Young players sign two-year extensions with Mariners

Young duo Bailey Brandtman and Nicholas Duarte have signed two-year scholarship extensions with Central Coast Mariners.

Brandtman, 20, and Duarte, 21, are both graduates of the Mariners Academy who first signed scholarships together in October 2023.

Despite injury difficulties in the past couple of years, the pair have gained experience in both the Isuzu UTE A-League and AFC competitions over the past two seasons.

They are now fit and raring to in 2025/26.

Duarte made his professional debut in the 2022/23 season, but last season proved to be a real breakout year for him as he made 12 first team appearances and scored his first goals for the club – away to Shanghai Port in the AFC Champions League Elite, and Auckland FC in the Isuzu UTE A-League.

“I’m grateful to keep calling the Central Coast home,” he said.

“I want to achieve more great things with this group, and repay Mark Jackson, Matt Simon and the club for their trust in me.”

Brandtman was handed his first appearance for the club by Jackson in January 2024.

His standout moments for the club so far came in the AFC Champions League Elite last season, as he found the back of the net against Vissel Kobe and Shanghai Shenhua.

“I’m very happy to have re-signed at the Mariners; there is a lot of potential in this team, and I can’t wait to play my part in achieving that over the next two years,” he said.

Head Coach Mark Jackson said he was “really pleased” to secure two promising young players to his squad for the 2025/26 season.

“I am looking forward to continuing to work with them and seeing their progress and development in the next two years,” he said.