Rizzo played against the Tigers for Sydney FC in a trial match recently but was not offered a contract with the sky blues. 

He was soon snapped up by the Lambert Park club and made his debut last weekend in the 1-1 draw at Cromer Park against Manly.

Like former Wellington Phoenix defender Karl Dodd, who's signed for Sydney United, 30-year-old Rizzo hopes his stint in the second tier competition will keep him fit for a return to the A-League - or even a move to Asia.

He told au.fourfourtwo.com the opportunity to keep ticking over playing regular football was important to him. "I'm extremely determined to regain my status as an A league footballer, and I'm training as hard as ever," he said.

"I have not stopped playing and training since the end of the last A-League season, where I was involved with the Central Coast Mariners in the ACL."

Rizzo spent the last two seasons with the WA-based franchise before being signed as cover for the Mariners' 2009 ACL campaign. He sat on the bench for most of the club's first, and unsuccessful, foray into Asia.

"The determination and willingness to play is still there," he added. "I still love playing football and the desire is still there as it as a teenager that left our shores in search of a professional contract in Europe.

"There is interest in Asia but my main goal is to prove myself as an A-League footballer."

Rizzo played for a decade in Europe. He began at Liverpool who signed him after he sent a video of himself to the club playing for Sydney Olympic.

He was a regular in the reserves alongside Michael Owen and sat on the bench for the first team during his two years at Anfield.

However, Terry Venables enticed Rizzo to join Crystal Palace in 1998. He followed this with stints at Ternana in Italy and MK Dons before returning to Australia.

The Tigers play the Demons this Sunday afternoon at Lambert Park, Leichhardt at 3pm.