When the keeper's name was read out earlier this week Curtis’s tears flowed. But it wasn’t so much about the joy of winning – it was also about the painful memory of a disastrous spell at Norwich last season and the tough times they endured together in Engalnd.

After helping Melbourne Victory to two grand final wins Theoklitos headed overseas and landed a contract with the Canaries. However, his 2009 debut in August that year didn't go to script. In fact, it was a nightmare. 

Losing at home 7-0 to Colchester, the now 30-year-old shot-stopper was blamed for three goals in a horrendous opening 45 minutes.

In the dramatic days that followed this humiliation, he was slated by the Canaries fans and media, saw his manager sacked and a new man installed. Theo's days were numbered from that point on.

Later in the season, Curtis also recalled the horror of seeing Theoklitos’s name on Sky News just minutes after he apparently missed the bus for a first team game (she argues there was an internal miscommunication over the times). 

Theoklitos was released later in the season and with his career and name mud, things looked grim. But a call from Ange Postecoglou was the signal for a sharp upturn in his fortunes.

The Melbourne couple moved to Brisbane and pretty much everything has gone to script. Aside from Roar's extraordinary season, they will also marry in the next few months while Curtis now works occasionally for FoxSports.

So while Graham Arnold talks about pressure on Brisbane, Theoklitos refutes that saying he’s just enjoying every moment ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster grand final.

“I feel very humble," he said. "If you told me 12 months ago I’d win this award [A-League keeper of the year] and play in an A-League grand final, after the year I had, I’d probably not believe you.

“Looking back on it, it probably wasn’t [meant to be]. The first game didn’t go to script, it was a freak game and every footballer is involved in one of those types of game.

“But it’s how you bounce back that’s important. England’s a different kettle of fish. It’s ruthless. I was there for a year. Obviously it wasn’t enjoyable.

“They can change a manager after one game. If the new manager comes in and you’re not in his plans, you’re not in his plans.”

Theoklitos added that he’s looking forward to the challenge of the ACL in 2012. But he said it’s hard to predict the future of a footballer – as he well knows - yet he and his future wife appear very happy in Brisbane.

“I worked hard, didn’t give any excuses and the first opportunity to come home came from Ange Postecoglou. And now who would’ve thought we’d go on to win the A-League Premiership by eight points and only lose one game and be in a grand final.”

At last count there were only a few thousand tickets left for the grand final meaning it’s almost certainly a sell-out for the season finale.

He added: “It just goes to show, hard work and if you believe in yourself you get rewarded.

"Hopefully we can get rewarded on Sunday and cap off this great year we’ve had so far and win the double.”