A-League grand final: How Central Coast Mariners went from 'worst professional football team in Australia' to surging toward a domestic title

  • Mariners are preparing for A-League Grand Final
  • Melbourne City await on Saturday from 7.45pm
  • Central Coast embracing their underdog status

For the first time in a decade, the Central Coast Mariners will play in the A-League grand final on Saturday night - a feat many of their loyal fans would have widely scoffed at a few years ago.

A-League deciders in 2006, 2008 and 2011 set the tone early on, and in 2013 - at the fourth time of asking - they finally broke their duck, beating the Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 with current Socceroos coach Graham Arnold in charge.

When Arnold departed the club to take up a role with Japanese side Vegalta Sendai, assistant Phil Moss took over - and it was the start of a worrying decline at Gosford.


For a club who has produced Socceroos such as Mat Ryan, Mile Jedinak, Tom Rogic and Garang Kuol, fortunes dipped dramatically.

Four wooden spoons followed, a succession of coaches and being branded the 'worst professional football team in Australia' by some sections of the media.

Central Coast Mariners will play in the A-League Grand Final on Saturday night - a feat many of their fans would have scoffed at a few years ago (pictured, coach Nick Montgomery)

Central Coast Mariners will play in the A-League Grand Final on Saturday night - a feat many of their fans would have scoffed at a few years ago (pictured, coach Nick Montgomery)

The Mariners are a club who thrive as underdogs (pictured, striker Jason Cummings)

The Mariners are a club who thrive as underdogs (pictured, striker Jason Cummings)

The resurgence began in 2019, starting with former Matildas boss Alen Stajcic at the helm, before Nick Montgomery assumed control in July of 2021.

Club favourite 'Monty', who also chalked up 113 appearances in midfield for the Central Coast between 2012 and 2017 before turning his attention to coaching, stressed patience was key.

He was keen to utilise talent emerging from the club's academy and also look outside the square for elite footballers who would buy into the club's culture.

In came the likes of Scottish born striker Jason Cummings - and this season electric Brazilian Marco Tulio.

This season the Mariners finished second behind Melbourne City, a remarkable feat given their shoe-string budget compared to the likes of Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory.

Max Balard and Josh Nisbet have been the unsung heroes in the middle of the park, with Vanuatu born defender Brian Kaltak and veteran goalkeeper Danny Vukovic also impressing.

Melbourne City - this weekend's Grand Final opponents who are owned by the City Football Group - have an embarrassment of attacking riches on their team sheet, led by golden boot winner Jamie Maclaren.

Fellow Socceroos Aiden O'Neill, Jordan Bos and Mat Leckie offer a touch of class, while young gun Marco Tilio can change the course of a game in an instant when running at bamboozled defenders.

Marco Tilio has been electric for Melbourne City all season - and will be keen to win some more silverware

Marco Tilio has been electric for Melbourne City all season - and will be keen to win some more silverware

Danny Vukovic lost a A-League Grand Final in 2008 with the Mariners - 15 years later he has the chance for redemption

Danny Vukovic lost a A-League Grand Final in 2008 with the Mariners - 15 years later he has the chance for redemption

It presents a David versus Goliath Grand Final - and the Mariners have embraced the underdogs tag with gusto.

CEO Shaun Mielekamp - who previously addressed calls for the Mariners to fold during troubled times - has been humbled by the reaction on the NSW central coast the past fortnight.

Always a club who has embraced their community, winning the silverware for the fans is the plan.

'It's not lost on us at all that Melbourne City has everything at their disposal,' Mielekamp said. 

'But we will give our all, that is the Mariners way.'

Kick-off at Commbank Stadium in Sydney is 7.45pm, with the match on Paramount + and free to air on Channel 10.

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