Brisbane have slipped 11 competition points behind Central Coast in the race to the Hyundai A-League premiership, but wing-back Ivan Franjic says the Roar won't give up the chase until it becomes mathematically impossible.
The Roar's five-loss interlude midway through the season, combined with the Mariners impeccably consistent accumulation of points, would have most ready to concede the top spot, even with nine games left in the season.
But the Roar haven't achieved what they have in the past two seasons by following popular consensus, and with a clash against Central Coast to follow their Saturday night 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 the 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, irrefutably, been the best side through 18 rounds thus far, 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.
"We want to be back in Asia and we want to be the first club to go back to back in the A-League," said Franjic.