Grand final selection questions for Mariners

Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold faces selection dilemmas in midfield and up front as the countdown to the grand final continues.

Arnold has Matt Simon, Adam Kwasnik and Daniel McBreen to fit into his two-man strike force while youngster Mustafa Amini is likely to start ahead of Patricio Perez.

Simon, who was used as a substitute in the preliminary final win over Gold Coast United, has trained strongly this week.

If he is to regain his starting spot, Kwasnik or strike partner Daniel McBreen will make way.

“I’ve been in and out of the starting 11 all year and have generally been coming off the bench and while I feel I’ve played my part there, I have no doubt ‘Arnie’ will make the right call,” Kwasnik told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“If he asks me to do the job up front, I’ll give it everything. But if he goes for McBreen and Simon, then so be it. Whoever starts is very capable of doing the job. There will be no hard feelings.”

Meanwhile, Perez hasn’t trained all week but will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness with Amini ready to fill the void.

Kwasnik said he felt the Mariners had the ability to outplay Brisbane through midfield.

“I think our area where we can win is in the midfield. It’s top shelf,” he said.

“Taking away nothing from the likes of Matt McKay and Thomas Broich, but I think we’ve got the edge over them in the midfield. It’s worked superbly all season and it’s a big reason why we’re in the grand final. I’ve got every confidence they’ll fire again on Sunday.”

Full-back Pedj Bojic returns from suspension and will slot straight back into the right side of defence.

For Brisbane, Jean Carlos Solorzano will start ahead of Henrique, who is fit despite tweaking his quad earlier in the week.

Coach Ange Postecoglou will have the option of using the Brazilian off the bench again after he scored a stoppage time equaliser in the second leg when the teams last met.