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The Mariners managed to put off-field worries behind them to claim the Premiership last season, despite losing two of their most important players who were sold off to help cover the wage bill.

At the beginning of the year, the club was living almost hand to mouth in a cashflow crisis that saw Matt Simon and Rostyn Griffiths sold to Asia.

An investment deal with Russian backers has still never come to fruition after months on hold, but today chairman Peter Turnbull revealed he had two new Australian investors set to plough funds into the club.

And he said the deal to bring the money into the club's coffers could be approved and revealed within two weeks.

"We are still in discussions with the Russians," said Turnbull. "We've now had a couple of other parties come to the table as well."

Turnbull defended the fire sale that almost cost the Mariners the title after the exit of Simon and Griffiths saw results slide in the tail end of the season, missing out on a place in the Grand Final.

"In the A-League, obviously we're not able to compete with the overseas clubs as far as salaries are concerned," he said.

"Players don't leave to play the wage bill. Revenue raised from transfer fees is a normal and legitimate part of running a football club.

"Player security comes into effect - if Matty Simon can get himself set up financially for life by going to Korea when he's given such great service to us, then it's hard for us to stand in his way.

"All the players who join the Mariners know that is our philosophy. Their career will be enhanced by playing for the Mariners, it won't be hampered."

The new would-be investors are understood to be local, but ad magnate John Singleton is not one of them.

Turnbull added: "There's new investment coming into the Mariners to capitalise on the future...mainly because we were Premiers in both A-League and Youth League.

"We've got the new aquatic centre being built, we've got the Soccer5s here now, the football department here now at the new field, and the hotel as well.

"As far as the future is concerned, the Mariners are the best-placed club in the country."

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