Head-to-head
11 A-League meetings: Sydney - 4 wins, Queensland - 2 win, 5 draws

Previous meeting
Queensland Roar 2 Sydney 0, Suncorp Stadium, Minor Semi-Final (leg 2), February 2008

Previous Pre-season Cup Results
Sydney:
2007: Seventh (Defeated Melbourne 1-0 in seventh-place playoff)
2006: Third (Defeated Newcastle 2-0 in third-place playoff)
2005: Semi-final (Lost to Perth 1-0 in semi-final)

Queensland:
2007: Third (Defeated Central Coast 3-1 in third-place playoff)
2006: Seventh (Defeated New Zealand 2-1 in seventh-place playoff)
2005: Group Stage (Third in Group B)

Analysis
Sydney and Queensland played each other three times in four weeks at the end of last season and meet again in the first round of the Pre-Season Cup at Campbelltown Stadium. Last time they met, Roar inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Sydney, ending the glamour club's season at the semi-final stage.

There will be plenty of motivation for a new-look Sydney side to perform after a 2007/08 campaign that at times looked promising, but fell short of the high expectations set by the club. John Kosmina has had his first full pre-season to work with his players and it will be fascinating to see how he integrates the new signings into the line-up.

In come John Aloisi, Mark Bridge, Stuart Musialik, Mitchell Prentice and Simon Colosimo, while departing the playing roster are Juninho, Mark Milligan, Ruben Zadkovich, David Zdrilic, Patrick, Ben Vidaic, Brendan Renaud and Mark Roberston, as well as Mark Rudan and Ufuk Talay, who both left before the end of last season.

For Roar, Frank Farina has brought in several young players, Tim Smits, David Dodd, Thomas Oar, Isaka Cernak and Luke de Vere. Dutchman Sergio Van Dijk and Scot Charlie Miller have been the major international signings. Departing the squad from last year are Sasa Ognenovski, Reinaldo, Justin Pasfield, Simon Lynch, Marcinho and Ante Milicic. Neither of these two sides have made it to the final of the Pre-Season Cup in the first three seasons, with Roar's best finish third last season, while Sydney was third two years back.

With so many new faces for both sides, it's hard to know how the game will play out, but Sydney will be without Aloisi, Musialik, Bridge and Tony Popovic, so a lot will fall onto the shoulders of the younger players. Queensland is without Craig Moore but does have Danny Tiatto.

Sydney FC Squad: 1 Clint BOLTON, 2 Iain FYFE, 3 Nick TSATTALIOS, 4 Simon COLOSIMO, 5 Mitchell PRENTICE, 10 Steve CORICA, 14 Alex BROSQUE, 15 Terry McFLYNN, 16, Chris PAYNE, 17 Jacob TIMPANO, 18 Adam CASEY, 20 Ivan NECEVSKI (GK), 21 Adam BIDDLE, 24 Ryan WALSH, 25 Chris Van Leur

Unavailable: John ALOISI, Robbie MIDDLEBY (suspended); Stuart MUSIALIK, Mark BRIDGE (Qantas Under 23 duty); Tony POPOVIC, Brendon SANTALAB, Mike Enfield (injured)

Queensland Roar Squad: 1. Liam REDDY, 2. Andrew PACKER, 3. Luke DEVERE, 7, Michael ZULLO, 8. Massimo MURDOCCA, 9. Sergio VAN DIJK, 10. Charlie MILLER, 13. Chris GROSSMAN, 14. Ben GRIFFIN, 15. Matthew McKAY, 16. Hyuk-Su SEO, 18. Danny TIATTO, 20. Griffin McMASTER, 22. Robbie KRUSE, 21. Tim SMITS.