@CCMariners

Round 1 Preview: Brisbane v Mariners

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It’s time. Finally. After the world’s longest pre-season we’re back in action this Sunday against Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium. Kick-off is 5pm AEDT.

In the new narrative of the Hyundai A-League season, both Tommy Oar and Mike Mulvey return to a familiar venue in Suncorp Stadium where Mulvey led the Roar to a Premiership/Championship double and Oar became one of the most exciting attackers in Australian football.

For them, it’s just another game. For eight players in the squad it could be their debut in the Hyundai A-League wearing Yellow & Navy with plenty of new faces brought to the Central Coast this season.

Let’s take a look at what’s been said during the week and who’s in contention to take the pitch on Sunday!

Don’t forget – you can pick up you Membership packs, renew your memberships and watch the game with us at The Football Grounds, Erina where we will be screening the game on a GIANT inflatable screen.

Mulvey in the media

“This Sunday is something I’m really looking forward too, In Australia you have 18 weeks of preseason, which is the longest preseason in the world, but it gave us time, we’ve bought in 16 new players you need to assimilate them, get them working in a cohesive way. I’m quietly confident that we’ve got a group of players who work for each other understand each other and are certainly going to be out there working to get the three points.

“I want everyone to understand, this is a new venture, we are heading in the right direction, there will be hiccups and obstacles along the way. We made a pledge, and everyone has stepped over that line and we won’t look back. We talk about looking forward and having a positive environment and so far, so good we are certainly going to be competitive.

“It is difficult making the final choice, Ross and Tommy came in very late and we had to have a rethink of how we line up on the field.  We are quite comfortable, but I would say six or seven games through the season we would have a much better understanding what our best 11 is but I’m hoping we have 16 or 17 players that can justify a place in the first team. That does bring a natural headache and that’s what a coach wants, you want to look at your bench and say well we have got players that can change the course of the game and I’ve been looking at training and gone ‘wow’ he might be able to change the game he has been training really well.
“Ross will be starting. He’s looking sharp in training, we’re very lucky to have him and he’s gelling with the team and that’s important and will take time, generally as a coach you pick the best 11 and he’s in the best 11.

“The eyes of the world will be on us and so will mine. We have got seasoned pros who will help the young players and hopefully we can settle in a rhythm early get playing good football and defend like our lives depend on it and attack with real intent.

“He’s [Tommy Oar] played in Cyprus, so whatever happens in Brisbane is going to be a cakewalk in terms of what he will receive from the fans. He’s seasoned enough now, he’s looking forward to going back but like everyone else he’s looking forward to starting the season, like I said it’s a long preseason and were itching to go,” Mulvey said.

What’s been said?   

Matt Simon, Central Coast Mariners Club Captain.
“I’m really proud to be named captain,” Simon said. “Noel Spencer, John Hutchinson, Alex Wilkinson and Monty are great footballers and have been great captains for the club so hopefully I can follow in their footsteps and I’m really looking forward to a big pre-season.”

“Going to Brisbane is always tough but we’re really looking forward to going up there and putting in a good performance,” Simon said. “It’s been a very long pre-season so we just want to get up there and show everyone what we’re about this season.”

Stefan Mauk, Brisbane Roar FC
“He’s a dead-ball specialist [Ross McCormack] and he has a great strike so we need to be quite tight on him and not give him the chance to shoot.”

Squad lists

Central Coast Mariners Provisional Squad: 1.Ben KENNEDY (gk), 3.Jack CLISBY, 4.Jake McGING, 5.Antony GOLEC, 6.Tom HIARIEJ, 8.Michael McGLINCHEY, 10.Tommy OAR, 11.Connor PAIN, 12.Adam PEARCE (gk), 13.Aiden O’NEILL, 15.Kye ROWLES, 16.Josh MACDONALD, 18.Matt MILLAR, 19.Matt SIMON, 20.Kalifa CISSE, 22.Jacob MELLING, 25.Jordan MURRAY, 44.Ross McCORMACK
**two to be omitted**

Unavailable: 2.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS (ACL), 7.Andrew HOOLE (foot injury), Corey GAMEIRO (Hamstring)

Brisbane Roar FC Provisional squad: 1.Brendan WHITE (gk), 4.Daniel BOWLES, 6.Avram PAPADOPOULOS, 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN, 8.Jacob PEPPER, 9.Adam TAGGART, 11.Eric BAUTHEAC, 13.Stefan MAUK, 14.Alex LOPEZ, 15.Stefan NIGRO, 17.Matt MCKAY (c), 19.Jack HINGERT, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22.Tobias MIKKELSEN, 23.Dylan WENZEL-HALLS, 24.Connor O’TOOLE, 26.Nicholas D’AGOSTINO, 33.HENRIQUE
**two to be omitted**

Opta Stats Pack

  • Brisbane Roar are undefeated in their last 12 games against Central Coast (W10, D2), keeping six clean sheets in the process.
  • Brisbane have outscored Central Coast 18-3 across their last six meetings at Suncorp Stadium, remaining undefeated in that time (W5, D1).
  • The Roar have won their last two games at Suncorp Stadium without conceding a single goal, the last time they kept more consecutive clean sheets at the venue was a three-game stretch in 2010.
  • There have been 17 goals scored in the Mariners’ last three Round 1 fixtures, with the Central Coast club picking up a win, draw, and loss in that time.
  • Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners were two of just four teams last season to not concede an own goal.
  • The Mariners made 461 pass attempts per game last campaign, the second-most of any team in the competition behind Sydney FC (497).
  • Jamie Young had a league-high 73% save percentage in 2017/18 (min. 5 games), making a total of 91 saves for the campaign.
  • Connor Pain has been directly involved in four of the Mariners’ last six A-League goals, scoring three and providing one assist.

Match Details
Sunday, 21 October 2018
Hyundai A-League Round 1
Match: Brisbane Roar vs. Central Coast Mariners
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 5:00pm (AEDT)
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA
Hash-tag: Join the match conversation using #BRIvCCM & #CCMFC

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