After the first attempt at overturning the goalkeeper’s 15 month ban effectively failed, the Gosford club have taken stock and decided that there is every reason to continue the appeals process.

A second hearing is the final avenue for Vukovic under the FFA appeals process but there remains the possibility of a showdown in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Mariners believe valid grounds for appeal should not be dismissed after one or perhaps two hearings. They are determined to pursue all options to achieve the outcome they feel is just.

And to that end, the club has now had a former legal advisor to the Fraser government examine the case in their drive to restore Vukovic’s Olympic dream.

Executive chairman Lyall Gorman told au.fourfourtwo.com: “Let’s make this absolutely clear, we are not in the business of pursuing or submitting frivolous appeals. We don’t want this process to become a comic affair that reflects badly on our club or the league.

“What we believe we have here are valid grounds for appeal and we feel very strongly about pursuing this.

“I’m not ruling anything out at this point. We will go into this next appeal in the first week of April having sought yet another (legal) opinion and as I said, we think we have valid grounds for continuing this (fight).”

As it stands Vukovic is set to miss the Beijing Olympics with his grand final altercation with referee Mark Shield also ruling him out of A-League action until the end of November.

The Olyroos youngster had been first choice in Graham Arnold’s young squad but missed out on the recent 1-1 draw with Mexico in San Francisco after being hit with the initial ban.