BRISBANE Roar coach Mike Mulvey turned up the heat on Thursday as he guards against complacency before the A-League finals series.

Mulvey was furious with his side’s shocking start to Thursday’s training scrimmage at Ballymore.

“We were turning the ball over and we were poor,” Mulvey said.

But after some stern words from their coach, the expected starting team for Saturday night’s clash with Central Coast Mariners suddenly switched into gear.

By the end of the session, the “bibs”, who lined up as the Mariners would, had been well and truly smashed.

Star striker Besart Berisha, who returns from suspension, netted a training ground hat-trick in an ominous sign of what might be in store at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

“Sometimes you need a reminder like that, so it’s good to get it in training rather than a game,’’ Mulvey said.

“Today Bes scored three goals. That tells me that even though we were poor at the beginning of training we got loads better and we were back to what we were doing best. We got three goals from turnovers, good play and pressure, and that’s what we’re going to do (against the Mariners).

News_Rich_Media: Brisbane Roar are back to full strength for their final regular season game against Central Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, welcoming back Besart Berisha among others.

“They’ll drop off, they’ll play us on the counter attack, and it’s a good exercise for us to play against a packed defence and try to break it down.

“Taking our foot off the pedal isn’t an option.’’

Having wrapped up the premiership almost three weeks ago, the Roar have been able to get valuable game time into the legs of some returning players, including Socceroo Ivan Franjic, in their past two matches.

The tinkering will stop on Saturday night, with Mulvey set to start what he thinks is Brisbane’s best XI in the final round of the regular season.

“Last week (in the 1-1 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers) I probably cost us the three points by making the subs I made, but they were planned and it was based on information from the medical department,” Mulvey said.

Among the replacements he made was Franjic, who played the entire second half at Pirtek Stadium in his return from an ankle injury that had sidelined him for three matches.

News_Image_File: Coach Mike Mulvey at Brisbane Roar training at Ballymore. Picture: Peter Wallis.

Australia’s likely right fullback at this year’s World Cup will be back in the starting side on Saturday.

“He’ll play this week and that should top him off and have him mentally in the right frame of mind (for the finals series),” Mulvey said.

“Until now, I don’t think we’ve had the luxury for one week this whole season of having everybody to select from. It’s come good at the right time.”

It means Henrique, Jean Carlos Solorzano, James Donachie, Steve Lustica, Diogo Ferreira, Jack Hingert and Corey Brown are this weekend locked in battle for four bench spots, with reserve goalkeeper Matt Acton assured of the fifth.