Roar's five-loss interlude midway through the season, while the Mariners accumulated points may have some ready to concede top spot, even with nine games left in the season.

But Roar haven't achieved what they have in the past two seasons by giving up, and with a clash against Central Coast to follow Saturday's battle with Newcastle at Suncorp Stadium, Franjic is eyeing the chance to make up ground on the ladder leaders.

"The team's been great and with what we've achieved confidence is definitely still high and we're still quietly confident that we can catch the Mariners," said Franjic.

"We've got the Mariners coming up in a couple of weeks, so while it's still mathematically possible of course (the Premiership remains a goal).

"If we do the right things, starting with Newcastle and then hopefully getting over the Mariners in a couple of weeks, and they drop a few points along the way, it could still definitely happen."

Taking top spot in the Premiership would guarantee Roar a second-straight Asian Champions League qualification, and with the progress and development made in their remarkable 2010-11, there is no intention to regress.

The Mariners have been the best side through 18 rounds, but with the defending champions building back to full power after a horror run with injuries, they believe they can recapture the stunning form that had many pundits placing them in a league of their own when they began the season with eight wins on the trot.

Franjic added: "We want to be back in Asia and we want to be the first club to go back to back in the A-League."