Central Coast's transfer trickery also extended to finding a loophole in the rules which allowed them to bring in and pay for a player of Aloisi's quality.

Because the 31-year-old striker is an injury replacement player, his lucrative contract - worth a reported $500,000 and believed to be bankrolled by multi-millionaire businessman John Singleton - is not included in the club's salary cap.

The top-of-the-table Mariners now virtually have two marquee players for the price of one.

Aloisi's signing teams him up with former Socceroo team-mate and current Mariners marquee player Tony Vidmar.

FFA head of operations Rob Abernethy said Aloisi's signing was not an exploitation of the rules, rather an "anomaly" which had resulted in a win-win situation for all involved including the Socceroos.

"This is probably the highest profile player coming in through that system, so this is rather an anomaly in regards to the use of that particular rule," Abernethy said.

"We just think it's wonderful for the A-League someone like John is going to be available and he brings a wonderful profile to the league.

"It's allowed one of our highest profile Socceroos to return to the domestic competition and perhaps kick-start his career again and get him back into the international spotlight and the eyes of the national team coaching staff."