Liam Rose returns to his adopted home with Central Coast Mariners in A-League

Rose moved out of his Sydney home at the ripe old age of 15 to spend two years in the nation's capital as a part of the AIS academy program back in 2012.

Canberra parents Paul and Louise Dykes already had three young boys of their own, so taking in a growing football player was a big ask.

But they welcomed Rose in like one of their own, and he spent the next two years playing in the National Youth League and Canberra's National Premier League.

Rose and the Dykes family still keep in touch - they even travelled to the Central Coast to watch the Mariners knock over Perth last weekend.

So rest assured when Dykes will be looking for their faces in the stands ahead of the Mariners' clash with Adelaide United at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.

"They helped me out a lot," Rose said.

"I wasn't supposed to be living there for the whole time I was there but they kept me on which was good. I loved it, I loved every minute of being there so they were a massive help.

"I hadn't done it before, that's why I found it hard at the start. But for the family that took me in, to keep me there and look after me as they did, I couldn't thank them enough.

"They played a massive part in those two years and my life in general so I appreciate everything they've done for me."

While the Mariners face a mammoth task to secure a finals berth sitting ninth on 13 points, seven points adrift of the sixth-placed finish they require, Rose is adamant the club is in good hands.

Rose was one of five young Mariners players in the Olyroos camp this week and says there is no better man to be steering the club's youth than head coach Paul Okon.

Okon and Rose worked closely together in Young Socceroos camps over the past few years and now see each other day in, day out around the club's headquarters.

"[Okon] played at the highest level and I've just tried to learn as much as I can from him," Rose said.

"We probably haven't got the results we wanted this year. Games could have gone our way but just haven't.

"But five young players got selected and that just shows how much we're developing and how much the Coast focus on youth development.

"Paolo [Okon] has been in the Young Socceroos for the last few years and he knows how to get the best out of the young players that he has. For five to get selected, that's just a credit to him and to the players as well."

The A-League clash will be the first of two games at Canberra Stadium on Sunday after Canberra United's W-League semi-final with Melbourne City was shifted to 8pm.

Originally scheduled for a 2pm kick-off, the do-or-die W-League match was pushed back due to the FFA's heat policy.

A-LEAGUE

Sunday: Round 18 - Central Coast Mariners v Adelaide United at Canberra Stadium, 5pm. Tickets available from Ticketek. TV time: Live on Fox Sports 505.

Central Coast Mariners squad: 1. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 2. Storm ROUX, 3. Scott GALLOWAY, 4. Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5. Harry ASCROFT, 6. Blake POWELL, 7. Fabio FERREIRA, 8. Nick MONTGOMERY (c), 9. Roy O'DONOVAN, 11. Connor PAIN, 12. Trent BUHAGIAR, 13. Kwabena APPIAH, 14. Adam BERRY, 16. Liam ROSE, 17. Josh BINGHAM, 20. Paul IZZO (gk), 21. Michael NEILL, 22. Jake McGING (two to be omitted)

Adelaide United squad: 1. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk) (c), 2. Michael MARRONE, 3. Iacopo LA ROCCA, 4. Dylan McGOWAN, 5. Taylor REGAN, 8. ISAÍAS, 10. Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11. Sergio CIRIO, 12. Mark OCHIENG, 13. Marc MARINO, 14. George MELLS, 16. Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 17. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 18. Riley McGREE, 19. Ben GARUCCIO, 20. John HALL (gk), 21. Tarek ELRICH, 24. Jordan O'DOHERTY (two to be omitted)