JETS coach Ernie Merrick calls them "old men" and jokes that he has ordered each a zimmer frame to help get around.
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Although Nikolai Topor-Stanley, 34, and Nigel Boogaard, 33, are in the twilight of their careers, both are in career-best form.
Topor-Stanley led the league in interceptions (134), break-ups (133), blocks (26), aerial contests (111) and percentage of aerial contests won (77) last season and was third in clearances (83).
Boogaard was second behind Topor-Stanley in intercepts (97), blocks (25), aerial contests (84) and percentages (71) and was third in break-ups (96).
The veterans have rolled their form into this season, despite the Jets' sluggish start.
Topor-Stanley has 10 clearances and Boogaard seven. The skipper has the most blocks with six and between them they have won everything in the air.
"I thought the two of them were outstanding," Merrick said after the 2-1 loss to Adelaide United. "In fact, I think it was one of the best games I have seen Nigel play."
Topor-Stanley, who is contracted until the end of next season, played every minute of every game last campaign and collected the player of the year award.
Both he and Boogaard have their training workloads managed.
"They are old men," Merrick said. "We have booked zimmer frames for them. We just take it easy with them."
And if the Jets are to upset Sydney FC at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night the veteran centrebacks will be crucial.
The Sky Blues boast an explosive attack boasting Adam Le Fondre, Milos Ninkovic, Kosta Barbarouses and Alex Baumjohann.
Le Fondre leads the league in shots with 13, two more than his strike partner Barbarouses.
Ninkovic has created eight goal-scoring chances, while Brandon O'Neill, who plays deeper, has supplied two assists and created seven chances.
Sydney, although going down 1-0 to Wanderers, had 65% of possession, fired 23 shots to seven and won the corner count 10-3.
"Their two wide players Ninkovic and Baumjohann comes inside all the time, so we will make sure we cover that," Merrick said.
Ben Kantarovski played 23 minutes off the bench against Adelaide in his return from a hamstring complaint and Merrick said the ball-winner was an option to start on Friday.
However, rather than a change in personnel, Merrick has been emphasising "things they can do better".
"What we need to do is stick to the game plan and work on being more composed and have a bit more deception up front," he said.