Catch up on the Isuzu UTE A-League Team of the Week, powered by Opta.
The Isuzu UTE A-League is back, and with a bang, after a thrilling opening round.
There were goals, plenty of drama and thrilling finishes as season 2025-26 got under over the weekend.
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This season, Opta will power the Isuzu UTE A-League Team of the Week using Opta Points – a comprehensive player metric that evaluates a player’s overall contribution to the game.
What is the Opta Points system?
Opta Points is a system where points are given to players for certain on-field actions. Players who complete the full game duration on the field typically end up with a point total ranging from 10 to 40 points. (View the full breakdown of Opta Points below)
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In week one, Adelaide United trio Ethan Alagich, Panagiotis Kikianis and Ryan Kitto headline the team following the Reds’ 2-1 win over rivals Sydney FC, with 21-year-old star Alagich the highest-rated player across the competition with 39.4 points.
Alagich starred with a goal in Adelaide’s season-opener at Coopers Stadium.
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Wellington Phoenix and Newcastle Jets also have two representatives apiece after the opening round. Recruits Goalscorer Carlo Armiento and Canada international Manjrekar James ranked highly in Wellington’s 2-2 draw with Perth Glory.
Newcastle Jets debutant Alex Badolato scored a goal-of-the-season contender in a dramatic F3 Derby defeat to Central Coast Mariners on Sunday, and he is joined in the Team of the Week by teammate Thomas Aquilina.
Isuzu UTE A-League Team of the Week
Goalkeeper: Jack Duncan (Melbourne Victory, 24)
Defenders: Panagiotis Kikianis (Adelaide United, 37), Thomas Aquilina (Newcastle Jets, 30.6), Ryan Kitto (Adelaide United, 29.2), Manjrekar James (Wellington Phoenix, 26.6)
Midfielders: Ethan Alagich (Adelaide United, 39.4), Alfie McCalmont (Central Coast Mariners, 36.8), Alex Badolato (Newcastle Jets, 30.8),
Forwards: Joe Lolley (Sydney FC, 30.6), Carlo Armineto (Wellington Phoenix, 28.6), Adam Taggart (Perth Glory, 23.8)
Explained: Opta’s Team of the Week using Opta Points
The scoring system distinguishes only between field players and goalkeepers, assigning the same number of points to all field players for corresponding actions. A distinctive feature of this system is its exclusive focus on in-game actions, refraining from awarding points for post-game performances, such as securing a victory or allocating bonus points for maintaining a clean sheet.
Positive actions (goals, passes, tackles, etc…) will add to a player’s score and, conversely, negative actions (cards, own goals, goals conceded) will reduce a player’s points total. Theoretically, a player’s points value is unlimited, and players can conclude a game with negative points. However, players who complete the full game duration on the field typically end up with a point total ranging from 10 to 40 points.
Goals, Shots on target, shots off target, blocked shots, own goal, assists, passes, crosses, tackles, interceptions, fouls won, fouls conceded, offsides, yellow cards, red cards, goals conceded, penalty won, saves, penalty saved are included in Opta Points.
