Kristian takes the seat with a guest co-host this week – The Film Drive’s Peter Rogers as he discusses all the nuances of the big things to make headlines this week, plus a look at all the other news from the past week in and around the A-League. Plus, we answer your questions in Fans Corner! Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Peter Rogers

Length: 39 mins 31 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

Kristian and Damien are back to cover all things transfer period, plus look at all the news from the past fortnight in and around the A-League. Plus, we answer your questions in Fans Corner! Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Damien Loiacono

Length: 28 mins 06 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

Kristian and Damien are back to cover the wash-up after the A-League grand final, plus look at all the news from the past fortnight in and around the A-League. Plus, we answer your questions in Fans Corner! Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Damien Loiacono

Length: 35 mins 51 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

2012/13 A-League Grand Final

How they got there – Western Sydney

Western Sydney defeated Brisbane Roar 2-0 in last week’s semi final encounter, thanks to goals from Dino Kresinger and marquee player Shinji Ono. In doing so, Western Sydney ensured that the Grand Final would be hosted in Sydney, against the winner of the Central Coast vs Melbourne Victory semi final. Despite the Wanderers earning hosting rights for the game, the Grand Final will be played at Allianz Stadium due to Parramatta Stadium’s small capacity.

How they got there – Central Coast

Central Coast held off Melbourne Victory 1-0 on Sunday afternoon, with a first half goal to golden boot winner Daniel McBreen enough to ensure the Mariners qualified for the Grand Final.

The statistical breakdown

Head to Head: Western Sydney 1 win, Central Coast 1 win, 1 draw.
At Allianz Stadium: Western Sydney 1 win, 0 draws, 0 losses; Central Coast 5 wins, 3 draws, 8 losses.
Last match: Central Coast 0-1 Western Sydney (02/03/2013 at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford).
Peter Green as referee: Western Sydney 2 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses; Central Coast 11 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses.
In finals matches: Western Sydney 1 win, 0 draws, 0 losses; Central Coast 5 wins, 2 draws, 10 losses.

Facts and Figures

• Central Coast have now qualified for their 4th A-League grand final, the most of any A-League team.
• Central Coast have lost the Grand Final on the three times they have previously played in it (vs Sydney 2005-06, vs Newcastle 2007-08, vs Brisbane 2010-11).
• Western Sydney are unbeaten in their past 13 A-League matches, and have lost just 1 of their past 19 matches (16 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss).
• The Mariners are on a four match A-League winning streak.
• Western Sydney’s Mark Bridge is tied for 4th on the all-time A-League finals goal scoring list, with 4 goals from 12 finals matches he has previously played in.
• Match referee Peter Green has never refereed a match between these two teams.
• Western Sydney have yet to win this year without Youssouf Hersi, who is suspended for the Grand Final. In the 5 matches played without Hersi this season, the Wanderers have managed just 2 draws and 3 losses.
• Central Coast have only scored against Western Sydney in one of the three matches they played this season. On that occasion, Central Coast striker Daniel McBreen scored twice to give the Mariners a 2-0 win at Parramatta Stadium.
• Combined, the Mariners and the Wanderers conceded less goals this season (43) than 3rd placed Melbourne Victory (45).

Injury and suspension report

• Western Sydney Wanderers – Tahj Minniecon (foot), Jerrad Tyson (back), Adam D’Apuzzo (foot), Iacopo La Rocca (suspended), Youssouf Hersi (suspended).
• Central Coast Mariners – Adam Kwasnik (knee), Nick Montgomery (suspended).

Where Western Sydney have the advantage

• Forgotten how to lose
  Western Sydney haven’t lost in their last 13 matches, an amazing achievement in what has been a season full of amazing achievements. With just one more game to play this season, the playing squad will be determined to extend that streak to 14.
• The psychological factor
  Central Coast have fallen at the final hurdle every time they’ve reached it in the past, providing a psychological advantage to the upstart Wanderers who are overflowing with confidence at the moment.
• The genius
  Known as tensai, or ‘the genius’, Shinji Ono showed every A-League fan last week just what he is capable of producing, with a sublime chip shot over a bewildered Michael Theo in the Brisbane goal. His class and leadership on the field shouldn’t be underestimated, and if he can produce similar feats this week, then the Mariners defence are in for a torrid afternoon.

Where Central Coast have the advantage

• Injuries and suspensions will hurt the Wanderers
  With Iacopo La Rocca and Youssouf Hersi both suspended, and defender Adam D’Apuzzo injured, Central Coast would seem to have an advantage with a full compliment of players to choose from. Western Sydney have also failed to win this season when Youssouf Hersi hasn’t played, an ominous indicator for Tony Popovic’s side.
• Fourth time’s the charm
  This will be the Mariners’ 4th attempt at Grand Final glory, after losing in 2006, 2008 and 2011. With finals experience and determination in abundance, Graham Arnold’s charges will be more desperate than ever to walk away with the ‘toilet seat’ this season.
• The underrated genius
  2011/12 really was the season of the Kiwi, with Victory’s Marco Rojas starring in front of goal, and Central Coast’s Michael McGlinchey stepping up to be one of the most important and creative midfielders in the A-League. McGlinchey’s form hasn’t wained the past few weeks, and as long as he’s ‘switched on’ come Sunday evening, he’ll be the most important player for the Central Coast.

Verdict

We expect this game to be a battle down back, with the first and second ranked defences taking to the field. It could quite easily come down to one moment of brilliance from the likes of Ono, Bridge, McGlinchey or McBreen to break the other side down. However, we’re leaning towards the perennial bridesmaids to finally take home the A-League’s greatest prize, with the suspensions to key Wanderers players to tip the balance in the Mariners’ favour. Our tip – Western Sydney 0-1 Central Coast.

2012/13 A-League Semi Final

How they got there – Central Coast

Central Coast finished 2nd on the A-League table, and earned themselves both a week off in the opening week of the finals, as well as a home semi final this week.

How they got there – Melbourne

Melbourne came back late against Perth Glory last week at Etihad Stadium, eventually running out 2-1 winners after extra time. As they were the higher ranked winning team in week 1 of the finals, they booked a date with the Mariners, who finished in 2nd place during the A-League regular season.

The statistical breakdown

Head to Head: Central Coast 8 wins, Melbourne Victory 9 wins, 7 draws.
Head to Head (Previous 5): Central Coast 1 wins, Melbourne Victory 2 wins, 2 draws.
At Bluetongue Stadium: Central Coast 5 wins, Melbourne Victory 5 wins, 2 draws.
This season: Central Coast 1 wins, Melbourne Victory 0 wins, 2 draws.
Last match: Central Coast 6-2 Melbourne Victory (23/02/2013 at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford).
With Strebre Delovski as referee: Central Coast 16 wins, 8 draws, 5 losses; Melbourne Victory 11 wins, 8 draws, 6 losses.

Facts and Figures

• Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory have never previously faced off in an A-League finals match.
• Melbourne Victory last won a game at Bluetongue Stadium on the 31st December 2010, when they defeated the Mariners 2-1.
• Central Coast striker Daniel McBreen has scored 3 goals against the Victory from the 3 games the teams have played this season.
• Melbourne’s Archie Thompson has scored 8 A-League Finals goals in his career, the most of any player.
• Melbourne have conceded 8 goals in their last 2 matches at Bluetongue Stadium.
• All 6 of Central Coast’s goalscorers from the 6-2 win over the Victory in February are included in the squad for this game.
• Central Coast have lost their last 4 A-League finals matches, two of which were played at Bluetongue Stadium.
• Match referee Strebre Delovski last refereed a match between Central Coast and Melbourne Victory in week 22 of this season, when Central Coast defeated Melbourne 6-2 at Bluetongue Stadium.

Injury report

• Central Coast Mariners – Adam Kwasnik (knee).
• Melbourne Victory - Gui Finkler (knee), Adama Traore (ankle).

Where Central Coast have the advantage

• Rested and relaxed
  Central Coast enjoyed a week off from A-League football last weekend, only playing an Asian Champions League game midweek. This week, a small portion of the senior squad made the trip to China for a Champions League fixture, but the majority of Graham Arnold’s preferred starting XI stayed at home in Gosford. That rest could come in handy, especially with the Victory having played a gruelling 120 minutes of football last Friday.
• History is on their side
  The last two times these sides have played in Gosford, Central Coast have won 6-2 and 2-0, a poor indictment on the Victory’s travelling form on the Central Coast. With the 6-2 result still fresh in the minds of both teams, recent history certainly points to the Mariners winning this game.
• Determination
  The Mariners have been arguablly the most consistent side in the A-League the last 3 seasons, but have yet to get their hands on the A-League championship. In fact, the club itself has made the Grand Final on 3 seperate occasions, but lost each time. Given the majority of the squad were part of the Mariners’ last two finals campaigns, the determination to go ‘one step further’ would be a driving force for both the players and for manager Graham Arnold.

Where Melbourne have the advantage

• The finals expert
  Archie Thompson has scored 8 A-League finals goals in his career, the most of any player. The last time these two sides met, Thompson did not play, and will be looking to exert a large influence on the game and add to his growing tally of playoff goals.
• Ange the unbeatable
  6 wins and a draw from 7 finals matches – that’s Ange Postecoglou’s finals record as an A-League coach. Even with their backs to the wall last week, the Victory managed to pull it out of the fire to keep Postecoglou’s unbeaten streak alive. Can they continue it this week?
• Dented Mariner confidence?
  The Mariners looked comfortable for the first 80 minutes of their game against Guizhou Renhe in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday, only to ship two late goals and lose the game 2-1. That late loss could be a dent to the Mariners’ confidence going into this game, and give the Victory a small advantage.

Verdict

The Victory haven’t had a great recent history when playing in Gosford, and psychologically, the advantage lies with the Mariners after the 6-2 schallacking they handed out last time these two sides faced off. Couple that with a taxing 120 minute game last week for the Victory, and the Mariners having a good period of rest, and you’d have to think that the boys from Gosford come up trumps in the physical stakes as well. Our tip – Central Coast 2-1 Melbourne Victory.

2012/13 A-League Semi Final

How they got there – Western Sydney

Western Sydney finished top of the table during the A-League regular season, taking home the premiers plate in their debut season. As such, they earned a week off during the first week of the finals, as well as the right to host a semi final this week.

How they got there – Brisbane

The Roar overpowered Adelaide United last week at Hindmarsh Stadium, holding on in the dying moments for a 2-1 away win. With Melbourne Victory beating Perth last Friday, Brisbane were the lower ranked winning team in week 1 of the finals, and as a result, were drawn to face Western Sydney in Parramatta.

The statistical breakdown

Head to Head: Western Sydney 3 wins, Brisbane Roar 0 wins,0 draws.
Head to Head (Previous 5): Western Sydney 3 wins, Brisbane Roar 0 wins, 0 draws.
At Parramatta Stadium: Western Sydney 1 win, Brisbane Roar 0 wins, 0 draws.
This season: Western Sydney 3 wins, Brisbane Roar 0 wins, 0 draws.
Last match: Brisbane Roar 1-2 Western Sydney (20/01/2013 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane).
Last match at Parramatta Stadium: Western Sydney 1-0 Brisbane Roar (09/12/2012).
With Alan Milliner as referee: Western Sydney 2 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses; Brisbane Roar 5 wins, 0 draws, 2 losses.

Facts and Figures

• This will be Western Sydney’s first ever A-League finals match.
• Brisbane are unbeaten in the 7 finals matches they have played since the 2009/10 A-League season.
• Brisbane have lost just 1 of their last 8 matches, while Western Sydney have lost only 1 of their last 18 matches (15 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss).
• Western Sydney’s Mark Bridge is tied for 4th on the all-time A-League finals goal scoring list, with 4 goals from 11 finals matches he has previously played in.
• The previous best attendance of 19,585 (Round 26 vs Sydney FC) at Parramatta Stadium is likely to be eclipsed this week, with a sell-out crowd expected.
• Match referee Alan Milliner last refereed a match between Western Sydney and Brisbane in week 10 of this season, when Western Sydney defeated Brisbane 1-0 at Parramatta Stadium.

Injury and suspension report

• Western Sydney Wanderers – Tahj Minniecon (foot), Jerrad Tyson (back), Adam D’Apuzzo (foot), Iacopo La Rocca (suspended).
• Brisbane Roar – Matt Smith (hip).

Where Western Sydney have the advantage

• Fortress Parramatta
  Western Sydney haven’t lost at Parramatta in their last 4 matches at the field, and beat Brisbane the one time they faced them there this season. Add to that an expected sell-out crowd of die hard Wanderers fans, and Brisbane are in for a raucous, loud and intimidating atmosphere on Friday night.
• They’ve got the wood over them
  These two sides faced each other the requisite three times this season, with Western Sydney running out winners on all three occasions (1-0, 1-0 and 2-1).
• Injuries for the Roar
  Jack Hingert is confirmed to be missing the match, which is a huge loss for Brisbane in such an important game. Add to that the fact that Broich and Brattan are still under injury clouds this late in the week, and the Roar may have to field a less experienced lineup on Friday night. On the flipside, Tony Popovic will have a full strength team at his disposal.

Where Brisbane have the advantage

• Hitting form at the right time
  Brisbane have hit their straps at the right point of the season, winning their last 3 matches including last week’s away final against Adelaide United. Coach Mike Mulvey will have been impressed with what he saw last week, and indeed over the past few weeks, with Brisbane’s attacking prowess coming to the fore, through the likes of Broich, Berisha and Brattan.
• Finals experience
  We said it last week, but with players like Broich, Stefanutto, Brattan, Berisha, Nichols, Theo and Murdocca in your team, you’ve got plenty of finals (and big match) experience to go around. That kind of knowledge and experience could be crucial if the Roar are going to progress to their third successive Grand Final.

Verdict

For Brisbane, it could all come down to whether Broich and Brattan take the field on Friday night. If they do, then Brisbane are every chance of causing an upset, given their recent A-League form. If not, then recent history, a home final, and a week off could be more than enough to give Western Sydney the edge. Our tip – Western Sydney 2-1 Brisbane Roar.

Eugene Galekovic’s slam of Adelaide’s club culture, Melbourne Heart’s squad cull, Craig Goodwin’s trial at Reading – all that and more in this week’s show! Plus, Damien and Kris look back on the first two games of the finals series, preview both games coming up this weekend, and answer your questions in Fans’ Corner. Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Damien Loiacono

Length: 42 mins 21 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

Links:

Aloisi takes scalpel to Heart
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/a-league/aloisi-takes-scalpel-to-heart-20130408-2hgmi.html 

Adelaide captain Galekovic criticises club
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8638987

Goodwin flies out for Reading trial
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/268251,goodwin-flies-out-for-reading-trial.aspx 

Glory seething yet again and think it’s best if referee is not assigned matches in Perth
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/glory-seething-yet-again-and-think-its-best-if-referee-is-not-assigned-matches-in-perth/story-fn63e0vj-1226614477377 

Finals Week 1 A-League results
http://www.ultimatealeague.com/fixtures.php?season=2012-13&round=F1 

Finals Week 2 A-League fixtures
http://www.ultimatealeague.com/fixtures.php?season=2012-13&round=F2

2012/13 A-League Elimination Final

How they got there – Adelaide

Adelaide managed a 1-1 draw in Perth in week 27, and coupled with the Victory’s late win in Wellington, the Reds were resigned to taking 4th spot on the A-League ladder and a home final in week 1 of the 2012/13 A-League finals.

How they got there – Brisbane

The Roar took 10 points from their last 5 matches to turn their season around, including a 3-1 win over Sydney last Thursday. That win sealed 5th spot on the ladder for the back-to-back reigning champions, and an away final in week 1 of the finals.

The statistical breakdown

Head to Head: Adelaide United 9 wins, Brisbane Roar 8 wins, 8 draws.
Head to Head (Previous 5): Adelaide United 1 wins, Brisbane Roar 2 wins, 2 draws.
At Hindmarsh Stadium: Adelaide United 6 wins, Brisbane Roar 6 wins, 3 draws.
This season: Adelaide United 1 win, Brisbane Roar 2 wins, 0 draws.
Last match: Adelaide United 0-1 Brisbane Roar (02/03/2013 at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide).
With Chris Beath as referee: Adelaide United 9 wins, 7 draws, 6 losses; Brisbane Roar 4 wins, 6 draws, 4 losses.

Facts and Figures

• Adelaide and Brisbane last faced off in a finals match in a preliminary final in February 2009, when a Fabian Barbiero screamer sealed a 1-0 win for Adelaide, against the then Queensland Roar.
• Adelaide have recorded 8 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses in their 14 matches at Hindmarsh Stadium this season.
• This will be the 9th A-League finals match held at Hindmarsh Stadium, the most for any single A-League stadium.
• Brisbane haven’t lost an A-League finals match in their last 6 outings. The last time they did lose a finals match was against Adelaide in the 2008/09 finals series.
• Roar striker Besart Berisha has failed to find the back of the net in each of the three games against Adelaide United so far this season.
• This is the first time since the 2010/11 season that Adelaide United have qualified for the A-League finals. In that campaign, they beat Wellington Phoenix at home in week 1, then lost to the now defunct Gold Coast United 3-2 the following week.
• Brisbane have not lost an A-League game at Hindmarsh Stadium in their last four visits there. The last time the Roar lost at Hindmarsh (2-0 loss) was in Feburary 2010.
• Match referee Chris Beath last refereed a match between Adelaide and Brisbane in week 5 of this season, when Adelaide defeated Brisbane 0-1 away at Suncorp Stadium.

Injury report

• Adelaide United – None.
• Brisbane Roar – Matt Smith (hip).

Where Adelaide have the advantage

• Fortress Hindmarsh
  Despite Brisbane beating them at Hindmarsh Stadium in their last two meetings, Adelaide have had a positive season at home with 8 wins and 2 draws from 14 matches. If they can attract a big crowd (15,000+) through the gates, and create a fortress-like atmosphere, then that will undoubtedly work in the home side’s favour.
• Captain courageous
  Eugene Galekovic has been immense in the Reds goal this season, once again reminding A-League fans of why he is arguably the best ‘keeper going around. With finals experience in abundance, and a cool head on his shoulders, Galekovic may be Adelaide’s most important player heading into the finals.

Where Brisbane have the advantage

• The team is in form
  Brisbane closed out the regular season with two comfortable home victories over Melbourne Heart and Sydney FC. Not only that, but Mike Mulvey’s team have been gradually showing glimpses of the style of play that secured them three trophies in the past two seasons. Adelaide, on the other hand, have been in poor form heading into this match, with just 1 win in their last 5 matches.
• Finals experience in abundance
  Theo, Stefanutto, Franjic, Broich, Berisha, Nichols, Henrique – the list of Brisbane players with previous finals experience goes on and on. The understanding of just what is required in a high intensity, elimination game may prove to be a significant advantage for the boys in orange and black.

Verdict

The last three matches between these two sides have been decided by a margin of 1-0, with the last meeting at Hindmarsh finishing 1-0 to the away team. And with Brisbane hitting their straps of late, Adelaide only managing 1 win from their last 5 matches, and the Roar winning their two games in Adelaide this season, we’re leaning towards the back-to-back champions taking this one out. Our tip – Adelaide United 1-2 Brisbane Roar.

2012/13 A-League Elimination Final

How they got there – Melbourne

The Victory won their final match away at Wellington 3-2, sealing 3rd place on the ladder and a home final with a 13-5-9 win/draw/loss record.

How they got there – Perth

Perth managed to hold off a fast finishing Adelaide in their final match to share the points with a 1-1 draw. Combined with Sydney’s loss to Brisbane earlier in the week, the Glory qualified in 6th place with superior goal difference to that of Sydney FC. Perth managed 9 wins, 5 draws and 13 losses across the 2012/13 season.

The statistical breakdown

Head to Head: Melbourne Victory 9 wins, Perth Glory 10 wins, 5 draws.
Head to Head (Previous 5): Melbourne Victory 2 wins, Perth Glory 3 wins, 0 draws.
At Etihad Stadium: Melbourne Victory 4 wins, Perth Glory 0 wins, 2 draws.
This season: Melbourne Victory 2 wins, Perth Glory 1 win, 0 draws.
Last match: Melbourne Victory 2-3 Perth Glory (23/03/2013 at AAMI Park, Melbourne).
Last match at Etihad Stadium: Melbourne Victory 2-2 Perth Glory (20/11/2011).
With Jarred Gillett as referee: Melbourne Victory 4 wins, 4 draws, 6 losses; Perth Glory 4 wins, 1 draw, 7 losses.

Facts and Figures

• Melbourne Victory and Perth Glory have never previously faced off in an A-League finals match.
• Archie Thompson is the leading scorer at Etihad Stadium, with 24 goals from the 56 games he has played there.
• Perth Glory have never won an A-League match at Etihad Stadium.
• Melbourne’s Archie Thompson has scored 7 A-League Finals goals in his career, the most of any player.
• Perth’s Shane Smeltz has scored 6 A-League Finals goals in his career, the second most of any player.
• Melbourne have recorded 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss in their 5 matches at Etihad Stadium this season.
• Two of Perth’s goal scorers from their last match against the Victory are injured and will not take part in this game.
• Match referee Jarred Gillett last refereed a match between Melbourne and Perth in week 9 of this season, when Melbourne defeated Perth 1-0 at AAMI Park.

Injury report

• Melbourne Victory - Gui Finkler (knee), Nick Ansell (groin), Adama Traore (ankle), Jesse Makarounas (hamstring).
• Perth Glory – Travis Dodd (knee), Chris Harold (calf).

Where Melbourne have the advantage

• Rojas, Milligan, Thompson
  The last time Melbourne and Perth met, the experienced and valuable trio for the Victory were all away on international duty. This time around, Ange Postecoglou will have all three at his disposal, who have combined for 31 of the Victory’s 48 goals this season.
• The crowd are on their side
  A crowd of around 30-40,000 is expected on Friday night, with the vast majority backing the home team. Never underestimate the value of a home crowd in willing a team on in a finals match – the Victory have recorded 5 wins from the 6 finals matches they have previously hosted at Etihad Stadium, with an average attendance in those matches of 42,269.
• Attacking injuries for the Glory
  The Victory may be missing Adama Traore and Nick Ansell from their defensive line, but with Chris Harold, Travis Dodd and possibly Shane Smeltz all missing for the Glory, there may be no out-and-out striking options open to Alistair Edwards. If that is the case, he may resort to using Dean Heffernan and Ryo Nagai as his forward pairing as he did last week against Adelaide.

Where Perth have the advantage

• No expectations, nothing to lose
  The fact is that Melbourne are expected to win this match at home, which may provide Alistair Edwards’ side with the impetus it needs to throw everything they have at the Victory.
• Mental advantage
  The last time these two sides met, a late Josh Risdon winner stole all 3 points for the Glory across town at AAMI Park. If the Glory translate that advantage into this match, then they may be well on the way to causing a big upset in the first week of the finals.
• In form
  Perth look to be the more in-form team, having recorded 3 wins and a draw from their last 5 matches, including wins on the road in Newcastle and Melbourne. The Victory, on the other hand, have managed 2 wins and 2 draws in the same period of time, and looked particularly vulnerable in defence against bottom-placed Wellington last weekend.

Verdict

The hope for Perth may come down to whether or not Shane Smeltz takes to the field, with Chris Harold and Travis Dodd both missing due to injury. However, with the trio of Rojas, Milligan and Thompson at their disposal, unlike the last time these two teams faced off, we can’t go past the home team in this clash. Our tip – Melbourne Victory 3-1 Perth Glory.

Overall, our best fantasy manager for 2012/13 was Adam T, whose team amassed an impressive 3,342 points, which saw him ranked 21st overall among all players worldwide.

Week 27 prize winners:

To finish, we need to hand out the last weekly Pelé Sports prize. This week, Adam T (“FC Bench”) and Robert L (“Victory Gunners”) were the top scorers, with 160 points each, a clear 10 points ahead of the next best. Congratulations Adam and Robert, and to claim your $100 Pelé vouchers, simply send us an email at enquiries@ultimatealeague.com.

So, that does it for the 2012/13 fantasy competition. We’ll see you all next season!

Kristian and Damien are back for another week. This week, the boys look back on a pulsating last round of A-League football, including why the Premiers Plate wasn’t in Newcastle on Friday. Plus, a preview of both finals matches (Victory v Glory and Adelaide v Roar) this weekend. Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Damien Loiacono

Length: 52 mins 13 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

Links:

Week 27 A-League results
http://www.ultimatealeague.com/fixtures.php?season=2012-13&round=27 

Finals Week 1 A-League fixtures
http://www.ultimatealeague.com/fixtures.php?season=2012-13&round=F1 

FFDU 2013 Fan Awards (vote for us in Website and Podcast of the Year categories)
http://ffdu.com.au/events/2013-ffdu-fan-awards/

Week 27, the final week of the 2012/13 regular season, provided pulsating games, tight results and the premiers plate, finals spots and wooden spoon all being decided within just 24 hours of each other. So, for the last False Nine Awards of the season, where we hand out 9 completely made-up awards to wrap-up the week that was in the A-League, it’s all about the stunners, howlers, winners, losers and talking points. Let’s get started:

1. “The ‘Howler of the week’ award”

Some honourable mentions for the ‘Howler’ this week to Ryo Nagai, for hitting his penalty attempt into the ground, making it a comfortable save for Eugene Galekovic, and to Newcastle defender Connor Chapman, who for some reason decided to allow the ball to bounce across in front of goal for Mark Bridge to tap in at the far post. But for the sheer surprise factor, we have to hand it to Alessandro Del Piero. Del Piero’s back pass on 29 minutes was way off target, falling to Thomas Broich who put in a simple crossed ball for Besart Berisha to finish off for the opening goal. Not the ideal start for Sydney in a ‘win or go home’ match, as they went on to lose 3-1 at Suncorp Stadium.

2. “The ‘Crowd appreciation’ award”

Over 19,000 fans turned out on Thursday night for the do-or-die Brisbane vs Sydney clash, and almost 17,000 made it to nib Stadium in Perth for the Glory’s match against Adelaide. That crowd figure was the Glory’s largest of the season, with the Perth public getting behind their side, and getting them over the line with a 1-1 draw. But the atmosphere on Friday night in Newcastle was something to behold, with the Wanderers fans travelling up from Sydney in droves to try and will their team to a first piece of silverware, and Newcastle fans hoping their side could cause an upset and sneak their way into the finals. The Wanderers fans went home the happier, with a 3-0 win and the (metaphorical) premiers plate in tow.

3. “The ‘Easier to score’ award”

A nomination for Mark Bridge for managing to somehow put the ball wide with an empty net at his disposal in the dying moments of Friday’s Newcastle vs Wanderers match, after Mark Birighitti’s poor clearance. But we rewind to Thursday night for the worst miss of the week – Sebastian Ryall. Somehow, Ryall put a free header wide of the far post from just 2 metres out, even though he was positioned directly in front of the net. We’re still scratching our heads on that one.

4. “The ‘Talking point’ award”

Why was the Premiers plate in Newcastle? The FFA trotted out the ‘rather award it at a home game’ nonsense last week, but there were over 5,000 raucous away fans who travelled to Newcastle who I’m sure would’ve loved to see the trophy presented then and there. If the Wanderers had gone on to lose that match, then no problems – just put the plate in a car and get it to Gosford the following night. Simple!

5. “The ‘Red or no red’ award”

Just the one red card this week, and boy was it a controversial one. In the dead rubber match between Central Coast and Melbourne Heart, a Mariners strike on goal seemed destined for the net until it struck Liberian international Patrick Gerhardt. A penalty was given, and a straight red card was dished out to Gerhardt for intentional hand ball. Replays indicate it was anything but clear cut, and that the question of intent was dubious at best. In the end, it made an already difficult task that much harder for the Heart, who went on to lose 2-1.

6. “The ‘Stunner of the week’ award”

Ok, let’s have some positivity. An honourable mention for our ‘Stunner’ this week to Rocky Visconte’s sealer for the Wanderers on Friday night, with the young midfielder taking a controlling touch from a corner before unleashing a bullet into the far corner past an outstretched Mark Birighitti. Also, a mention to Billy Celeski and Archie Thompson’s cheeky set play goal to nullify the Phoenix defence. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out in the highlights below. But our winner this week has to go to Roar full back Ivan Franjic. Towards the end of Thursday’s match, some wonderful lead up work by Franjic and Broich resulted in Franjic releasing a beautiful, curling first-time shot off the far post and into the back of the net. Simply sublime skills from that duo, demonstrating that their team is hitting its straps at the right point of the season.

7. “The ‘Excellence in celebrations’ award”

For goal celebrations, we look no further than the Perth vs Adelaide game on Saturday. The Glory’s Adrian Zahra has had his injury problems over the last few years, but you’d never know after Saturday night. With his first goal since returning from injury, and his first since he moved to the club from Melbourne Heart, Zahra showed off some impressive gymnastic skills for the 17,000 fans at nib Stadium. Sure, the fans loved it, but I’m sure the club medical staff had their hearts in their mouths!

8. “The ‘Big winners’ award”

The big winners for the 2012/13 A-League season have to be Central Coast and Western Sydney. Central Coast managed to improve on their points tally from 2011/12, tighten up their defence, and find a true striking option in golden boot winner Daniel McBreen. Western Sydney, on the other hand, managed to win silverware in their debut season, win an astonishing 10 away matches out of 13, and take full points from 12 of their last 14 fixtures. It was a remarkable season for both clubs, who now look forward to a week off before tackling the A-League finals.

9. “The ‘Always next year’ award”

For Wellington Phoenix, it has been a disappointing year. Crowd numbers have dropped away slightly, they’ve won the wooden spoon, lost their long-time manager Ricki Herbert, and are in desperate need of an overhaul of their playing stocks. The positives? 16 goals for Kiwi international Jeremy Brockie, who looks to be the future of the Phoenix’s front line.

For Melbourne Heart, it has been a dismal year. Narrowly missing the wooden spoon on goal difference, losing 2 of the 3 derbies against the Victory, not managing to win outside of Melbourne all season, and a slight drop in attendance and interest. The positives? Richard Garcia was a shining light all season for the red and white, and should be the first player re-signed for the Heart next season.

—-

Well, that wraps up week 27, and our season of the “False Nine Awards”. Suggest your own categories and winners in the comments below, or send them to us on Twitter at @ultimatealeague. 

There’s just 1 week left in the fantasy A-League season, but you can still sign up to our Ultimate A-League and Pelé Sports A-League fantasy competition, to have the chance to win a $100 Pelé voucher each week. Use the league code 955435 when you sign up at the official A-League fantasy website. For now, though, let’s get on with the week 26 fantasy wrap-up:

Top scoring players:

Thanks to his first-half thunderbolt, Brisbane’s Thomas Broich led all comers this week with a handy 26 points for fantasy managers. Behind him was a group of 4 players all on 18 points – Daniel McBreen, Josh Risdon, Chris Harold (all one goal each) and Oliver Bozanic.

Value picks:

It’s the last week of fantasy A-League for the season, so you may have a need to make a last minute trade. Here are a few options we consider worthwhile:

• Back to back 14 point weeks means that we are still suggesting you get on board the Trent Sainsbury ($144,400) train. We’ve recommended the young Central Coast defender the past few weeks, and with a home game against a travel-shy Melbourne Heart this week, he is more than likely looking at another solid points-scoring week.
• Likewise, for the same reasons, we think Mariners’ goalkeeper Mat Ryan is a good last minute pickup. His price is ridiculously low ($116,700) for a goalkeeper of his talent, and is returning from Socceroos duty this week.

Worth noting:

Marcelo Carrusca, Osama Malik and Terry McFlynn will all return from injuries this week. Perth’s Chris Harold will miss 3-4 weeks with a calf injury he picked up on the weekend, Shane Smeltz will be out for one match to recover from a facial injury suffered when on international duty with New Zealand, Glen Moss will miss this week with a knee injury, and young Victory midfielder Jesse Makarounas will be absent this week with a hamstring complaint. In the main injury news from the week, Travis Dodd will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL tear he sustained during last weekend’s game in Melbourne. As always, the full A-League injury list can be found on our website.

In terms of suspensions, Jacob Burns, Youssouf Hersi and Simon Colosimo will all return this week, while Brett Emerton (1 week) and Iacopo La Rocca (4 weeks) will be absent from action for the final round of the season. Also, all players who were missing due to international duty last week will be back in selection contention this week.

Prize winner:

There’s only one more week left to win a weekly Pelé Sports prize. This week, David S (“David”) and Glen A (“Come on you yellow”) came out on top with 160 points each, just two points ahead of the next competitor. Congratulations David and Glen, and to claim your $100 Pelé vouchers, simply send us an email at enquiries@ultimatealeague.com.

For the last time this season, we’ve got another football boot to feature this week from Pelé Sports - the Trinity SHEONE. The ultra light ‘Trinity 3E weighing in at 170gr, harnesses the players game and speed potential and actually trains your muscles as you play! Pelé Sports have recently collaborated with SHEONE, one of the first generation of English artists to work exclusively in spray paint, he describes his own work as a brand of abstract typography, an extension of his signature and tag! The Trinity 3E SHEONE limited edition boots, combine the groundbreaking technology of the Trinity 3E with the innovative work of SHEONE.

Another week, another podcast! This week, Kris and Damien talk Asian Champions League qualification spots, Shane Smeltz’s uncertain future in Perth, and the race for the last two finals spots. Plus, as usual, a review of week 26 and a preview of week 27. Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Damien Loiacono

Length: 37 mins 44 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

Links:

Edwards tips Smeltz to stay
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/news/1144982/Edwards-tips-Smeltz-to-stay

Shane Smeltz’s facial injury from WCQ against New Caledonia (Warning: Graphic)
https://twitter.com/ShaneSmeltz/status/315811566337544192/photo/1 

Australia regains ACL spot
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/news/1145302/Australia-regains-ACL-spot

Week 26 A-League results
http://www.ultimatealeague.com/fixtures.php?season=2012-13&round=26

Week 27 A-League fixtures
http://www.ultimatealeague.com/fixtures.php?season=2012-13&round=27 

FFDU 2013 Fan Awards (vote for us in Website and Podcast of the Year categories)
http://ffdu.com.au/events/2013-ffdu-fan-awards/

It will all come down to week 27, with two finals spots, a wooden spoon and the premier’s plate all up for grabs across four days of A-League action. Week 26, however, was a heart stopping week of action, with late winners, sending offs, and stunning goals. For this week’s False Nine Awards, where we hand out 9 made-up awards to wrap-up the week that was in the A-League, it’s all about howlers, crowds, goalkeepers, records and brain fades:

1. “The ‘Stunner of the week’ award”

There were some stunning strikes in the A-League this week, so we’ve got a few nominations to hand out. Honourable mentions to Chris Harold, for his across-the-body volley off the inside of the post against the Victory, and to Josh Risdon, for his curling injury time winner against the Victory, with what was his first career A-League goal. But, in our opinion, the best this week came from the Roar v Heart match on Sunday, when stand-in skipper Thomas Broich let fly an absolute thunderbolt into the top corner of Andrew Redmayne’s net. The Heart defence should’ve known better than to give Broich space to shoot, and the goal was the K.O punch to Heart’s slim finals chances.

2. “The ‘Howler of the week’ award”

We could’ve given the ‘Howler’ this week to the linesman on the near touchline in the Victory vs Glory game on Saturday, as he somehow missed the ball clearly crossing the sideline in the lead up to Chris Cristaldo’s equaliser to make the scores 2-2 with mere minutes remaining. However, later that night, Wanderers centre half Nikolai Topor-Stanley put a lazy pass across the top of the box, which was duly intercepted by Alessandro Del Piero who thumped it into the bottom corner of Ante Covic’s goal. It gave Sydney the impetus in the derby, and is one of the reasons that the premiership battle will continue into the final week of the A-League.

3. “The ‘Crowd appreciation’ award”

Saturday was a fantastic day for crowds, with 17,000 in Melbourne to see Perth’s last gasp winner to keep their finals hopes alive, and a near-sellout 20,000 in Parramatta for the Sydney derby. The atmosphere at the latter of those games was electric, with a packed house witnessing a tight, ferocious affair with goals, red cards and plenty of nail-biting moments. It was exactly what a derby should be, in every possible aspect.

4. “The ‘Excellence in goalkeeping’ award”

For the second week in a row, the goalkeepers of the Hyundai A-League were standouts. An honourable mention to Sydney’s Ivan Necevski for his first-half fingertip save low down off a Mark Bridge shot, that somehow managed to tip the ball around the far post. But it was Perth’s Danny Vukovic to the rescue. First, Vukovic pulled off a stunning save off a Connor Pain effort that looked destined for the top corner. Then, literally seconds later, the Perth stopper denied Adrian Leijer a second goal of the match with a goal-line reflex save right out of the top drawer.

5. “The ‘Down to the wire’ award”

Just one week remains in the regular season, and we still don’t know the makeup of the top 6. Central Coast’s 2-0 win in Adelaide, coupled with Western Sydney’s 1-1 derby draw, means that the premiership race lives on for another week. Plus, with Sydney earning a point, and Brisbane and Perth both winning this week, there are still four teams in with a shot at the two remaining finals places. Oh, and Daniel McBreen’s first-half toe poke against Adelaide means that he now has a one-goal lead in the race for the golden boot, with Brockie, Rojas, Berisha and Del Piero all breathing down his neck. Don’t you just love the A-League?

6. “The ‘Not a record you want’ award”

It took him 54 games, but Perth full back Josh Risdon finally scored his debut goal for the Glory – not a drought that the Victory would’ve liked seeing broken, especially in the 94th minute. Still, though, 54 games is nothing compared with Adam D’Apuzzo’s 125 A-League games without scoring a single, solitary goal. However, in the bracket of ‘records no-one wants’, the Melbourne Heart have to take the cake. Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Brisbane means that the Heart have recorded just 1 draw, 11 losses and 5 goals scored outside of Melbourne this year. We said it last week, but finishing the season with two away games was always going to be a massive challenge for the travel-shy Heart. Plus, to make matters worse, the loss on Sunday officially ended any hope of the Heart qualifying for the A-League finals.

7. “The ‘Brain fade of the week’ award”

Up until injury time in Saturday’s Sydney derby, the ‘brain fade of the week’ could’ve quite easily gone to Brett Emerton, for his lunging, studs up tackle just minutes after earning a soft yellow card. The straight red might’ve been a little harsh, but the tackle was at least worthy of a second yellow card, which would’ve seen Emerton off regardless. But, in the dying moments of the same game, Italian defender Iacopo La Rocca lashed out at Terry Antonis, forcefully smashing his forearm into the face of the young Sydney midfielder. La Rocca was rightfully sent off, and is more than likely going to miss the entirety of Western Sydney’s finals campaign, including the grand final (if they qualify).

8. “The ‘No cigar’ award”

It was hard to believe what we were seeing on Sunday evening. Iain Ramsay tried to score goal of the season with an audacious volley that dipped over Justin Pasfield in the Mariners’ goal, only for the ball to rattle the crossbar. And somehow Jeronimo Neumann managed to have a simple tap in turned around the post by Pasfield. Both chances could’ve won the game for Adelaide, and could’ve sealed the premiership plate for the Wanderers. But, in the end, it was a case of ‘close, but no cigar’.

9. “The ‘Looking forward’ award”

Brisbane vs Sydney on Thursday evening could decide one finals place. Newcastle vs Western Sydney could decide the premier’s plate. Perth vs Adelaide is a win at all costs game for the Glory. Wellington vs Victory could decide if the ‘Nix or the Heart take home the wooden spoon. With so many variables and outcomes, there will be plenty to play for in what will be a scintillating four days of football over the Easter long weekend. We just cannot wait!

—-

Well, that wraps up week 26 of the “False Nine Awards”. Suggest your own categories and winners in the comments below, or send them to us on Twitter at @ultimatealeague. 

There’s just 2 weeks left in the fantasy A-League season! But you can still sign up to our Ultimate A-League and Pelé Sports A-League fantasy competition, to have the chance to win a $100 Pelé voucher each week. Use the league code 955435 when you sign up at the official A-League fantasy website. For now, though, let’s get on with the week 25 fantasy wrap-up:

Top scoring players:

Courtesy of their 3-1 away win over the Heart, the two highest scoring players this week were both from the Western Sydney Wanderers. Italian Iacopo La Rocca came out on top with 30 points, with two goal hero Labinot Haliti next best on 26. Wellington’s Jeremy Brockie was 3rd with a handsome 20 points, tied with Victory stand-in skipper Mark Milligan.

Value picks:

Second week of finals this week, and with so many players missing due to international duty, you’re more than likely going to have some serious trades to make. Here are a few suggestions:

• In defence, we’re still liking Trent Sainsbury ($119,000) as a budget option. Given he scored a handy 14 points last week, and is averaging around 8 points per game, Sainsbury is a fantastic, last-minute trade option.
• Brisbane midfielder Steve Lustica has had a quite last few weeks, but is still averaging over 8 points per game. At just $183,800, he’s reasonably priced and is expected to score well this week against a travel-shy Melbourne Heart team.
• Adelaide midfielder Fabio Ferreira ($173,000) is only two weeks back from injury, but showed promising signs of a return to form against the Jets last week after coming on in the 70th minute. If you desperately need a midfielder in your team, at a reasonable trading price, then the Portugese midfielder may be a good choice for you.

Worth noting:

Keep in mind that there are no fixtures this week for Wellington or Newcastle, as they played their round 26 fixture a few weeks ago as a midweek event. Add that to a growing injury list, suspensions and players away on international duty, and you’ll be doing well if you have 11 players available this week.

On the injury front we have Terry McFlynn, Osama Malik, Marcelo Carrusca, Aaron Mooy, Jerome Polenz, Fred and Jonatan Germano all missing this week. Returning from injury are Victory’s Marcos Flores, Sydney’s Lucas Neill, Perth’s Steve Pantelidis and Brisbane’s Henrique. The full A-League injury list can be found on our website.

In terms of suspensions, Jacob Burns, Youssouf Hersi and Simon Colosimo will all miss this week, while Victory captain Adrian Leijer will return after serving his one week suspension in week 25.

Finally, we have the list of players unavailable this week due to being away on international duty:

• Patrick Gerhardt
• Eugene Galekovic
• Archie Thompson
• Mark Milligan
• Michael McGlinchey
• Marco Rojas
• Jeremy Brockie
• Michael Thwaite
• Shane Smeltz
• Mathew Ryan

Prize winner:

Only a couple more weeks of fantasy means there’s only a few more weeks to win the weekly Pelé Sports prize. This week, Stuart K (“The Mighty Lambs”) came out on top with 162 points, a comfortable 12 points clear of the next best manager. Congratulations Stuart, and to claim your $100 Pelé voucher, simply send us an email at enquiries@ultimatealeague.com.

Wow, we’ve got another awesome football boot to feature this week from Pelé Sports - the 1958. The design of the 1958 Performance boot radiates a classical elegance. It features subtle elements of style: everyone knows who they’re dealing with when they see the three stars for Pelé’s World Cup titles, the Pelé signature, and the small “58″ next to the laces.

The boys are back, and talking all things A-League! This week, Kristian and Damien talk all things A-League All Stars, the Heart/Western Sydney fan issue, and the Sydney banner incident. Plus, a full review of week 25 and a preview for the 4 matches coming up in week 26. Follow us and send your questions to @kristiandwyer or @damo_001 on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or email us at podcast@ultimatealeague.com

Featuring: Kristian Dwyer and Damien Loiacono

Length: 41 mins 04 secs

Listen/Subscribe: 

Links:

Melbourne Heart Supporter Punches Western Sydney Supporter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA0kPXiMJVk

Cove fans slammed by Sydney over banner
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/266616,cove-fans-slammed-by-sydney-over-banner.aspx

FFDU 2013 Fan Awards
http://ffdu.com.au/events/2013-ffdu-fan-awards/

Week 25 of the A-League saw the top 4 spots on the table locked away, but the races for the premiership plate, and the 5th and 6th finals spots, are still on in earnest for another week, thanks to a combination of poor results for the lower-placed clubs. In this week’s False Nine Awards, where we wrap up the week that was in the Hyundai A-League by handing out 9 made-up awards, it’s all about goalkeepers, freedom, stunners and baffling decisions:

1. “The ‘Howler of the week’ award”

There are a few nominations for some less than stellar moments in the A-League this week, so let’s get them out of the way early on. Firstly, to Nathan Coe, for inexplicably handling the ball outside his penalty area, and to Simon Colosimo, for lunging in for a ridiculous tackling attempt and being sent off just 4 minutes after receiving a first yellow card. But our favourite howler this week goes to Adelaide captain Eugene Galekovic, who for some reason grabbed the ball in his penalty area from a throw in, leading to an indirect free kick for the Newcastle Jets. Unfortunately for Eugene, Craig Goodwin’s drive at goal from the free kick found the boot of Michael Bridges and trickled into the net.

2. “The ‘Ten of the best’ award”

Changing pace from howlers, let’s look at something a bit more positive. After a comfortable 3-1 win over a poor Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Saturday, the Western Sydney Wanderers extended their streak to ten wins on the trot. That sets an all time Australian football and A-League record for the most wins in a row, and edges the Wanderers closer to taking out the premiership in their debut year. Could anyone have predicted this when they took to the field for the first time back in October 2012?

3. “The ‘Stunner of the week’ award”

Honourable mentions for the ‘Stunner’ this week to Iacopo La Rocca, for his two-touch shot that was placed beautifully around Heart goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne and into the far corner, and to Gol Gol Mebrahtu, for his thumping top corner strike earlier in the same game. But our favourite moment this week comes from the Adelaide vs Newcastle match on Friday, where Argentine import Marcelo Carrusca continued to show off his bag of tricks, as a sublime first touch, turn, run and shot from 25 metres out nestled itself into the bottom corner of Mark Birighitti’s goal. Superb!

4. “The ‘Excellence in goalkeeping’ award”

Now, you might ask, how come no goalkeepers earned a nomination in our Stunner category this week? Well, there were so many great goalkeeping moments in week 25 that we decided to dedicate an entire award to them this week. Nominations to Michael Theo, for his crucial saves off Michael McGlinchey in the first half of the Mariners v Roar game, to Glen Moss, for his immense first half against Perth Glory as he denied both Ryo Nagai and Liam Miller with fingertip saves, and to Ivan Necevski, for some phenomenal 1-on-1 saves in the Big Blue on Saturday. But our award this week goes to Nathan Coe, who stopped nearly everything that came his way on Saturday night, including an Alessandro Del Piero penalty. It was hard to split all those great ‘keeper performances, but in the end, we felt Coe just edged them out.

5. “The ‘Down to the wire’ award”

Central Coast’s 1-0 victory over Brisbane on Sunday meant that despite Western Sydney’s impressive 3-1 away win over Melbourne Heart, the premiership plate is still homeless. For Western Sydney, it will come down to the Sydney derby next week, with a win being enough to secure it. At the other end of the table, the race for the last two finals spots is still as unclear as it was last week, with Melbourne Heart, Brisbane and Perth all losing, and Newcastle and Sydney managing only a draw. Also ‘down to the wire’ is the race for the Golden Boot, with Jeremy Brockie and Daniel McBreen still out in front on 15 goals, courtesy of the fact that none of the top 5 scorers this season managed to pocket a goal in week 25.

6. “The ‘Relishing the freedom’ award”

An honourable mention to Newcastle’s favourite son Michael Bridges, who has shone for the Jets since his inclusion in the side in week 21. In that time, Bridges has scored twice, set up a few goals as well, and been Newcastle’s most consistent contributor. But with his 8th goal of the season this week, we look no further than Victory’s Mark Milligan. Under coach Ange Postecogolou, Milligan has been afforded the kind of freedom than centre halves only dream of, with the Socceroo playing a defensive midfield role with the freedom to push forward into attack. 8 goals is a fantastic return for a player who had only scored 3 goals in his previous 5 seasons in the A-League.

7. “The ‘Baffling calls’ award”

This award could quite easily find its way to Strebre Delovski and his assistants, who somehow missed an obvious handball off Leigh Broxham that would have resulted in a penalty for Sydney, in Saturday night’s 1-1 Big Blue draw. But Delovski was bested by compatriot Lucien Laverdure who, in consultation with a linesman, ruled out Dario Vidosic’s late winner against the Jets on Friday night. Why was it ruled out? We’re not quite sure. Replays indicate that it may have been for offside, but even then it was very, very questionable.

8. “The ‘Trouble on the homefront’ award”

Both Melbourne Heart (3-1 to Western Sydney) and Perth Glory (2-1 to Wellington) went down at home this week, in what were particularly disappointing losses given both teams are in the thick of the race for the 5th and 6th finals spots. Those performances, which could be described as lacklustre at best, could doom both clubs to missing out on post-season action.

9. “The ‘Done and dusted’ award”

What’s done and dusted this week? Well, with Adelaide’s draw on Friday night, the top 4 finals positions (Western Sydney, Central Coast, Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United) are now locked away, with those teams all hosting a finals match in either week 1 or week 2 of the A-League finals. What else is done and dusted? In our opinion, Melbourne Heart’s finals chances. The Heart have yet to win on the road this season, and with two away games to come against Brisbane and Central Coast where they need to take all 6 points, it’s fair to say that unless something drastic happens, the Heart are ‘done and dusted’ for the 2012/13 season.

—-

Well, that wraps up week 25 of the “False Nine Awards”. Suggest your own categories and winners in the comments below, or send them to us on Twitter at @ultimatealeague. 

Top scoring players:

Thanks to his important goal in Sydney’s 2-0 win over the Central Coast, Sebastian Ryall led the way this week with 26 fantasy points. Behind Ryall, there’s a trio of Adelaide United players on 22 points – Dario Vidosic, Iain Ramsay and Cassio. Socceroo and Perth Glory defender Michael Thwaite rounds out the top 5 this week with a useful 20 points, courtesy of his last minute snatch-and-grab goal against the Jets last Friday.

Value picks:

We’re heading into finals in league play this week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good trade opportunities out there:

• In goals, we recommend chasing Adelaide’s Eugene Galekovic. In the last 5 weeks, Galekovic has scored 14, 12, 8, 8 and 14 points, for an average of 11.2 over that time. At just $197,800, and with two home games at Hindmarsh Stadium in the next fortnight, Galekovic is one of the best value picks on the market.
• New Perth midfielder Matias Cordoba ($118,500) has only played 4 games since joining the West Australian club mid-season, but with 24 points in his last two matches, plus a goal against Newcastle last week, he could be a useful pickup over the last few weeks of the season. Especially at such a low price!
• Adelaide striker Tomi Juric is also new to the A-League scene, and will only set you back a low $140,000. He’s had a quiet last few weeks, but has plenty of potential. If you’re looking for a substitute forward, particularly with some A-League players slated to miss a game soon due to international duty, then Juric may be a frugal option for you. But with Bruce Djite’s return from injury this week, Juric has added pressure to perform.

Worth noting:

First of all, let’s start with news on the injury front. Adelaide striker Bruce Djite returns to the squad this week, after recovering from an ankle injury that has kept him on the sidelines for the past few weeks. Newcastle’s Zenon Caravella, Sydney’s Lucas Neill, Brisbane’s Massimo Murdocca and Perth’s Steve Pantelidis will all return also, whilst the Victory’s Marcos Flores is 50/50 to take part in the Big Blue on Saturday night. You can view the full injury list on our website.

In terms of suspensions, Adrian Leijer is the only suspended player for week 25, whilst Stein Huysegems, Taylor Regan and Fabio have all served their suspensions in week 24 and will return this week.

Prize winner:

Now it’s time to announce the weekly Pelé Sports prize winner for the Ultimate A-League fantasy league. While we didn’t have the huge scores of week 23, it was a close week amongst fantasy managers. In the end, Damien H (“Chicken Little Utd”) came out on top with 124 points, just 4 points ahead of the next best managers. Congratulations Damien –  to claim your $100 Pelé voucher, simply send us an email at enquiries@ultimatealeague.com.

That’s right, we’ve got an awesome Pelé Sports shoe to feature this week – the Radium Rio Red. The Radium leather indoor shoe is named after the Futsal team Pelé played in as a child, designed specifically to help improve technique and improve ball control. The softer forefoot zone helps improve multi-directional flex over the ball and the extremely flexible rubber sole, moulded sockliner and padding within the shoe equals enhanced comfort but with ultimate control. This is all aided by a reinforced Toe punt zone and an internal heel raise for quicker ground contact and better force dissipation.

Week 24 saw Western Sydney open up a 5 point gap at the top of the table, Central Coast fall for the second week running, and the race for the top 6 get even more competitive. But in this special Tuesday edition of the False Nine Awards, we’re wrapping up the week that was in the Hyundai A-League by handing out 9 completely made-up awards. This week, it’s all about streaks, talking points and celebrations:

1. “The ‘Stunner of the week’ award”

Wow, there were some magnificent moments of brilliance by individual players in week 24 of the A-League. A special mention to Danny Vukovic, for his first half tip over the bar from close range off Adam Taggart, and for his second half reflex save off a powerful Dominik Ritter shot. But our stunner comes to us from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Suncorp Stadium, and it comes to us from the most unlikely of goal scorers. Before Saturday, Leigh Broxham had played 122 games for Melbourne Victory for just the 1 goal, but he made up for it in emphatic fashion. With a dink into the area, Archie Thompson setup Broxham for a spectacular, leaping header that was powerfully thumped into the top corner past a sprawling Michael Theo.

2. “The ‘Worst. Celebration. Ever’ award”

It may have been just his second career A-League goal, and it may have been a stoppage time winner, but that’s no excuse for the antics that Michael Thwaite pulled after the Glory stole all 3 points in Newcastle on Friday night. A last minute set piece rebounded around the box before Thwaite, whose two goals in the A-League have both been scored in injury time, poked it home. But even that is no excuse to whip out a terrible Harlem shake celebration. You can relive Thwaite’s celebration in all its awfulness below:

3. “The ‘Streak of the week’ award”

For the Streak of the Week award, we have a few nominations. Firstly, the Victory have now failed to beat Brisbane in their last 8 attempts, with Melbourne managing 4 draws and 4 losses from those 8 games. Next, we have the Central Coast Mariners who, for the first time since the 2011/12 finals series, have lost back-to-back A-League games. But our winner this week is the Western Sydney Wanderers, who posted their 9th win on the trot by beating Wellington 2-1 on Sunday afternoon, eclipsing the previous A-League win streak record of 8, set by Melbourne Victory during the 2006/07 season.

4. “The ‘Wheels falling off’ award”

For the second week in a row, the Central Coast Mariners lost. And for the second time this season, they’ve lost to Sydney FC, going down 2-0 thanks to goals from Joel Chianese and Sebastian Ryall. With a 5 point gap between first-placed Wanderers and the second-place Mariners, and just 3 games left to play, is the premiership plate heading for Parramatta, rather than Gosford?

5. “The ‘Talking point’ award”

It’s a hot topic at the moment, but the pitch conditions at a select group of A-League venues were deplorable this week. Allianz Stadium was average, Suncorp Stadium was dismal, and Parramatta was patchy at best. The big loser in all of this is the style of play that many A-League teams adhere to, which encourages short passing and keeping the ball along the ground. But with some grounds resembling moguls courses, that style of play becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. The NRL season is only just kicking off, but unfortunately, we’re going to be seeing much of the same for the remainder of the season at those stadiums that are ‘shared’ with rugby league clubs.

6. “The ‘Midas touch’ award”

An honourable mention to Alistair Edwards, who since taking over the reigns at Perth Glory from Ian Ferguson has managed to record 3 wins in 4 games, and subsequently resurrect the Glory’s finals hopes. But everything really is turning to gold at the moment for Phoenix striker Jeremy Brockie. Brockie has knocked in 5 goals in his last 6 games for the New Zealand club, bringing himself level with Daniel McBreen (15 goals) in the race for the golden boot. Against Western Sydney on Sunday, it was a case of ‘right place, right time’ for Brockie, as Leo Bertos’ speculative ball across the area fell in front of Brockie, who poked it home past Ante Covic in the Wanderers’ goal.

7. “The ‘Promising signs’ award”

Brisbane seemed more confident and comfortable under Mike Mulvey during their 1-1 draw with the Victory on Saturday night, and so they earn a nomination this week. But for the second week running, the Wellington Phoenix have looked a more confident and stable outfit, despite their narrow loss to the Wanderers. The Muscat/Bertos switch, with Manny Muscat heading back into defence and Leo Bertos pushing back up into midfield, plus a licence to attack in greater numbers, has also made the ‘Nix a more dangerous team, and a more exciting one for spectators to watch. Is it Chris Greenacre’s doing, or was the departure of Ricki Herbert the change the Phoenix needed to break out of their ‘funk’? Either way, there’s some promising signs there for Wellington faithful.

8. “The ‘Worrying signs’ award”

Two weeks in a row now, and the Melbourne Heart just haven’t turned up. Last week, it was away against the Phoenix in Dunedin, with the Wellington side dominating the match from pillar to post. This week, at home, it was a lacklustre showing in front of a disappointingly low crowd figure of just 5,393 that culminated in a 2-0 loss to Adelaide United. If the Heart are going to make a late push for the finals, they’re going to need to shake things up and develop some form and momentum in the next few weeks. But with Western Sydney (H), Brisbane (A) and Central Coast (A) to finish the season off, it’s going to be a tough ask for John Aloisi’s side.

9. “The ‘Excellence in goalkeeping’ award”

It was a good week if you’re a fan of great saves, with A-League goalkeepers pulling off world class saves and stops in all 5 weekend matches. Honourable mentions to Andrew Redmayne and Nathan Coe for tipping over thunderbolts destined for the top corner, and to Eugene Galekovic for, well, being Eugene Galekovic. But for pure ridiculousness, we look no further than Perth goalkeeper Danny Vukovic’s best-on-field performance against Newcastle on Friday. A split second, point blank save off Adam Taggart in the first half kept Perth in the match, and a late fingertipper onto the crossbar off a Dominik Ritter volley resulted in the same outcome. Michael Thwaite may have scored the winner for Perth, but they’ve got Vukovic to thank for keeping them in the game, and giving them the chance to steal a handy away win at the death.

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Well, that wraps up week 24 of the “False Nine Awards”. Suggest your own categories and winners in the comments below, or send them to us on Twitter at @ultimatealeague.