season. Even following a perfect hat-trick where he scored with his head, left and right foot, his laser focus on the collective is exactly why his team is at the top of the table.

“It’s a bit early in the season to be thinking that. I’m not too focused on that, obviously it’d be nice to win it but I’m not really bothered if we win the main thing which is the Premiers and the Grand Final,” he told FTBL following the win.

Le Fondre refused to take the glory himself, dedicating his hat-trick to the rest of his team for an outstanding performance against Robbie Fowler’s Brisbane.

“It’s my first one here. I think it was January 2013 with Reading against Blackpool at home. It’s been a while, it’s been a long time coming. I’m just delighted to get the hat trick and delighted for everyone as well.

“The boys were outstanding, Kosta [Barbarouses] was brilliant. I thought he deserved a goal but obviously he didn’t quite get one. Trent [Buhagiar]’s came on and done a great job as well and settled my third.”

The striker believes his partnership with Barbarouses is different to the one he shared with now retired captain Alex Brosque from last season, which has meant a slight change of game but makes them lethal, especially on the counter-attack.

“With Brosque last season he came to feet a lot more and linked. Me and Kosta are sharing that role now of coming to feet and he goes in behind. With two 10s we’ve got in transition, we don’t really need to come to feet we can just make the clever runs in behind.”