Do you have a major event planned for next weekend ?  Grandma’s 90th birthday, best friend’s wedding or even worse, rostered on to work?

If so, now’s the time to start scheming to avoid it any way you can.  Catch a mystery illness, find some “household disaster” (blocked drain, roof off, rodent infestation) that requires immediate attention.  Or simply use this all- purpose football-addict “truth-bender” excuse :  “I have a dear friend who desperately needs me” (a friend who just happens to have Fox Sports, a comfy couch and a well-stocked bar fridge).

Yes, it promises to be a thrilling final round of Season 7, with “Super Sunday” the day to turn off phones, close the curtains and enjoy the ride.  Or even better, get to a match if you can and take all those friends who think “the A-League is boring”.

They’re bound to see something unexpected like Shannon Cole’s two-goal comeback, GCU’s heart-warming 3-0 win over Glory, Berisha attacking one of his “beloved” teammates or Victory playing like the glamour club they are.

But exciting as it will be, surely most would agree with Arnie’s suggestion to play the final round games simultaneously for maximum fairness as well as maximum adrenaline. There’s nothing quite like watching your own team while anxiously awaiting updates on how other matches are panning out.  Sure, it’s like walking a tightrope between agony and ecstasy but isn’t that why we love this game ?

Last Saturday we sat in the rain at Bluetongue and watched a frustrating first half before hearing the comforting half-time news that Roar and the Jets were also locked at 1-1.  When Bernie scored soon after half-time there was the triumphant sound of dancing rain ponchos. For half an hour we stressed out as we felt the weight of the Premier’s Plate in our hands, rising on a misguided wave of euphoria when we heard Roar had missed a penalty.

At 82 minutes the news came through that Nichols had scored and we all swore along with Arnie.  Like all great Mariners’ moments, this one would go down to the wire. 

And like the last time we won the Premiership, our final match will be against Wellington.  I’d like to think it’s a good omen but without the advantage of simultaneous matches, we will need to win to ensure it’s ours. Should we lose we will be sweating on GCU pulling out another show-stopping performance but then again, can anyone imagine for a moment that GCU will NOT pull out all the stops to end their tumultuous season ? Let’s face it, they have demonstrated amazing pride and team spirit in the past few weeks and will surely make this game as entertaining as Jerrad’s new haircut.

They may especially be able to take advantage of Roar’s physical and mental state after their midweek trip to Beijing for the ACL match.  Last week it was the Mariners who suffered from an exhausting travel schedule but now the boot will be on the other foot. We face Nagoya Grampus at home while Roar will be travelling to freezing China then to sweltering Skilled Park (yeah, I checked the Weather Channel!)  Another tough match may also start to affect their confidence as the A-League’s “benchmark” club.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the ACL and want all the Aussie teams to shine but this time “it’s personal”.  The Mariners have had a wonderful season but to end it without silverware for the second year in a row would be a very hard price to pay for saving our club. 

For while Brisbane enjoy the luxury of stable ownership and their future is now assured, it’s no secret that the Mariners have been tottering on the brink of financial disaster all season.  You could almost say our 11-point lead at the top of the table was sacrificed for the sale of Matty Simon and later, Rostyn Griffiths (a deal Erik Paartalu could reportedly afford to refuse). Meanwhile our lesser-paid youthful stars were whisked away for a fruitless Olyroos campaign while our longest serving players were sometimes not getting paid at all.

Rumours continue to flow about Arnie and even Wilko and Hutch are said to be moving to China on a permanent basis after the ACL Campaign. (No Wilko or Hutch? The world will end!)

That’s why Sunday March 25 could be a landmark day in the Mariners’ history in more ways than one.  For Sunday is reportedly the day (AT LAST !) that we will hear once and for all whether “The Russians” (do they actually exist?!)  will be favouring Gosford with their long-promised support.

Finally, we will know whether our club truly has a future, whether we can hold on to Arnie, whether we can stop selling our best players just to scrape by.  Winning the Premiership would be just rewards for this team who have borne the brunt of the club’s financial problems.  But finally winning the quest for future stability would be the greatest prize of all.

And should it be good news all round on Sunday I propose all Mariners’ fans should raise a glass of vodka and adopt this new chant (to the tune of that lame old song “Ra-Ra-Rasputin” *)

Ma-Ma-Mariners

Winners of the A-League

There was a club that nearly was gone

Ma-Ma-Mariners

Australia’s greatest football team

Thanks to the Russians we’ll carry on…..

(*Check out the version by Finnish folk metal band Turisas : pumping !)