Porter conceded a late penalty in round one but was still one of the best players on the field as the Mariners kickstarted the season with a 1-1 draw away to Newcastle.

He is again expected to be prominent when the Mariners tackle arch-rivals Sydney FC in round two at Gosford's Bluetongue Stadium on Saturday night.

Porter's long and short passing game and strong running with the ball was a feature of the team's impressive pre-season form.

Now he wants to establish himself as a first-team regular.

Porter has been with the Mariners since the first season of the Hyundai A-League but has been unable to secure a regular starting berth but this season is his best chance to change that.

"This is a big season for me," Porter said. "My goal is to start a lot of matches so I need to keep going well to keep my place. There's a lot of pressure for spots at the Mariners."

Porter is again expected to play a holding role in midfield with Socceroo Mile Jedinak still on the sidelines battling injury.

Meanwhile, veteran striker Sasho Petrovski, who was at times isolated against the Jets, will have a partner in crime against Sydney with Olyroo Matt Simon tipped to start up front alongside the former Sydney goal poacher.