Welcome to Made With Mitre Moments, where aleagues.com.au brings you all the biggest talking points from each round of the 2024-25 Ninja A-League season.
Round 6 was a high-scoring weekend in the Ninja A-League; Western Sydney Wanderers beat Western United 5-1, Melbourne City enjoyed a 4-2 win over Canberra United and Perth Glory returned to winning ways with a 3-1 triumph over Adelaide United.
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Elsewhere, Brisbane Roar notched a slender win over Central Coast Mariners to move up to second on the table while Newcastle Jets stunned Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory shared points with Wellington Phoenix in a 1-1 draw.
Read on for all the biggest talking points from Round 5, thanks to Mitre.
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Return of the Mac: City star’s emotional reflection after injury comeback
Melbourne City star Holly McNamara has expressed her gratitude to her club teammates for their support through her rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, in the aftermath of her long-awaited comeback on Sunday afternoon.
The CommBank Matildas winger made her first City appearances in 392 days after suffering the third ACL tear of her young career in November, 2023; the 21-year-old came off the bench for City with less than 20 minutes to play in her side’s Round 6 Ninja A-League clash with Canberra United, and made it through her return game unscathed in a successful comeback.
Post-game, McNamara lauded her City teammates for their support through her ACL rehabilitation.
“I wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t for them,” McNamara said.
“Even those first few weeks of being injured, they were in my ear (saying): ‘You can do it. You can come back stronger’, whereas you think the whole world is ending.
“I can’t thank everybody enough. This is down to them.”
“I’m just so happy. That was so much fun to be back out there,” McNamara added.
“I was just so excited, you couldn’t wipe a smile off my face.
“You miss everything. The contact, even yelling at people, laughing with people, yelling at the ref, just doing everything. You just miss all the little things and then it builds into actually getting to touch the ball again. So it feels nice.”
City defeated Canberra United 4-2 at AAMI Park on Sunday evening. McNamara almost scored on her return to the Ninja A-League but hit the post with a shot that Leticia McKenna finished on the rebound.
Champions slammed by coach after ‘worst performance of the year’
Sydney FC’s hopes of a Ninja A-League championship threepeat are fading fast, with Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle Jets leaving Ante Juric’s side second-last on the table and equal with bottom-placed Western Sydney Wanderers on four points.
The Sky Blues are, however, just four points off the top six and could salvage their season – but performances must improve and quickly if they are to climb back into the finals places.
On Saturday night, Sydney took on Newcastle and, after an early red card to Jets keeper Danielle Krzyzaniak and an opening goal to Sydney teen Indiana Dos Santos, the champions looked set to cruise to a routine victory.
But Newcastle had other ideas; a late comeback spearheaded by Deven Jackson and Lauren Allan led the 10-player Jets to a shock 2-1 win. After the game, Sydney coach Juric put his playing group on blast as he demanded better performances in the weeks to come.
“Disappointing I thought that was our worst performance of the year in terms of energy, effort, front third, we had a couple of chances, but it wasn’t good at all,” Juric said.
“We didn’t deserve anything from that, everyone needs to step up. There was not one performer, I think that was up to the level today.”
‘That’s only the start’: Matildas winger hypes up twin sister after special night in Brisbane
Twin sisters Sharn and Laini Freier have spent a lifetime playing football alongside one another, but never in the Ninja A-League – until Sunday night, when they took to Perry Park as Brisbane Roar teammates.
Sharn Freier is a rising CommBank Matildas star and has taken to life in the Ninja A-League with aplomb; her sister Laini, however, is just getting started in the Australian top flight. Laini Freier signed for Brisbane ahead of the 2024-25 Ninja A-League season and made her senior Roar debut in Round 5 against Wellington Phoenix.
Sharn Freier was on Matildas duty when her sister debuted for Brisbane but returned for Sunday’s meeting with Central Coast Mariners at Perry Park.
Laini Freier came off the bench in the 71st minute of Brisbane’s 2-1 win in a truly special moment for the twin sisters and the Freier family.
Post-game, the sisters spoke to club media about what it meant to play together at their hometown club.
“It’s something I always wanted to do,” said Laini Freier. “I was obviously coming back from an injury and this was the game I was looking forward to, coming back and playing with Sharn.
“It was unbelievable. I think when I was coming on, mum was sitting right behind me and I heard her screaming, so it was pretty exciting.”
Sharn Freier added: “Yeah it was a good feeling. It’s very exciting, a long time coming so I was super stoked when she got on the field.
“I’m extremely proud. I think it’s good for her to finally be at home and show everyone what she’s got. I think she’s a pretty good player so I’m excited to see what else she can do on the field with the more minutes she gets.
“That’s only the start, she’s got a lot more to show so I’m super stoked for her and I couldn’t be more proud. “
‘Physical beast’ who switched international allegiances lauded for Glory impact
Young Perth Glory midfielder Tijan McKenna has been described as a “physical beast” and “complete athlete” after her impactful performance in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Adelaide United.
Glory notched their second win of the season at the Sam Kerr Football Centre to move to within one point of the top six; 20-year-old McKenna was one of the standout performers in Glory’s upset win over a top-four side.
McKenna, a WA-born midfielder, represented the Young Matildas at U-20 level but was recently called up to Croatia’s senior international squad for a November friendly against Slovenia.
Not yet officially tied to Croatia for the future, McKenna is a player who could be officially lost to the Matildas should she make a competitive debut for Croatia in the coming months.
After Glory’s 3-1 win over Adelaide, Perth head coach Stephen Peters highlighted McKenna’s qualities as an impressive and versatile young midfielder.
“She’s just a physical beast. She’s a complete athlete,” he said.
“We obviously need to fine-tune her football tactically and technically, we’ve just got to build. But physically she’s superb. She loves to play in midfield, at times she plays as a fullback for us… but she loves to play in midfield and without (Izzy) Dalton in the side today she really had to step up physically because Dalton brings that as well.”
Glory’s Round 6 victory was also highlighted by a brace to Gabby Hollar and the first goal of young defender Naomi Chinnama’s senior career; the 20-year-old joined the club from Melbourne City in the off-season and is thriving thanks to regular minutes and a flourishing central defensive partnership with Onyinyechi Zogg.
“Super stoked for Naomi, it was her first A-League goal.
“She actually practised those headers on Friday, matchday minus two. It was just a nice one, it was good.
“She’s come from a very good club in Melbourne City and she’s in the (Young) Matidas. There’s lots of wraps on her, but to start week in, week out is a difficult thing for a young defender; she’s still only 20 and I think she’s growing, she’s developing week in, week out. Her attitude is great, her focus is great and for her to get something like that, it’s just really nice for her. I think she feels really good about that achievement.
“We’re still chasing the clean sheet, which probably if you asked her what she’d rather she’d take the clean sheet. That’s the drive that she has.
“Her and Zoggy are starting to build a nice partnership and the boss behind them is very vocal and determined as well. They’re forming a good little trio there.”
