Coach Lawrie McKinna has already admitted he would be delighted to be the first coach to get the better of Gold Coast and Porter has revealed the players are no different.

He said: "Apparently they are supposed to go through undefeated this season, but no, obviously it's going to be a good test to see where we are at, we got back from Canberra last week after having a couple of really good hitouts down there and it'll be good to get out there on a decent stadium, a decent pitch, and play against  A-League opposition to see where we're at.
 
"It's only three weeks yesterday until the first game of the season against Melbourne (on Thursday, 6 August), so now is really the time for us to be working on combinations, I think there's a decent base level of fitness amongst the boys now and now its about getting some combinations on the field and some form going into that first game."

Porter should not be available for this fixture had things worked out differently. Before picking up a knock he had been due to taste life at the Mariners sister club Sheffield United alongside Andrew Redmayne.

"Brad picked up a cork in the first week of training and wasn't going to be fit to go (to Sheffield). That was more of a thing of getting more experience.

"It gives our boys a chance to see how things are done there but also gives Sheffield a chance to see what we've got," said McKinna.