On this week’s episode of Total A-Leagues, Sydney Morning Herald sports reporter Vince Rugari & retired Socceroo’s Tommy Oar and Erik Paartalu discuss the biggest talking points, including Michael Valkanis’ Brisbane Roar.
Michael Valkanis’ new-look Brisbane Roar have been the talk of the Isuzu UTE A-League heading into Round 3.
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There is renewed optimism in Brisbane with former Ajax and Greece assistant Valkanis at the helm in 2025-26, especially after their Round 1 win over Macarthur Bulls that snapped a 10-year opening-round hoodoo.
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But much has been made of Brisbane – who have missed the top six in four consecutive seasons – and their steely edge this season, with Bulls boss Mile Sterjovski critical of the Roar’s approach in the opening round.
It is a narrative around Roar’s physicality has disappointed Valkanis heading into Friday night’s showdown with unbeaten defending champions Melbourne City.
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“Really disappointed with that,” Valkanis told reporters. “It’s well played by colleagues, fellow coaches and and so on, because they’ve put it out there for a reason and I feel (they’re) probably a little bit intimidated with our intensity in the way we pressed in pre-season, and I’m just a little bit gutted at the fact that’s gone into the ears of the refs and they treat us a little bit differently.
“That’s what I feel. That’s the truth and when you look at the game against Wellington, I don’t believe we were as physical as Wellington. In fact, I didn’t see anyone punch anyone apart from Wellington player, do that to our player. So I don’t want to harp on that. I’m tired of that.
“But if you’re going to press teams, you’re going to always be that little bit more intense and aggressive. And if you’re fair and you’re committed to winning the ball, that’s what it’s about, and that’s what I feel.
“Everyone has to be able to see the difference between being unfair or being committed to win the ball. There were a few things I’ve seen up until now that shows that maybe other teams are a lot more physical than what we are.”
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The Roar’s physicality was the topic of discussion on this week’s episode of Total A-Leagues as Brisbane prepare to welcome defending champions Melbourne City to Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Sydney Morning Herald sports reporter and Total A-Leagues host Vince Rugari started by saying: “We’re probably going to be talking about the way they play most weeks this season, at least if it continues the way it started.
“At least through pre-season, the narrative has been they’re the bully boys of the league, the villains, and then on the weekend, a little bit more of it against Wellington, although they coped some the other way.”
In response, retired Socceroo and former Roar star Erik Paartalu – a key member of Brisbane’s trailblazing Championship-winning side under Ange Postecoglou – replied: “It’s interesting because the dynamic that they’re trying to show and for to be fair to Michael Valkanis, you can have a game plan.
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“You can be physical and be in faces and be nasty. But if things like that don’t go your way, then it has an impact on getting a 1-1 draw away at Wellington, not a bad result after having a good result the first week.
“So my question is, the other side, 1-0 penalty, one goal from (Justin) Vidic over the top, one goal every game is not going to get you into the Final Series.
“I think the physicality, that’s a great option away from home, but play that at Brisbane at Suncorp over 13 games, you can’t be just winning second balls and being physical. You’ve got to dominate the ball a little bit more.”
Retired Socceroo Tommy Oar, who burst onto the scene with Brisbane in 2007, added: “Having that physicality can be in your favour, but it can’t be your whole identity.
“It can be an attribute that you have, but they need to show a lot more with the ball.”
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Rugari continued by saying: “It’s a platform, and they’ve got to build on that platform.”
Then, Paartalu concluded: “The biggest test is going to be Friday night against City, a team that will play through a physical press.
“Now let’s see Brisbane Roar, do they have that plan B? That’s what I’m excited to see.”
