Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker may have conceded defeat to Orlando Pirates who have snatched one of his key players in Deano van Rooyen, but not before landing a punch that could floor the Soweto giants in the R10 million battle for MTN8 honours.
From as far back as towards the end of last season, the rumour mill swirled with the news that the Soweto giants were hot on the heels of the highly rated right-back.
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A swap deal involving hot-and-cold Thabiso Monyane was even touted.
On Monday, Pirates killed the speculation by announcing the acquisition of the stocky player on a three-year deal, with an option to renew for two more years.
The move is expected to bring a semblance of stability to a position considered to be a problematic one for Jose Riveiro and his technical team.
For starters, number one choice based on form, Thabiso Lebitso, suffered an injury during the club's pre-season tour of Spain, being on the receiving end of a nasty challenge by an Al Sadd defender. He should be back soon.
Another option, Bandile Shandu, still has another month to go in his rehabilitation from an ankle injury.
The inconsistency of Monyane was laid bare in a poor MTN8 quarterfinal performance against SuperSport United, which would have led to heightened desperation to get the Van Rooyen deal over the line as soon as was possible.
Over in the Winelands, privy to the pending departure of one of his most trusted, Barker displayed a piece of ingenuity by including him in the 18-man squad to face TS Galaxy in the MTN8 quarterfinal, even bringing him on towards the end of the match.
It was a deliberate move with the bigger picture taken into consideration, for, if Stellies and Pirates are to meet in the final of the competition, the 27-year-old will not feature as he is now cup-tied.
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He will play no part in the two-legged semi-final against Cape Town City either, giving Bucs' new recruit time to familiarise himself with his new surroundings before his league debut in no less than a month from now.
Barker has fired the first salvo against the team that knocked him out of the same competition last season, how will Jose Riveiro respond?