Ins: Brett Holman (unattached), Thomas Kristensen (ADO Den Haag), Joey Katebian (Melbourne Victory), Connor O'Toole (Adelaide United youth team), Jacob Pepper (Western Sydney Wanderers), Kye Rowles (Palm Beach)
Outs: Jérome Polenz, Devante Clut (Newcastle Jets), Corona (released), James Donachie (released), Henrique (Negeri Sembilan), Javier Hervas (released), Steve Lustica (Western Sydney Wanderers), Jean Carlos Solorzano (released), Shane Stefanutto (retired)
Last season:
The Roar were just 90 minutes away from a grand final last season, and 25 minutes into that game they would have thought they were there.
A 3-0 lead inside half an hour saw the Roar flying in Sydney before one of the biggest capitulations in A-League history, as Brisbane went down 5-4 in extra time to Western Sydney.
John Aloisi's men finished in third place in the regular season and were led to that position by Jamie Maclaren after the 22-year-old scored 20 goals last season, the most ever by an Australian player in a season.
Key player: Brett Holman
Anytime someone of Holman's calibre joins an A-League club, they're sure to be one of the key players in that side.
A Socceroo capped 63 times has returned to Australia as a 32-year-old with multiple years left of good football in him.
Holman spent the last three years in the Middle East, but knew now was the time for him to come back and make an impact.
“It came to the stage where I wanted to come back to the A-League and give a bit, not just come back for the fun of it,” Holman said. “That's why I'm doing this. I'm only 32 and I feel great.”
If the attacking midfielder can continue scoring goals as well as linking up the midfield with the attack, then it'll go a long way in the Roar having a deep finals push.
Why they'll win:
Brisbane have the firepower up front to do some real damage in this competition.
Jamie Maclaren scored 20 goals last season and was second only to Bruno Fornaroli in the Golden Boot race, and their attacking stocks have only been bolstered in the off-season.
Dimi Petratos and newly signed Brett Holman will be on the end of most Brisbane attacks with Maclaren, and Tommy Oar, Matt McKay and Thomas Broich can all add goals from the midfield.
The Roar scored 49 goals last year, the second most of any club in the regular season, and there's no reason why they can't add to that in the upcoming season.
Why they won't:
Despite the Roar having a strong starting XI on paper, their depth isn't quite that of a an A-League champion.
If injuries to just a couple of key players happen at the Roar this season they could become a totally different side, so health is crucial for Brisbane, maybe more so than most other A-League sides.
Starting XI: (All starting XI's are default 4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Michael Theo
Defenders: Jack Hingert, Jade North, Luke DeVere, Daniel Bowles
Midfielders: Tommy Oar, Matt McKay, Thomas Broich, Brett Holman
Forwards: Dimitri Petratos, Jamie Maclaren
Championship odds (courtesy of TopSport)
Prediction: 7th
The Roar have the quality to make a deep run in the Finals Series if everything goes right for them this season, although we believe they won't be given that chance.
There's seven teams (the Roar included) who are all fighting for a top six berth, and the battle for those spots may go down to the final weekend, that's how close it is too call.
Brisbane have come in seventh simply because other sides just look more impressive so one team has to miss out on a finals berth, and unfortunately for Brisbane it may just be them.
