The 2017 FFA Cup (now the Australian Cup) was the fourth edition of the tournament, and up until that point, South hadn’t really made a splash. South had only managed to qualify once for the tournament’s final stages (in 2015), but in that campaign, they were knocked out immediately by Palm Beach in the round of 32.

2017 however saw a far more successful campaign. Firstly, South had qualified in style, defeating Eastern Lions 2-0, Monbulk Rangers 4-0, and Box Hill United 2-1 before facing Dandenong City in the final qualification round.

In that game South were down 4-1 with just 10 minutes to go – but Lujic scored a brace and Daley equalised late in the game. At the 97^th minute, Lujic scored a penalty to complete the famous comeback!

In the FFA Cup Round of 32, South defeated Edgeworth 1-0. In the Round of 16, South defeated Sorrento 4-1. In the quarter final, South defeated Gold Coast City 6-0 – enacting revenge for 2015 (noting Gold Coast City were renamed from Palm Beach).

In the Semi Final, South faced Sydney FC at Lakeside. The match was played in torrential rain with nearly 6,000 fans in the stands. Unfortunately, Sydney was too good on the night and won 5-1, they would later go on to be that season’s A-League Champions.

Overall, it was a memorable campaign. South scored 25 goals in 8 games, made the Semi Finals, and enjoyed the national spotlight.

Round of 32
South Melbourne	1
Edgeworth Eagles	0
Round of 16
South Melbourne	4
Sorrento	1
Quarter Finals
South Melbourne	6
Gold Coast City	0
Semi Finals
South Melbourne	1
Sydney FC	5