After ending their winless run with a 1-0 triumph at Newcastle Jets, the Big V will be looking to kick-start a surge up the A-League table in Geelong
Can Central Coast Mariners build on their champagne win on New Year's Eve, or will the champions feel right at home at Geelong's Simonds Stadium on Friday night?
SQUADS
Central Coast Mariners squad: 2.Storm ROUX, 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5.Harry ASCROFT, 6.Mitch AUSTIN, 7.Fabio FERREIRA, 8.Nick MONTGOMERY (c), 12.Trent BUHAGIAR, 13.Alastair BRAY (GK), 15.Matthew SIM, 16.Liam ROSE, 17.Francesco STELLA, 19.Josh BINGHAM, 20.Anthony KALIK, 21.Michael NEILL, 22.Jake McGING, 23.Tomislav USKOK, 40.Tom HEWARD-BELLE (GK)
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 12.Trent BUHAGIAR (new signing), 15.Matthew SIM (promoted), 13.Alastair BRAY (GK) (new signing), 17.Francesco STELLA (new signing), 20.Anthony KALIK (promoted)
Outs: 9.Roy O'DONOVAN (suspended – 8 matches), 14.Daniel HEFFERNAN (not selected), 30.Adam PEARCE (GK)
Unavailable: 1.Paul IZZO (GK) (Olyroos duty)
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 4.Nick ANSELL, 5.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 6.Leigh BROXHAM (c), 7.Gui FINKLER, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 13.Oliver BOZANIC, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH, 16.Rashid MAHAZI, 17.Matthieu DELPIERRE, 18.Dylan MURNANE, 19.George HOWARD, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 22.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 23.Jai INGHAM, 33.Joey KATEBIAN
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 4.Nick ANSELL (returns from injury), 7.Gui FINKLER (returns from injury), 19.George HOWARD (promoted), 23.Jai INGHAM (new signing), 33.Joey KATEBIAN (promoted)
Outs: 2.Jason GERIA (Olyroos duty), 11.Connor PAIN (Olyroos duty), 24.Thomas DENG (Olyroos duty)
Unavailable: 3.Scott GALLOWAY (Olyroos duty), 15.Giancarlo GALLIFUOCO (Olyroos duty), 21.Carl VALERI (ill – indefinite)
BLUFFER'S GUIDE
Both these sides ended long winless runs last time out, so this clash in Geelong looms as an opportunity to build some momentum for the second half of the season.
The Mariners have decided to take their 'home' match to Victoria and whether that is a wise move remains to be seen.
At least Tony Walmsley's side should have a spring in their step coming into this one.
They continued their impressive NYE record by beating Wellington Phoenix 3-1 and have a full three days extra than Melbourne Victory to recover and prepare for the match.
Could that be the catalyst for a mid-season revival?
Kevin Muscat's side have seemingly turned the corner themselves, however, following their 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets last Sunday.
It was far from vintage Victory but after five games without a win, any method of getting the three points will do.
With an ACL campaign looming fast on the horizon, Victory will want to bank as many points as they can over the next month to ensure they make the finals.
A game against the A-League's bottom side will be one they'll have chalked down for all three.
In a boost for the Big V, Brazilian Gui Finkler is back from injury, as is defender Nick Ansell and new signing Jai Ingham.
The Mariners' three new arrivals - Francesco Stella, Trent Buhagiar and Alastair Bray - have also travelled to Geelong and could make their debuts.
OPTA DATA KEY STATS
After their last start win against Wellington, the Mariners will be searching for consecutive A-League victories for the first time since April 2014
Victory have won their last six A-League matches against Central Coast and hasnt lost to the Mariners since the 2013-14 finals
Central Coast have made 370 interceptions so far this term, by far the most of any team (Phoenix second on 311)
The Big V have yet to win back-to-back away A-League games this season
ROUTE TO GOAL
It will be interesting to see what Walmsley does up front in the wake of Roy O'Donovan's suspension.
The Irishman has been an ever-present this season but faces an eight-match ban after his headbutt on Manny Muscat last week.
Youngster Josh Bingham has impressed off the bench in recent weeks and appears certain to start up front, with reports Dan Heffernan is out of favour.
Whoever gets the nod will hope Mitch Austin and Fabio Ferreira can reproduce the form they showed last round.
The pair were outstanding on the flanks and their pace and crossing will be key in this one.
For Victory, surprisingly, their attack continues to struggle.
There's been little fluency or drive out of midfield over the last month and as a result the goals have dried up.
The absence of Connor Pain on Olyroos duty takes away another option but veteran Archie Thompson has been back a few weeks now and could be ready to explode.
Fahid Ben Khalfallah got his second goal of the campaign against the Jets and Muscat will hope that's a sign the Tunisian is almost back to his best.
The Mariners are the only side this season yet to keep a clean sheet, which also augurs well for Victory.
WHO'S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
Fabio Ferreira. The Portuguese flyer returned to the starting side last weekend and it's no surprise the Mariners found the firepower to register a rare win, his performance also earning him a spot in the A-League Team of the Week.
FORM LINES
Central Coast Mariners: LLLLW
Melbourne Victory: LLLDW
PREDICTION
Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Melbourne Victory
MARINERS TO APPEAL O'DONOVAN HEADBUTT BAN
MARINERS TO APPEAL O'DONOVAN HEADBUTT BAN
Central Coast will appeal the severity of the eight-match A-League ban handed to striker Roy O'Donovan for his New Year's Eve headbutt on Wellington defender Manny Muscat.
Football Federation Australia's (FFA) independent disciplinary committee issued O'Donovan with the second-longest ban in the competition's history on Wednesday for the incident that occurred during the Mariners' 3-1 win over the Phoenix.
The club will argue the sanction was disproportionately harsh compared with the two-week suspension the match review panel gave Muscat for elbowing O'Donovan in the face moments before the headbutt.
In handing down their decision on Wednesday, the committee pointed out that had Muscat been referred to them, a more serious body than the match review panel, they would have deemed his actions worthy of more hefty punishment.
'It's very harsh,' coach Tony Walmsley said of O'Donovan's situation.
'If you look at precedent, it's an incredibly harsh punishment.'
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