All of the focus will be on former Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler in North Queensland’s debut A-League season, but it is really his teammates that will hold the key to Fury’s hopes. While proven as one of the world’s best finishers, Fowler will require strong service and plenty of support from his comrades, especially if doubts over his fitness prove to be justified. It’s hard to gauge exactly how the Fury squad will come together but Ian Ferguson clearly has his work cut out in his first head coaching role.

Despite an improved showing last year, yet another tough season looms for the Phoenix in the expanded A-League. Losing their best player, Shane Smeltz, to Gold Coast is a big blow but they look to have made some smart recruits in England-based strikers Chris Greenacre and Paul Ifill. To have any chance of making the finals, the Phoenix will need a strong start and a sharp focus on getting results away from home.

One of the most consistent sides since the inception of the A-League face arguably their toughest test this season after a failed Asian Champions League campaign and quiet off-season recruitment drive. While their best team is still impressive, depth could prove to be a problem if injuries strike. Confidence is also an issue for the Mariners, who amazingly have not won a competitive match since New Year’s Eve last year.

The Jets’ preparations for 2009-10 were rattled when Gary van Egmond announced his shock resignation in June. But it’s certainly not all doom and gloom for last year’s wooden spooners. Encouragingly, they have kept together a squad which impressed in the Asian Champions League, with the likes of Fabio Vignaroli, Ljubo Milicevic and Sasho Petrovski proving themselves as valuable recruits. In Branko Culina, they have a coach who will be determined to prove his credentials in the A-League after a short-lived stint with Sydney FC.

Twice the Roar have loomed as possible grand finalists in successive seasons and twice they haven’t quite got there. With the club hitting some financial hurdles and now under the control of the FFA, that may have been the sound of a window of opportunity shutting. Still the Roar should be around the mark - they have too much playing talent and a good coach in Farina not to be. Moore, Danny Tiatto and the unsung Matt McKay remain the backbone, while Scotsman Charlie Miller has been one of the competition’s most effective imports. Losing the exciting Tahj Minniecon will hurt. Rebranded as the Brisbane Roar and with two shiny new neighbours on their doorstep, they are a club with a lot to lose if all goes wrong.

There is little to suggest Adelaide won’t be thereabouts again at finals time after keeping the bulk of their squad together following last year’s impressive campaign. Aurelio Vidmar’s men will be out to carry on the form which has seen them become the A-League most consistent side since inception. A big plus this time is the fact they will be able to focus solely on the A-League after their mighty Asian Champions League run took the wind out of their sails midway through last season.

With the best recruitment of any side in this year’s A-League, Perth Glory appear ideally placed to finally end their finals drought. The signings of Socceroos trio Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne, as well as former Premier League defender Andy Todd, have given the Glory squad a new sheen from front to back. Perth showed some encouraging signs under Dave Mitchell last season but this could be the year they really make their mark in the A-League.

We know what they sound like. What do they play like? Hard to see anything but blue sky and a good finish for the new boys with a squad containing arguably the A-League’s most significant signing in Culina, and players like Adam Griffiths, Michael Thwaite and Shane Smeltz who are A-League proven. But it is always hard for a new team to come together and gel straight away. It will be interesting to see how big-spending owner Clive Palmer copes with any time lag between results and expectations, especially early in the season.

Stability has been the key to the A-League’s most successful club, and it’s heartening for all concerned there’s more of the same in the way the Victory are going about things this year. They boast the competition’s most exciting attack when Thompson and Carlos Hernandez are on song, Muscat has come off the best season of his A-League career at rising 36, and there look no weak links or departures that can’t be coped with. Ernie Merrick and his coaching staff have preparation down to a fine art and there’s a lot of confidence they can go back to back. History says they can’t. Logic suggests they can. Look top four certainties at the very least.

After a poor season in which they missed the finals for the first time, Sydney FC have undergone a revolution and the early signs are good for the inaugural A-League champions. Seasoned Czech coach Vitezslav Lavicka has brought a renewed sense of discipline and a strong work ethic to the side, judging by their solid pre-season form. Last year’s marquee flop John Aloisi is looking much fitter and sharper and an improved season from him will be vital to Sydney’s prospects.