Of the 18 players in Melbourne City's grand-final squad, just eight remain.
Marco Tilio, Aiden O'Neill, Jordy Bos and Tom Glover were among those to depart for overseas opportunities, while Scott Jamieson retired, following the 6-1 humiliation against Central Coast.
Rado Vidosic has lost a lot of quality but he hopes the revamp can prove a blessing in disguise and deliver a fresh start for a new campaign.
While Jamie Maclaren, Mathew Leckie and Curtis Good remain, there are plenty of new names.
Stalwarts like Aziz Behich, Steven Ugarkovic, Jamie Young and Terry Antonis have joined, while foreign signings Tolgay Arslan, Marin Jakolis, Leo Natal and Samuel Souprayen are new to the league.
"It's like a mixture of players that played in that grand final and then the players that don't even know what a grand final means coming from Europe where such things don't exist," Vidosic said on Friday.
"But it's a good mixture and some people have been hurting all winter and can't wait to start.
"Also the new players, the ones that we use, they are integrating in the squad and they can't wait.
"It's probably one of the longest pre-seasons in the world of football. So I think everyone is really keen to start and then once we start it's like six games in what, three weeks?
"It's going to be hectic and we need to be able to manage every player, a lot of travelling. So everyone will get an opportunity to showcase himself."
Vidosic had a mixed feeling about losing some of his stars, but admitted City would be "more predictable" had they kept the same line-up.
City have built some chemistry by reaching the semi-final of the Australia Cup, while also kicking off their Asian Champions League campaign.
Leckie is touch-and-go to feature in Saturday's season opener against Western United at AAMI Park despite a rapid recovery from a knee injury suffered on Socceroos duty.
Vidosic welcomed the Australian Professional League's decision to scrap the deal to sell grand final rights to NSW in favour of January's 'Unite Round' in Sydney.
Premiers City were effectively the away team against the NSW-based Mariners due to the deal.
"It won't be easy, but at least it is a better decision," Vidosic said.
"Especially if we're supposed to host the grand final here in Melbourne, at least in that game we'll be able to host it here.
"I mean, it's no guarantee that we're going to be there but at least I think this is the justice that maybe wasn't there last year."
