FC has been in a “slump” in recent weeks, having lost two of its top players, Antonio Barbaro and Ryan Keir, to interstate clubs, and striker Daniel Bennett, the league’s leading goal-scorer, is under an injury cloud. Adding to the Deakin side’s woes, Josip Jadric is likely out for the rest of the season after rupturing a disc in his back on Tuesday night.

It leaves difficult decisions for coach Ray Junna, as his team also have to play a rescheduled National Premier League match this weekend.

“We’ve got a couple of injuries we’re weighing up because we’ve got a tough game on Sunday as well,” Junna said.

The biggest decision is whether to play Bennett, who has missed the past two weeks with an ankle injury, on the less-forgiving synthetic Hawker surface.

“To play him back on plastic, I’d rather not do that and keep him for Sunday," Junna said.

"Whether we put him on the bench and give him 10, 15 minutes, that’s what we’ve got to weigh up. We definitely want to win the game, no doubt about it – we’ll go in to win it and whatever comes out on Sunday, we’ll deal with what we’ve got."

Belconnen United goes in as firm favourite for the trophy, and is looking for an edge over its premier league rivals.

“It’s a cup final so there’s no points, but it’s always nice to get a psychological advantage over your opponents,” Blue Devils coach Dean Ugrinic said.

“Obviously [playing] someone like Deakin who have been the benchmark of the competition over the last few years, it’d certainly be nice to get a good result and get some silverware for the season.”