Central Coast Mariners looking strong up front.

This is the fifth preview for the new season. If you missed the others just go to the link in the archives headed, A-League Previews.

And feel free to send in your final four and Grand Final winner tips before next Friday and the big kick-off. Football's back and I can't wait!

PREVIEW 5: Central Coast Mariners

The Mariners are always fit. Very fit.

They still think they should have won the very first Grand Final in Sydney. And they are right, they missed so many chances.

This year Dean Heffernan is back. Sasho Petrovski has signed from Sydney FC. Nik Mrdja is fit. And Greg Owens has come across from Adelaide United. And they all score goals, something the Mariners badly needed last year.

I expect them to score more goals this year, and Adam Kwasnik to finish in the top three top scorers in the country! He's fit, gets in all the right positions and with more support this year he may find goals easier to come by.

The Mariners play a simple game. Have few real stars, but they are always fit under Andrew Clark's conditioning regime. They look well-prepared again in pre-season and if they get off to a good start they should make the top four.

It's all about goals for the Mariners, but with Perth, Adelaide, Queensland, The Phoenix and Melbourne all improving in player depth then a few more goals may not be so easy to find.

A lack of spark from midfield may prove their stumbling block. Can Tom Pondeljak find some of the form of the first season? Who else can create for the Mariners? Andre Gumprecht?

They won't go down without a fight. And if they can sneak the odd early goal teams will have to match their fitness to win the game.

For the sake of the club and its outstanding development I hope they prove me wrong and cruise into the Grand Final.

A scrap for fourth place I reckon, but they may just make the finals.

Players to watch: Adam Kwasnik, Dean Heffernan, Danny Vukovic, Brad Porter, Andre Gumprecht, Alex Wilkinson and Tom Pondeljak.