Canberra United have already had a rocky season to date and now they face a monster task of playing three A-League Women matches in eight days, including their longest away trip yet.
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After Canberra's 1-1 draw with Western United on Saturday at McKellar Park, United will pack their bags on Tuesday and head up the Hume Highway to play Sydney FC on Wednesday night.
The Sydney encounter is the first of two games postponed earlier in the season the A-Leagues are making up for by squeezing it between existing fixtures.
Following that match they'll then take a team bus to Newcastle ahead of their clash against the Jets on Saturday.
It's a hell of a test for the girls in green as they embark on a resurgent 2024 to a climb up the ladder in the second half of the season, and get back into A-League title contention.
Coach Njegosh Popovich and the rest of the team still believe the season is far from done and dusted, but the week ahead will present a challenge.
"It's very, very difficult," Popovich said. "You go on the road and you're away for over five days, which is not ideal.
"They are professional footballers, but the reality is, they're not used to this, and so it's something that they need to learn. They're going to be away from home for a lot more nights than what they usually would be."
Popovich said the squad will hope to benefit from building a more cohesive team unit from the away trip though.
"We're going to look at having a little bit more team bonding within that environment," he said.
"We'll get to Newcastle after the game on Wednesday night, and the girls can have some time at the beach in the days after - no better place for recovery."
Despite dealing with some injury headaches this season, Canberra will be boosted by a fit team to start 2024, with Chilean Maria Rojas returning from a knee issue.
Skipper Michelle Heyman did cop a heavy knock to her left ankle against Western United, but Popovich said she will be right to go for the stretch of games ahead, and he's confident Canberra can build upon their recent draw, which importantly ended a two-game losing streak.
"You don't go into the games thinking you're going to lose, or give up hope," he said.
"I've always said from the beginning we're a team that's growing and there's more evidence [against Western United] of that growth.
"We need to convert it to a 90-minute performance rather than 55 minutes. Some of the younger players are playing out of positions they're usually comfortable with, but they're getting opportunities and they're improving.
"I'm a firm believer that we leave the past in 2023 and go into the new year full of hope."
AT A GLANCE
A-LEAGUE WOMEN SCHEDULE
Sydney FC v Canberra United, Wednesday 7pm at Leichhardt Oval
Newcastle Jets v Canberra United, Saturday 5pm at Newcastle Sportsground