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Socceroos striker Adam Taggart was the hero against Melbourne Victory with two goals off the bench in a memorable 3-1 win.

Coach Ruben Zadkovich has hailed Adam Taggart as the right man to lead Perth Glory's rebuild following the star striker's stunning A-League return.

Taggart officially rejoined Glory for a third time during this month's transfer window, and he marked his first A-League Men appearance since 2019 with a two-goal cameo off the bench in Saturday night's 3-1 win over Melbourne Victory.

The win lifted Glory to within two points of fourth spot, fuelling hopes last season's wooden spooners can snare a dream finals berth.

Taggart has signed a three-and-a-half year deal with Glory, and the Socceroo shapes as an important cog in the club's bid to become a powerhouse.

"Tags is someone I know really well," Zadkovich said.

"I've seen him at the peak of his powers when I was the captain at Newcastle and he was the young pup that rocked up and got the golden boot.

"The nice thing I've seen from Tags since I've known him over the past 10 years is that he's grown as a person.

"He knows what he's capable of but he always puts the team first. So he's the right character for us to spearhead this rebuild."

Taggart, who spent the past three years in South Korea and Japan, is still working his way back to full fitness after tweaking his quad several weeks ago.

The 29-year-old came on in the 70th minute against Victory, and he could be in line for a boost in minutes in Saturday's away clash with Wellington.

"We will take it slow and steady and always look towards the long-term plan," Zadkovich said.

"Tags is a part of the jigsaw puzzle and it's nice to see it come together.

"He's still a long way off being anywhere near his best, but the one thing you get with Tags is goals, and he knows how to deliver when the moment arises."

Glory are sweating on the fitness of star midfielder Salim Khelifi, who injured his foot against Victory.

Zadkovich also sung the praises of 22-year-old midfielder Jacob Dowse, whose two pin-point crosses led to Taggart's two goals.

"I've known Dowsy for a very long time. I coached him for a few years at Broadmeadow Magic," Zadkovich said.

"He's a kid that came to the training ground and basically walked in with tears in his eyes saying, 'can I get a training session?'

"He'd left the Jets program and wanted to come to us.

"He's been through a hell of a lot. He's had three knee reconstructions. For him to be delivering on that stage is a testament to his quality and character. I'm really happy for him."