aleagues.com.au brings you all the biggest talking points from Round 1 of the Isuzu UTE A-League 2025-26 season.
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HE SAID WHAT? EVERY word from your Isuzu UTE A-League coach after Round 1
Rival coach’s post-game barb: ‘I thought it would be a lot more positive’
Grab your popcorn and circle this rematch in your calendar. Macarthur Bulls’ reunion with Brisbane Roar in December should be fun after Mile Sterjovski’s post-game comments on Friday night.
Brisbane debutant Dimitrios Valkanis collected two yellow cards as new head coach Michael Valkanis ushered in a new era for the three-time champions.
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However, Bulls boss Sterjovski was not impressed with what he saw from Brisbane, who have missed the top six in four consecutive seasons.
“We came up against a Brisbane team that was determined. I’m a bit surprised at the type of football they’re playing,” he told reporters.
“I expected something different when Michael took over.
“But congratulations to them. They got the three points.”
Former Adelaide United captain and ex-Melbourne City coach Valkanis brings a wealth of experience to Brisbane following eight years abroad.
Valkanis has put together an extraordinary CV since leaving Australian shores in 2017 after the former Reds captain was a caretaker coach in Adelaide prior to his stint with City.
He worked as an assistant at PEC Zwolle in the Dutch Eredivisie before joining the Greece national team as John Van’t Schip’s number two for two years prior to a brief stint in Belgium, where he took charge of KAS Eupen and helped the club avoid relegation in 2022.
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Then he was the first Australian to coach in the Israeli Premier League after his appointment at Hapoel Tel Aviv but the war in the Middle East prompted an end to his tenure just three months in back in October 2023.
After that, Valkanis followed Van’t Schip to Dutch powerhouse Ajax.
Not only did Valkanis become the first Aussie to work as an assistant at Ajax, he became the first Australian to coach the four-time European champions after deputising for two games in the absence of Van’t Schip.
In September last year, Valkanis departed Turkish top-flight side Adana Demirspor, having gone head-to-head with Jose Mourinho.
“I think he’s a coach with a lot of experience. He’s been in Europe and followed some good coaches and been involved in some great clubs,” Sterjovski added.
“I think what we saw tonight isn’t that. There was a lot of time-wasting. For a first home match in front of your home fans, I just didn’t expect that.
“I thought it would be a lot more positive.”
Positional ‘rarity’ shows key Wanderers signing’s unexpected potential
Western Sydney Wanderers have a new right-sided midfielder and it’s not who anyone expected heading into the new campaign.
Last season it was Nicolas Milanovic who wreaked havoc off the right side of a 4-4-2 formation under Alen Stajcic; Milanovic won the Johnny Warren Medal last season, such was his impact off the right flank in Red & Black.
On Saturday afternoon, Stajcic deployed Steven Ugarkovic off the right flank. A player recognised as one of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s elite holding midfielders, Ugarkovic won the 2024-25 Championship with Melbourne City, supplying protection to the centre of the park.
But the Wanderers have strength in depth in midfield; Josh Brillante and Angus Thurgate occupied the two central positions in Stajcic’s system against City on Saturday, leading Bozhidar Kraev and Ugarkovic to occupy the left and right midfield positions respectively.
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It was from his unexpected position on the right flank that Ugarkovic impressed in his first game for the Wanderers since 2021.
Network 10 pitchside reporter Daniel Garb commented on Ugarkovic’s surprise role in the Wanderers starting XI just minutes into the first half.
“Ugarkovic, interesting watching him,” Garb said. “He’s lining up as an advanced, right-sided midfielder. It’s not a position we’ve seen him in usually but it’s where he’s been deployed at the moment.”
Lead commentator Teo Pellizzeri added: “The new look for Steven Ugarkovic, playing off the right side of midfield (is) a rarity for him; so often a tempo setter in the middle.”
Post-game, Stajcic was asked to explain the thinking behind deploying Ugarkovic out wide in the 1-1 draw.
“We’ll tinker with that (his position) every week, whatever is needed week-to-week and depending on the opposition,” Stajcic said.
“I thought he was very good today, with or without the ball.”
Victory recruit’s Melbourne mission: ‘It’s a World Cup year’
Denis Genreau’s mission is clear after his standout debut for Melbourne Victory on Saturday night.
The Australia international wants to force his way back into the CommBank Socceroos squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. It is why Genreau has returned to the Isuzu UTE A-League from Europe.
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“It’s a World Cup year and what Melbourne Victory offered me…it was a good opportunity for me to get regular game time,” Genreau told Paramount+ afterwards, having featured in Australia’s run to the World Cup last 16 in 2022.
“Good opportunity for me to be a Melbourne Victory player now.”
Genreau brings plenty of experience to four-time champions Victory after a successful spell in France.
The Aussie helped Toulouse clinch promotion to Ligue 1 in 2021-22, while he was part of the squad that won the 2022-23 Coupe de France – the club’s first.
He also played UEFA Europa League football against Premier League powerhouse Liverpool at Anfield.
Genreau, meanwhile, enjoyed a loan stint at Dutch outfit PEC Zwolle before moving to Macarthur in 2020-21, while he scored one goal in nine appearances for Spanish second-tier outfit Deportivo La Coruna in 2024-25.
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Against Steve Corica’s Auckland, whose historic debut season was built on their mean defence, Genreau impressed.
“How much has Dennis Genreau improved since we last saw him,” A-Leagues great and Paramount+ commentator Erik Paartalu said during Saturday’s broadcast. “Massively.
“He is the No.10 … it is about the number on the back of the shirt!”
Victory head coach Arthur Diles added in his press conference: “That’s just the beginning with Deni. Fantastic footballer.
“Offers so much. He is so versatile. He has so many things to his game which can help this team.
“Tonight he was excellent. His first game back in a while.
“It’s an intense match. They’re a physical team and a good team. It was a good baptism for him to see what the A-League is like which has probably changed a little bit since he last played in it.”
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‘I don’t understand what’s just happened’
Sunday’s F3 Derby was one for the ages. It was filled with drama and one moment that left Paramount+ analyst Andy Harper bemused.
Central Coast Mariners defied the odds to upstage Australia Cup champions Newcastle Jets 3-2 – a win secured by substitute Nicolas Duarte in the 98th minute after Mariners teammate Andrew Redmayne dramatically saved a penalty 60 seconds earlier.
Before Redmayne’s heroics to deny Eli Adams at the death and prior to Lachie Rose’s 80th-minute equaliser, there was an interesting VAR review that led to a rescinded yellow for Central Coast defender Nathan Paull.
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Paull was cautioned for bringing down Jets substitute Rose but as Newcastle prepared to take a free-kick, VAR checked a possible red card for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
“We know it’s a foul. It’s clearly a foul,” Harper said as referee Shaun Evans consulted the pitch-side monitor.
Then, Evans overturned the foul and yellow card.
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“I don’t understand what’s just happened,” a bemused Harper said.
In the post-match press conference, Jets head coach Mark Milligan told reporters: “There’s a lot of things I don’t understand. That’s fine, it doesn’t directly impact the game I don’t think. That’s not the reason we didn’t go and get a result.
“There’s a few things I’d like some clarification around because we have these big meetings at the start of the season and they want to talk about speeding the game up… but for me today the game was slowed down by the referee. Not by the opposition, not by us.
“With that yellow card, I didn’t think we checked fouls outside of the box. I’m sure they’ll have an explanation for it but I was bemused by it.”
It was also an emotional outing for Central Coast’s Christian Theoharous.
Mariners players were wearing black armbands after the death of Theoharous’ grandfather on the morning of the game.
Despite the tragic passing, the 25-year-old came off the bench for Central Coast and he endured a mixed performance in difficult circumstances.
After spurning a chance to win the game late for the Mariners, Theoharous then conceded the stoppage-time penalty that teammate Redmayne saved prior to Duarte’s last-gasp winner.
A visibly emotional Theoharous was mobbed by his teammates after the final whistle.
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“We were highly motivated today,” interim Mariners head coach Warren Moon told reporters. “I’m not sure if people are aware but Theoharous’ grandfather passed away this morning who he was very close to.
“Yes, it wasn’t maybe his best game but the courage he showed to play today. He wanted to play for his grandfather. To come on and then contribute at the end after the disappointment of the penalty.
“It just speaks volumes of him and the way the boys got around him afterwards as well.”
The tactical tweak that could prove pivotal for Adelaide’s returning Socceroo
Craig Goodwin’s fourth stint back at Adelaide United couldn’t have gotten off to a better start, with the Socceroo playing a key role in the Reds’ 2-1 win over Sydney FC on Friday night.
Accustomed to playing out wide on either flank, new Brazilian head coach Airton Andrioli opted to deploy his captain in a more central role against the Sky Blues at Coopers Stadium in a bid to get him involved in play as much as possible.
And the move worked wonders for Adelaide’s all-time leading goalscorer.
“We’ve been quite open about what my role will be,” said Goodwin when speaking to Paramount+ after the game.
“Between me and Airton, whether we change it around, whether I go on the left or right.
“Tonight (I) was in kind of the 10 role. But because of the players we have, we play with a lot of freedom, and there’s a lot of interchanging positions. Johnny Yull can play in the 10.
“You know, we’ve had times where we’ve spoken, you know, if Yaya (Dukuly) goes inside – he’s quite energetic and pressed very well as well.
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“So, you know, there’s a lot of fluidity in it, and it worked tonight, but we still got a lot to work on and improve on, as well.”
Speaking after securing his first Isuzu UTE A-League win in charge of Adelaide, youth guru Andrioli was quick to praise his captain’s performance.
“Look, we’ve got players who are capable like Craig Goodwin, he’s such a good player, he’s capable of adapting to different positions, and it’s nothing new for him,” said the former academy head coach.
“He played in this role before, and we talked a lot about that. We have ways of doing things. He doesn’t play inside all the time. We’ve got a few things going on with the front players.
“So look, he’s capable of playing inside, he’s capable of playing the right side, he’s capable of playing on the left side, again, it’s analysing the position in such a way that you can maximise his chances to execute his attributes and the things he does well.
“He’s got freedom as well to find those places on the field and I think he did really well. So I hope he continues like that. Fit and strong, because he’s going to be a very important player for us.”
Providing the assist for Ryan Kitto’s season-opening goal in the 54th minute, Goodwin previously had a glorious chance to open the scoring early in the first-half but was denied by Sydney FC goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares.
However, whilst he was disappointed not to have scored, the move highlighted the razor-like efficiency with which Adelaide were able to scythe through the Sydney defence, culminating in Goodwin getting on the end of a chance as the furthest-forward attacker.
“I definitely should have scored that first chance. But again, you know, we had another one with with Pana (Kikianis) as well. We should have scored that,” Goodwin said.
“But the good thing is, from that, we didn’t lose confidence. We didn’t go into our shells. We didn’t start, you know, putting ourselves on the back foot or shying away, which is perhaps something that we did a little bit in previous seasons.”
Chiefy’s warning for Wellington’s rivals
Attention Isuzu UTE A-League defenders: Beware of Wellington Phoenix import Ifeanyi Eze.
That is the message from Wellington head coach Giancarlo ‘Chiefy’ Italiano following Saturday night’s 2-2 draw away to Perth Glory.
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Nigerian forward Eze capped his Isuzu UTE A-League debut with a goal in an impressive introduction Down Under.
Eze sparked the Phoenix’s rally at HBF Park, where Wellington trailed 2-0 inside 26 minutes before his stoppage-time equaliser.
Carlo Armiento earned a share of the spoils 21 minutes from the end in Western Australia.
“I said this when I signed him, I think he’s a different player. An awkward player. Very hard to defend,” Italiano said of Eze.
“He can do some amazing things with the ball. You can see it at training. But he makes some weird movements. Very unpredictable.
“I think in this league, It’s going to take a very, very good defender to stop him.
“Even today, I think he had more chance he could’ve capitalised on. But for me, great impact.”
