Roar ready for shock A-League finals berth

Brisbane Roar is clearly ready to defend its A-League crown if a shock finals berth falls its way courtesy of Perth Glory's salary cap strife, according to coach Frans Thijssen.

Brisbane Roar players celebrate scoring at Suncorp Stadium. (AAP) Source: AAP

The Hyundai A-League is LIVE on Fridays 7.30pm (AEDT) on SBS ONE, SBS HD and online.

As Glory prepares to answer to multiple allegations of serious cap breaches, Roar showed the kind of damage it could inflict on its rivals with a 6-1 demolition of hapless Central Coast Mariners.

Currently five points outside of the top six, Brisbane's ladder position could be a moot point if Perth is found guilty and is stripped of competition points as flagged by FFA on Thursday.

Thijssen wouldn't speak directly about Perth's predicament, saying Roar can't afford to think about anything else but itself - particularly with an AFC Champions League campaign on the side and a trip to South Korea looming next week.

But he warned that if push comes to shove and it does find its way into the finals, it won't be there to make up the numbers.

"We know we have a good team and if everybody's here we can beat anybody," Thijssen said.

"That's clear, I think, for everybody."

Glory has until 8 April to justify alleged payments to five players, including star striker Andy Keogh.

The scandal is manna from heaven for Brisbane, which appeared to be out of finals calculations after a run of five games without a win in all competitions - including four straight A-League losses.

Thijssen said it wasn't the scent of new hope that spurred Roar onto its crushing victory, rather the return of influential players such as Thomas Broich and Matt McKay.

Broich laid on two assists in his comeback from an ankle injury while McKay, who has been on Australia duty, was an unused substitute.

"If you see the presence even on the bench and the dressing room with Thomas Broich and Matt McKay ... it's important," Thijssen said.

"It's good to see (Broich) back and get 45 minutes, everyone in the group sees that as very positive.

"Everybody's performing again."

But McKay's return presents Thijssen with another quandary - what to do with hat-trick hero Steven Lustica.

The 23-year-old midfielder ran rings around the Mariners, scoring two stunning long-range strikes to make the most of a rare starting opportunity.

Yet with McKay back, Broich fit and Luke Brattan cemented in his position, it's highly likely Lustica will drop to the bench for next week's ACL meeting with Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

"That's good. It gives me an extra choice, that's positive," Thijssen said.