2014/15 Brisbane Roar season preview

The Brisbane Roar have three A-League championships under their belt and they’re eager to make it four, with a genuine chance to do just that.

The Roar are beaming with confidence and who can blame them; can Mike Mulvey and his team add to the trophy cabinet in 2014/15? 

Yes, it's outdated. Stupid Roar with their stupid new logo.

Last season
A-League: 1st
Finals: 2-1 (AET) Grand Final win against Western Sydney Wanderers

They'll win the league because...
They boast one of the most experienced squads in the A-League and will set the benchmark for the competition yet again. Reaching 10,000 members for the 10th A-League season is an extra confidence booster and the team will undoubtedly be putting in some extra effort to impress those new fans.

They’ll be cellar dwellers because….
After three championship victories, you can imagine the jealousy brewing amongst the other teams. As the saying goes, sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. Hopefully the side can handle the slander; however, if sticks and stones come into play, they have little hope. Those kinds of injuries can be season ending, so fingers crossed the rest of the A-League isn’t too spiteful and the Roar can sail through the season without being victims of bullying. Play nice.

Talk around the water cooler… look smart in front of your colleagues with this valuable piece of information
Mulvey insists youngsters Shannon Brady, Devante Clut, Brandon Borrello will all get a game this year. He says promoting young players will be a top priority this season.

The off-season brought...
Some new and old faces will appear at the club this season. The likes of Daniel Bowles and Adam Sarota are returning for their second stint at the Roar whilst striker Mensur Kurtisi will be eager to prove his worth, with the departure of Besart Berisha to the Melbourne Victory. Goalkeeper Matthew Acton has also been welcomed back to the club as an injury replacement for Michael Theo.

Key player
King of the jungle Matt Mckay will prevail in the midfield once again. Unarguably one of the most experienced players in the A-League, McKay’s natural leadership skills will benefit the Roar tremendously.

One to watch
Adam Sarota; the lively winger is on loan from Dutch side FC Utrecht and is blessed with pace and great technical ability. Prior to the 2014 World Cup, he was on the verge of being included in the Australian squad if not for a season-ending knee injury. On returning to full fitness, he found it difficult to break into Utrechts' starting XI once more, which prompted a one-year spell in Brisbane. A stellar season in the A-League will put him in good stead for a return to Europe.

Full squad list
1. Michael THEO, 2. Matt SMITH, 3. Shane STEFANUTTO, 4. Adam SAROTA, 5. Corey BROWN, 6. George LAMBADARIDIS, 7. Mensur KURTISHI, 8. Steven LUSTICA, 10. HENRIQUE, 11. Liam MILLER, 12. Jean Carlos SOLORZANO, 13. Jade NORTH, 14. Daniel BOWLES, 15. James DONACHIE, 16. Devante CLUT, 17. Matt MCKAY, 18. Luke BRATTAN, 19. Jack HINGERT, 20. Kofi DANNING, 21. Jamie YOUNG, 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Dimitri PETRATOS, Matthew ACTON