GRAHAM Arnold was lunching at the weekend with Johnny Lewis, that famed fight trainer who knows a thing or two about making champions, when talk turned to the A-League premiers.

"Johnny's a mad football fan and was saying that, had this Mariners team played Brisbane in the 2011 decider, we would've beaten them three or four goals to nil," Arnold grins.

"And you know what, I agree with him. I think this is the greatest A-League side we've ever seen. That's why when people talk about rugby league on the Central Coast ... mate, I really believe they've missed the boat."

Call it the secret formula to winning over sports fan.

One without rock bands, jumping castles or elaborate whiteboard formulas that eventually break down to something called E-squared ... just a great bunch of athletes who tonight look to continue their fairytale run against Asian Champions League rivals Kashiwa Reysol.

While a win against the Japanese club will catapult the Mariners into the ACL top-16 - and a shock appearance against global superstars Guangzhou Evergrande - Arnold knows it will also have a huge bearing in their ongoing battle for hearts and minds.

Laughed off when they first arrived in Gosford eight years ago, the Mariners are suddenly threatening league on the Coast like those Western Sydney Wanderers are in that other great league heartland.

On Sunday, a terrible crowd turned up to watch NRL rivals Cronulla and Canterbury at Bluetongue Stadium. Ridiculously, the Sharks posted a crowd in excess of 10,000 (did they really think the ground looked close to half full?).

Then yesterday, on Triple M's The Grill Team, host Matty Johns revealed millionaire ad man John Singleton had agreed to have Wayne Bennett coach his Central Coast bid proposal for 2007.

Instead, the NRL chose Gold Coast.

So while rugby league continues to treat Coast fans like an ugly stepchild, the Mariners are making all tickets for tonight's game $10 while Arnie urges his troops to "create a sporting legacy" for the same region.

Having previously lost all three grand finals contested, including that 4-2 heartbreak against Brisbane in 2011, the Mariners believe this side is capable of competing with the heavyweights of Asia.

"And we're converting Coasties in the process, I have no doubt about that," Arnold says. "I was only listening to Mike Gibson say on Fox Sports the other day how league has missed its big chance up here.

"And I agree with him. When I first arrived here three years ago, the NRL was selling out Bluetongue Stadium. Compare that with last weekend when they got maybe 7000."

So would Arnold knock back a bid proposal involving Singo and Bennett, the man to whom he turned for advice in grand final week?

"Ah, Wayne doesn't like it if I say too much," Arnold says, smiling.

"The bloke's a genius, how about we leave it at that?"

Originally published as Riding a Coast wave missed by NRL