Kamau was a lively outlet for the Reds all afternoon and after playing a starring role for United as a right-sided forward in recent weeks, he stepped his out up again in the grand final.

The 21-year capped his performance with the opening goal of the game and while Djite, having scored 11 goals all season, would have seemed a more likely scorer, he saw Kamau was primed - even in the dressing room.

"Before the game [Marcelo] Carrusca said to me "look at Brucey [Kamau] - man, does he look nervous?'," Djite said. "And I said "That guy there, he's more relaxed than anyone in the change room." He brought that onto the field and what a fantastic game he played."

Asked when he felt his side was getting on top of the Wanderers, Djite had no problems pointing it out.

"Probably when Brucey was rinsing' Jamo'," he said. "That was just fantastic to see, such a young player, taking the game on. Jamieson is one of the best full-backs in the league, if not the best, and he really made it difficult for him today."

Having been such an integral part of Adelaide's United's story - despite stints abroad and at Gold Coast United - Djite said "the emotion was overbearing" having been part of previous grand final defeats.

"I remember that game [the 6-0 grand final defeat in 2007] and we were distraught - and we know how to party and we won't let ourselves down either. We can work had and we'll play hard," he said. "It's a weird feeling. It hasn't sunk in yet and we're just enjoying the moment, like we did it in the change rooms. As the hours pass it will sink in more and more.

"It's a significant achievement and no one can take it away from us and we'll always remember this special team."

Djite also paid tribute to Guillermo Amor, saying the coach brought something special to the touchline, improving on the work of previous coach Josep Gombau, who left the club in the off-season.

"We've got a new mentality, a new philosophy and the competitive advantages is we had Gui Amor - is probably the most experienced coach in terms of big games as a player," he said. "With any other coach in the A-League, they can't say, "In the [European] Champions League, this is how we've done it".

"He's got that experience and knowledge and the calmness he had throughout the season. And then we have a special team and talented players in a talented team."

Seeing Michael Marrone potentially suffer a serious second half injury - said to be a torn achilles - only led his teammates to greater heights when the game was up for grabs.

"Mickey was in trouble and that showed to us maybe we can push more," Djite said. "He had an injury and I thought maybe I should run some more until I get injured, just to help each other."