Macarthur Bulls captain Luke Brattan admits his side are expecting to face an aggressive Brisbane Roar side at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night in Round One of the new Isuzu UTE A-League campaign.
The Bulls travel north to Queensland to take on a Brisbane side now under the tutelage of former Melbourne City head coach Michael Valkanis.
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Looking to put his own stamp on things ahead of the opening round, Valkanis has brought in a whole host of new players at the club, whilst reports from several pre-season matches have also highlighted a steely edge to the Roar, and it’s something Bulls boss Mile Sterjovski has warned his players about.
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“Mile has been on to us a lot about not conceding and starting games (well),” said Bulls skipper Brattan at his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning.
“I think when we start games poorly, then we struggle. So it’s about starting fast.
“Obviously Brisbane, you know, we’ve heard a few things about them in the pre-season, how they start fast and they’re very aggressive.
He added: “(So) we’ve got to weather the storm and then play our football.”
Much is expected of the Bulls this season following what was a disappointing 2024-25 campaign where they missed out on playing finals football.
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Despite losing star winger Marin Jakolis this off-season Sterjovski has strengthened his Bulls side in all areas of the pitch by bringing in the likes of Socceroos midfielder Anthony Caceres from Sydney FC, former Premier League striker Ji Dong-won as well as two-time Melbourne Victory Player of the Year, defender Damien De Silva.
“I think we’ve got the squad to finish high in the table and win some silverware,” said Brattan when asked what expectations have been placed on his side this year.
“So that’s the goal. I think if that’s not the target, then there’s something wrong.
“We’ve put together a good squad, and the boys are hungry, and it’s going to be a tough season, obviously, with travel and stuff like that.
“But there’s no excuses, and every player is going to play a part at some point. So, yeah, everyone’s ready.
He added: “We’ve got experience all over the pitch, so we’re going to need that at times this year. It’s exciting to see what they can bring to the table. They’re all great guys.
“Obviously, Damien as well at the back is a fantastic player, and played at a very good level. So yeah, we’re going to need every one of them to step up at some point.”
