Ajax won the cup last term but meekly relinquished it after finishing 10th in the league.
Bidvest Wits went on to claim the trophy in 2016/17 with a 3-0 thumping of Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.
Graham is naturally hoping the Urban Warriors can qualify for next year's MTN8 by finishing in the top eight in the league. The resurgent coastal outfit are ninth in the standings midway through the season with 18 points from 15 games - a point behind eighth-placed Maritzburg United.
“Yeah, it’s been a long way thus far and we have been grinding the results you know,” Graham told his club's website.
“For 2017, the mission is to take each and every game as it comes because we can’t get carried away.
“There is still a long way to go until the end of the season. You will also remember that we failed to defend our MTN8 title.
“So now we have to finish in the top eight because we want to compete in the top eight competition next season. We hope to continue where we left off in the first round.”
Ajax return to training on Tuesday, and will resume their campaign against joint-log leaders Wits at Bidvest Stadium on February 7.