GOING into the finals in fourth place is a bit like being invited to a really wild party then finding out you were the last person on the guest list.

Sure, it's good to be there and you could have a really fun time, but you're more likely to find yourself stuck between some weirdo and a stale bowl of Twisties.

Fans of Sydney or Wellington would probably kill to be in our position, but the sad fact is that compared to this time last year, "Finals Fever" for Mariners' fans looks like being a party we'll be leaving early.

Last season was undoubtedly our best ever - I will never forget Round 21 when we sat in the rain at Bluetongue and watched the Aloisi brothers go head to head, finally winning 2-0. We knew the Premiership was almost in our grasp and the feeling going into the finals was total confidence.

February 10, 2008 was for me, the greatest Mariners' match to date : words cannot fully describe the incredible joy that lit up the stadium, and indeed the whole Central Coast, after such an inspiring performance. Heartbreak was only a fortnight away, but for those two weeks being a part of the Mariners' success was as good as it gets.

Nostalgia at a time like this may seem pointless, but in a way it gives me great hope to remember just what my team can do under extreme pressure. They may well go into the finals as the underdog but underdogs can bite - and we thrive on being underestimated.

I'm sure the team are sick to death of hearing themselves described in "never write them off" terms, but doesn't this cliché hold a grain of truth ? Yeah, yeah - all the stats are against us : we've never beaten Roar at home, the teams who play away first have always got to the finals blah, blah.

But wouldn't it just be like The Mariners to smash all those stats to pieces? This is the club that revels in confounding its critics and leading the way forward in so many ways - who's to say we won't be taking the field on Grand Final day for the third time ?

I believe our last match against Adelaide showed a huge improvement in our defensive performance and we were very unlucky not to come out of it with a point. Macca and Simon have shown they can get round the Roar defence and it would be fantastic to see Sash given a chance to offer the fans a farewell gift as only he can.

Though the news of Sash's defection to our arch enemies up the F3 was not unexpected, it still cuts deeply. Sash has been one of my all-time favourite players since his days in the Wolves and I will always treasure those two goals he scored to get us into the Grand Final.

He has a remarkable ability to score audaciously in tight situations and his cheeky hassling of keepers is both entertaining and effective. We will miss his radiant smile, his energy and his chest-baring celebrations. I hope the Jets treat him right.

It's difficult to lose players but we have gained an interesting new signing in Huke (how long before the Hukes/Vukes thing takes off?) as well as a flashy new strip to wear around Asia. To paraphrase a dodgy old song, the future (and the away strip) is so bright we'll have to wear shades. (Stripes are damn sexy, though...)

And if the Mariners really need further inspiration they should look to the illustrious career of our most capped footballer, Cheryl Salisbury, who finally hung up her boots on Saturday. Ben Buckley described her as "an icon of women's football". Would he describe Alex Tobin as "an icon of men's football" ? Thought not.

If Shezza had been born Shane, she would have been showered with awards and financially rewarded. Instead, I watched her earn her 150th cap and receive...a pot-plant. I think it was a begonia.

While A-League players half her age and with none of her achievements earn good salaries, Cheryl has spent 17 years in part-time jobs trying to support herself while dedicated to playing football at the highest level. She is the absolute embodiment of determination, commitment and leadership that can make a crucial difference to any game of football.

Let's hope The Mariners can shine like Shezza this weekend, not just be there to make up the numbers.

One Cheryl Salisbury, there's only one Cheryl Salisbury.