Mitch Duke

Another Socceroo returning home, the contrasting length of Duke's overseas spell is evened out by the brevity of his international career. However, if there's one achievement Maclaren will want to share with Duke, it's the impact of his homecoming. 

The lanky forward crowned his Western Sydney Wanderers debut with a goal less than 20 seconds after stepping back on to a sun-baked A-League pitch; a strike rate to rival his two goals in four appearances for the national team.

After impressing during his breakout gig with Central Coast Mariners, the striker's diverse set of attributes appealed to J1 League side Shimizu S Pulse, in the second division of Japanese football.

Despite only scoring three league goals in 89 appearances in Japan, Duke was a key player for the influential Japanese club. Largely playing off the wing, he worked his physicality - not the first Aussie to leverage a hip-and-shoulder in Asia - to great effect. 

Now back in Oz, Duke joins fellow returnee Kwame Yeboah in a new-look Western Sydney Wanderers lineup, intending to add further support to marquee Oriol Riera.

But whether a few extra cannons can patch-up the Wanderers' leaky ship remains to be seen, despite scoring a boatful and boasting a lineup brimming with attacking talent, the Wanderers' major issues are in the hull.

Ryan McGowan

Unlike many modern fullbacks, McGowan wasn't blessed with a sterling array of attacking attributes. He was never Hector Bellerin-pacey, couldn't drive a blasting free-kick like Roberto Carlos and certainly didn't possess Marcelo-esque ball control.

As a result he often tended to drift under the radar, but a series of solid career decisions, determined consistency and an unwavering skillset have ensured McGowan's racked up an admirable 20 Socceroos caps.

His latest move, a season-loan from League One side Bradford City, where McGowan featured regularly and led the Bantams to a respectable 11th-placed finish, to Dundee FC, city rivals to Dundee United where McGowan dominated in 2015, follows a similar trajectory.

At 29, McGowan still has the legs to match his footballing intelligence and at Dundee, will be able to carve out the regular game-time and consistent performances that continue to keep him within the broader Socceroos frame, albeit just.

Milos Degenek

A far less-popular move among the footballing community, Degenek's transfer - announced during the Asian Cup - from Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade to Asian powerhouses Al-Hilal was shrouded in controversy.

While some Aussies were quick to judge a perceived cash-grab, there were also claims that the former European Champions, which Degenek had supported as a boy, forced the Australian defender out due to the lucrative sum Al-Hilal offered. 

Regardless, what appears a downgrade for the 24-year-old, who had excelled in Champions League matchups against the likes of Liverpool, may not be as greater step down as many assume.

While Degenek's Champions League experience put him at the pinnacle of world football, the day-to-day competition in the Serbian SuperLiga is inconsistent at best.

While Degenek's 'Asian Club of the Century' faces similar challenges in the Saudi Pro League, the pressure to perform is arguably even greater.

With those pressures extending to the Asian Champions League every season and, as Aussies are now well aware, a rapidly improving standard of Asian football to boot - the move may not be quite as dark for Degenek as it seems.