When Melbourne City and Central Coast Mariners go head-to-head in Saturday’s Grand Final, the individual journeys of each and every player involved will reach respective crescendos, writes Matt Comito.
To become Champions, a squad full of players with individual aspirations must join forces in pursuit of one collective goal.
For either Melbourne City or Central Coast Mariners, that goal will be achieved on Saturday night, when the two sides meet in the Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final at CommBank Stadium.
The individual journey of each player involved is what adds to the spectacle, with this weekend’s kick-off in Sydney set to realise the dreams of those on one side of the divide, while breaking hearts on the other.
These are the stories transcending the importance of team success as the two sides prepare to fight for the title on Saturday night at CommBank Stadium.
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MELBOURNE CITY: PREDICTED XI
Junior clubs sourced from football historian Andrew Howe’s 2022-23 season guide
Tom Glover
Junior clubs: Sutherland Sharks (Sydney), Tottenham (England)
In late April, Tom Glover was at the centre of a social media storm when parody Twitter account ‘Agent A-League’ linked the Melbourne City keeper to Wrexham AFC.
Soon after, at a mid-week press conference, he joked: “Yeah I actually just got off the phone to Ryan Reynolds before I jumped in here.”
The response was so typical of a player who has never taken himself too seriously, summing up the genuine character of one of the nation’s most promising young goalkeepers.
Two years ago, it seemed as if Glover was the heir apparent to Socceroos gloveman Maty Ryan, as he represented the Olyroos at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The rise of Adelaide’s Joe Gauci, coupled with his own dip in form through the 2021-22 season, has led to Glover dropping down the pecking order. But this season, he’s been superb and was dominant across a two-legged Semi Final to send City to the decider.
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Jordan Bos
Junior clubs: Hoppers Crossing, Point Cook
Jordan Bos made his Isuzu UTE A-League debut in November, 2021. Less than 19 months later, he’s signed for Belgian top-flight club KVC Westerlo in a transfer worth $2 million – an Australian outbound record.
The 20-year-old displaced club captain Scott Jamieson to make City’s left-back role his own this season. He’s made 27 starts through the 2022-23 campaign, debuting for the Socceroos en route to the record-breaking transfer.
On Saturday night, Bos will make his last appearance in City colours before his Belgium move.
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Curtis Good
Junior clubs: Box Hill, Knox City, Nunawading City
Curtis Good is one of the feel-good stories inside the City camp. A career cruelled by injuries through the early years, he’s enjoyed the most consistent spell of his career since signing for the club in 2018.
Good signed for English club Newcastle United in 2012, aged 19. He had played just 25 games as a professional before landing the six-year deal. But Good never played in the Premier League due to injury. On Socceroos debut in 2014, he suffered a hip injury and didn’t return to the international scene for 2,651 days, earning his second cap in 2021.
This is one of the great examples of persistence from a player who is so integral to City’s chances of a Grand Final win on Saturday night.
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Thomas Lam
Junior clubs: Amsterdamsche, AZ Alkmaar
Thomas Lam is not only one of Melbourne City’s major off-season signings. He’s also a Finland international, a hotelier and an entrepreneur.
Together with his brother, Lam bought a hotel in Amsterdam roughly three-and-a-half years ago and also owns a fries shop called House of Fries.
Speaking to KEEPUP in the lead-up to the Grand Final, Lam said: “I love the game. I want to play as long as I can, but… I know after football what I’m going to do. That is working with my brother and be successful in that kind of business.”
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Callum Talbot
Junior clubs: Gymea United, Sutherland Sharks
Callum Talbot joined Melbourne City from Sydney FC in the off-season – a transfer that took the club three attempts to pull off.
Nathaniel Atkinson’s departure to Scotland left a hole in City’s squad at right-back; the club hoped to fill it with another rising defensive prospect, and identified Talbot as their man.
“It was the third time they came knocking on the door,” Talbot told KEEPUP during the Finals Series. “So it was an offer I couldn’t really turn down to come to such a great club like City.”
Talbot has made 27 appearances in City’s Premiership side in his maiden campaign in Victoria.
Aiden O’Neill
Junior clubs: Kenmore, Brisbane Athletic, Burnley FC
After City secured their spot in the Grand Final, head coach Rado Vidosic all-but confirmed his prime midfielder Aiden O’Neill is headed toward the exit door.
“We believe Aiden will probably be leaving us,” Vidosic said – and you can’t begrudge the recent Socceroos debutant of a return abroad. The Brisbane-born O’Neill moved to the UK in 2014 on a scholarship with Burnley signed at 15 years of age. Under Sean Dyche, he traversed from the English Championship to the Premier League in 2016-17.
Loan spells at Oldham Athletic and Fleetwood Town were to follow, before a return to Australia with the Mariners, and then the Roar.
He’s spent the past three years at Melbourne City – but this season has been his best. Should he seal a move back abroad after the 2022-23 Grand Final, it will be a move well earned.
Valon Berisha
Junior club: Egersund
Valon Berisha arrived Down Under with some reputation to uphold. He’s the second Berisha to grace the Isuzu UTE A-League, behind Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory great Besart.
Throughout his first campaign on Australian shores, the Kosovo international has done well to step out of his namesake’s immense shadow and forge his own path in the A-League Men.
Off the field, Berisha is a self-proclaimed fashionista; his shoe collection is simply staggering. As far as silverware goes, he’s already collected one medal this season, and will hope to scoop another on Saturday night.
Andrew Nabbout
Junior clubs: Brunswick City, Sunshine George Cross, Green Gully
He elected to take on the latter. He was sensationally released after 14 games, nine goals and nine assists for Negeri Sembilan FC – but on return home, secured a trial with Newcastle in which he flourished. Soon after, he was dominating for the Jets across a two-season stint that earned him a stint in Japan, a Socceroos call-up and ultimately, a place in Australia’s 2018 World Cup squad.
Now he’s a decorated City star looking to secure a fifth piece of silverware in three trophy-laden seasons at the club.
Marco Tilio
Junior clubs: Enfield Rovers, APIA Leichhardt, Sydney Olympic
City boss Rado Vidosic has suggested there’s interest in Tilio’s services at the end of this season, and that should come as no surprise after the rising Socceroos star’s best season to date in the A-League Men.
This season, Tilio became the first player in A-League Men history to win four consecutive Premierships. The first came at Sydney FC; then, came three on the bounce at City. Tilio has scored 10 goals in 28 games this season, and could easily decide Saturday’s Grand Final in a moment of magic.
Jamie Maclaren
Junior clubs: Sunbury United, Green Gully
We’re watching Australian football history unfold in real-time as Jamie Maclaren shows out week after week in City colours.
With a hat-trick scored against Western United in April, Jamie Maclaren surpassed Besart Berisha as the A-League Men’s all-time leading goalscorer. With 144 goals, he now sits second on the list of all-time Australian Men’s National League scorers, behind Damian Mori on 240.
Another mountain to climb for City’s relentless spearhead.
Mathew Leckie
Junior club: Brimbank Stallions, Bulleen Lions
Mathew Leckie returned from the Qatar 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup as a goalscorer and match-winner, after bagging the only goal in an historic 1-0 win over Denmark which sent the nation through to the Round of 16.
Leckie finished fifth in the Johnny Warren Medal count – an admirable feat for a player who missed almost two months with a hamstring injury.
He’s returned to the peak of his powers just in time to look to feature prominently in City’s Grand Final efforts.
Potential substitutes…
Richard van der Venne
- Junior clubs: Berghem Sport, Den Bosch
Florin Berenguer
- Junior club: Sochaux
Scott Galloway
- Junior clubs: Cockburn City, Gosnells City
Scott Jamieson (c)
- Junior clubs: Kings Langley, Blacktown City
Jordon Hall
- Junior clubs: Royston Town (England), Blacktown City
Nuno Reis
- Junior club: Sporting Lisbon
Matthew Sutton
- Junior clubs: Lilli Pilli Berries, Sutherland Sharks
Raphael Borges Rodrigues
- Junior clubs: Western Strikers, White City, Fulham, Raiders (Adelaide)
Max Caputo
- Junior clubs: Essendon Royals, Sunshine George Cross
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS: PREDICTED XI
Junior clubs sourced from football historian Andrew Howe’s 2022-23 season guide
Danny Vukovic (c)
Junior clubs: St Clair, Nepean, Southern Districts, Bonnyrigg
Speaking at the Dolan Warren Awards, Danny Vukovic said: “It’s been amazing to come home from overseas after 12 months of hating football, I’m now loving my football again.”
The Mariners keeper is back where is career began in the 2005-06 season. He was lured home by Nick Montgomery to captain the club into the 2022-23 season, booked a spot on the plane to the Qatar World Cup with the Socceroos, then got back to work in Gosford, helping to steer the club back to the Grand Final.
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James McGarry
Junior club: Southern United (Dunedin)
On the pitch, the Mariners won three F3 Derbies against the Jets this season. Signing James McGarry was the fourth.
The former Newcastle defender crossed the derby divide in February in a swap deal between the two clubs, with Thomas Aquilina heading the other way. McGarry has since been one of the competition’s best full-backs.
He timed his exit from the Jets to perfection; as his former club slumped to a 10th-place finish, the Mariners finished second, and on Saturday will play in the Grand Final.
Brian Kaltak
Junior club: Teouma Academy, Vanuatu
Brian Kaltak may just be the story of the season.
In fact, let’s call it: Brian Kaltak is the story of the season.
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At 29, he was the captain of his nation – but had never signed a professional contract. The Vanuatu international had trialled with the Mariners before, but a knee injury scuppered his chances of breaking through.
Nick Montgomery gave him another chance ahead of the 2022-23 season, as an injury-replacement player. He’s since played 24 games at the heart of the Mariners defence, on the way to becoming a cult hero at the club and a favourite among neutrals.
You just can’t help but root for Brian Kaltak.
Nectarios Triantis
Junior clubs: Strathfield Strikers, Sydney Olympic
There was a banner strewn over the advertising hoardings at Industree Group Stadium during the Semi Finals that read: “In Triantis we trust.”
The Mariners faithful now look to their 20-year-old centre-half as a dependable rock in their defensive unit. This is a player who before this season had played just seven minutes in two seasons at the Wanderers; now, together with Kaltak, he’s a mainstay in the Mariners’ starting unit.
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Storm Roux
Junior clubs: Oratia United (Waitakere, NZ), Sorrento (Perth)
In five seasons spanning from 2013 to 2018, Storm Roux experienced plenty of the Mariners’ darkest days. He returned in 2021 for his second spell at the club, and has since revelled in the resurgence.
Roux is a player with a chip on his shoulder; buoyed by comments by “all the experts and pundits (who said) we wouldn’t make the Grand Final, we wouldn’t even make the finals.”
He performed valiantly at right-back for the Mariners across two Semi Final legs, mitigating the impact of Johnny Warren Medallist Craig Goodwin to help his side eclipse Adelaide United and book a place in the decider.
Max Balard
Junior club: Hakoah Sydney City East FC
As a footballer, he was rejected by Manly United Under 18’s, before getting a second chance via Hakoah Sydney City East FC. He’s since become a key squad member on the Central Coast.
Josh Nisbet
Junior clubs: St Marys, Buderim Wanderers
Josh Nisbet was 16 when he found out he had a tumour in his hip. He fractured his hip as a result. The way he found out was bizarre; on trial in the UK, he fell over a suitcase in the middle of the night, fracturing his hip and in turn finding the tumour. He was on crutches for eight months.
Nisbet had an LCH tumour, and one symptom was growth shortage. He and his family have no idea how long the tumour was in his body before its discovery.
“We never (knew) if it had an effect on my height or not,” he told All Access.
“I don’t think it did. Mum’s small, dad’s small – I’m just small.”
Nisbet is a player determined to ensure his journey as a footballer is not defined by his size. He’s the shortest male professional footballer in Australia in any code. This season, he scooped four awards at the Mariners Medal, including the Mariners Medal for player of the season.
Samuel Silvera
Junior clubs: Manly United, Blacktown City
Samuel Silvera has been to Europe and back at just 22 – and returning to Gosford for the 2022-23 A-League Men campaign has led to his best individual campaign to date.
Silvera signed for the Mariners after a sub-par loan spell at Newcastle from Portuguese side Paços de Ferreira. Silvera began his career on the coast in 2019, bursting onto the scene as a teenager to secure his move abroad. Now, he’s integral to the Mariners’ success.
Silvera scored the sealing goal in the Semi Finals, and took time to reflect on his “blessed” journey back to the club.
“I was blessed to have my debut season (here), such a beautiful club in a great area,” he said. “The opportunity came for me to go overseas, (and it’s) just unlucky what happened. I got injuries and COVID, so it set me out for about six months, I couldn’t play for six months.
“When I came back (to Australia), I honestly wanted to come back to this club but it just wasn’t right, they were looking for a more permanent player and unfortunately, that wasn’t in the books for me to come here.
“But I’m just blessed that I could sign here again – and now look what’s happened.”
Marco Tulio
Junior club: Atletico Mineiro
Since Marco Tulio first arrived on Australian shores, it’s been abundantly clear just how special of a talent the Brazilian is.
“Suddenly a player with a €60 million buyout clause wasn’t part of their landscape anymore,” Mariners assistant coach Sergio Raimundo told AAP in May.
In his 28 games for the Mariners, Tulio has scored 10 goals, and has timed his run to the Grand Final to perfection. Now he’s one of the most in-form players from either side heading into the title decider.
Jason Cummings
Junior club: Hutchinson Vale, Hearts
Could this be the last we see of Jason Cummings in a Mariners kit?
The infamous joker has made waves across his two seasons at the Mariners. He landed in the A-League Men determined to seal a spot in the Socceroos’ World Cup squad, and ticked off that target off the back of a superb body of work on the domestic scene.
His A-Leagues All Access episode showed the multiple layers to the man who so often comes up with the comic relief in any situation. But this is a player determined to make his stint in Australia a success.
Rumours of a potential move to the Indian Super League are swirling…
Béni N’Kololo
Béni N’Kololo is the youngest of three brothers who are all professional footballers. The eldest, Etanda, grew up to play professionally in Ireland. The middle brother, Jordan, became a Democratic Republic of Congo international, and a French Ligue 1 regular with SM Caen.
Together, Etanda and Jordan “always have had good advice for me,” N’Kololo told KEEPUP.
“They always tell me: ‘Don’t complain if something is wrong. Just be happy and play football. When you have no stress, be happy and play football then people will see the best of you on the pitch’.”
N’Kololo forged his career in the Championnat National, the French third tier that launched the careers of N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud. He landed in Australia in 2021 for “a new challenge” he would have thought was impossible prior to getting into contact with the Mariners.
A phone call with the multilingual Max Balard helped seal the move with a phone call, and Montgomery either. messaged or called him once every day for two weeks before N’Kololo eventually arrived Down Under.
He describes Gosford as a “jungle.”
“If you go to Melbourne and Sydney, the big cities are like European cities. But when you arrive on the Central Coast, it’s like a jungle,” he said. “With roads, with cars, with buildings – but it’s a jungle. It’s beautiful.”
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Potential substitutes…
Moresche
- Junior club: Botafogo
Harrison Steele
- Junior club: Terrigal FC
Dylan Wenzel-Halls
- Junior club: Ipswich Knights
Jacob Farrell
- Junior club: Mariners academy
Dan Hall
- Junior club: Lions FC
Yaren Sozer
- Junior club: Pascoe Vale
James Bayliss
- Junior club: Mindil Aces
Christian Theoharous
- Junior club: Bentleigh
Miguel Di Pizio
- Junior club: AC United (Sydney)
