These are the big talking points after Round 21 in the Liberty A-League as Sydney FC close in on a record fourth-consecute Premier’s Plate while the race to secure finals football will now go down to the very last round of the regular season.
READ: Roar snap historic streak against a team still searching for their first win in 2024
MORE: Sydney’s pursuit of history almost completed as a Matilda extends her red-hot form
‘What was Nino thinking?’
Amid the chaos of a thrilling 3-2 win to Newcastle Jets over Melbourne Victory came a melee that resulted in a red card to goalkeeper Izzy Nino – but was the Jets goalkeeper the only player involved who should have been sent off?
One of the key talking points of this week’s episode of Dub Zone, the late fracas saw MelindaJ Barbieri and Emily Gielnik cautioned for sparking the altercation, and Nino sent to the stands, having grabbed at Gielnik’s throat after coming to Barbieri’s defence.
A win to the Jets on Saturday kept their hopes of reaching the finals alive, and as commentator Teo Pellizzeri pointed out on Dub Zone, a three-game ban for violent conduct could rule Nino – February’s fan-voted Player of the Month – out of action until deep in the finals should the Jets make it, or end her season altogether.
“(Referee) Rebecca Durcau is right there on the scene, and the referee is the arbiter of what is time-wasting,” said Pellizzeri, reviewing the footage on Dub Zone.
“The players can’t take it into their own hands, which is what Izzy Nino quite literally did and got herself sent off.
“If this is violent conduct it will be three games, and potentially out until the second leg of a semi-final if Newcastle go that far.
“Mindy Barbieri has every right to wind the clock and time waste, because the referee is policing it, she’s right there.
“I think Emily Gielnik may be a little bit lucky not to be sent off herself.”
Matildas great Alicia Ferguson joined Pellizzeri on the Dub Zone panel, and added her thoughts to the debate.
“I think you’re not allowed to choke people, that’s not part of the game,” Ferguson said.
“I think Em had the contact but the retaliation and the violent conduct…”
“I’m not arguing (that) Nino had to go,” Pellizzeri interjected. “I think Em could have gone with her, though.”
“Yeah, I don’t know,” replied Ferguson. “I think a yellow card was a fair punishment for both of them… but I mean, what was Nino thinking? Honestly, what are you doing?”
JETS 3-2 VICTORY: Dramatic double from former Victory star saves Newcastle’s season
Nino’s send-off came four minutes after Melina Ayres’ second goal of the game which turned Newcastle’s 2-1 deficit into a late 3-2 lead.
Down a player and their star keeper, Newcastle head coach Ryan Campbell called on 17-year-old goalkeeper Lily-Rose Dunbar to make her debut off the bench to see out the game.
The hosts needed to win to keep their season alive and held on to take a pivotal three points and move within a win of both sixth-placed Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers in fifth, with one round to play.
“Credit to the Newcastle defence,” said Pellizzeri. “Lily Rose-Dunbar, 17 years old, made her debut coming on after the red card but the Newcastle defence protected her.
“Seven minutes on the pitch, (she) didn’t actually have to touch the ball, didn’t have to make a save. A real sign of maturity that the Jets defence was able to protect her.”
Vine enjoying best ever season while another Sydney FC star proves the missing link
Saturday’s emphatic 3-0 win over Adelaide United leaves Sydney FC on the brink of another piece of silverware in the Liberty A-League.
Goals from Caley Tallon-Henniker, Mackenzie Hawkesby and Cortnee Vine secured the three points for Ante Juric’s side, who now need just one more win from their remaining two matches against Canberra United and Melbourne Victory to clinch the Premiers Plate.
Vine’s goal and assist in the 3-0 rout means she’s now enjoying her most productive season ever in the Liberty A-League having scored 10 goals whilst also registering six assists.
“I think for me, it’s being that role model for the girls this year,” said Vine when discussing her role in the team this season on Dub Zone. “I think Ante (Juric) has really wanted me to dive into that and be a bit more of a leader this year.
“I think enjoying it is one of the things that I’ve always said is where the performance comes from. It’s enjoying the football and obviously when your body is right, you’re feeling fit, and you’re feeling injury-free it does make you happy.”
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists | Goals + Assists |
| 2023/2024 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 16 |
| 2022/2023 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| 2021/2022 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 11 |
| 2020/2021 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 2018/2019 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2017/2018 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019/2020 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
While Vine has certainly provided the clinical edge to this Sydney FC side it’s another player who she believes has really helped propel the team towards more silverware.
Since returning to the Sky Blues following a short spell with WSL side Brighton and Hove Albion, double-winning midfielder Mackenzie Hawkesby has slotted straight back into the reigning champions’ midfield and Vine says she’s proven to be the catalyst for the team’s rise up the ladder.
“Macca is great,” said Vine on Dub Zone. “We missed her at the start of the season. We missed that work rate that Macca provides and also that collaboration that she has with the front three, including myself.
“I feel like me and Macca have a very good connection and I do get a lot of good balls in behind from Macca and I do love playing with her.
“I think she’s added a massive amount to this team and I don’t think we’d be in the position we are now without her.
She continued: “So she’s doing an amazing job. I always think she’s the best assister and one of the best in the league so it’s no surprise to me.”
Attack the best form of defence as City close in on top-two finish
A clinical display from Melbourne City saw them brush aside Central Coast Mariners 3-0 at the weekend to not only strengthen their chances of a top-two finish but also keep their Premiership dream alive.
Goals from Hannah Wilkinson, Emina Ekic and Taylor Otto sealed the impressive win over an in-form Mariners side, a result which leaves them just a point behind league-leaders Sydney FC but crucially, now three points clear of Western United.
CITY 3-0 MARINERS: Advantage City in Premiership race as New leaders beat top-four challengers Mariners
Should Dario Vidosic’s side match Western United’s result on the final day of the season it will then guarantee them safe passage straight into the semi-finals and therefore avoiding an Elimination Final – the stage at which City have exited the competition in the last two seasons.
“I think what they’ve got is a really strong attacking group of players and good options,” said 66-time Matilda and Dub Zone panelist Ferguson.
“I think (Rhianna) Pollicina came off the bench and made a difference at the weekend they’ve got Daniela Galic, Hannah Wilkinson, I’m really a big fan of Emina Ekic and I think she’s a great player.
“Attack is their form of defence with the way that they play, they want to play out from the back.
She continued: “It’s always going to leave them susceptible at times but that’s their philosophy and they’re going to stick to it. The key thing is you don’t want to concede but it’s scoring more than the other team.
“It’s like Football 101; We score one more than them and we win it!”
As for the Central Coast Mariners, that result brought about an end to their impressive four-game winning streak and subsequently killed off any feint hopes of securing the Premiers Plate.
Furthermore, the win for City also means the Mariners are now unable to secure a top-two finish in the league however they can still guarantee themselves a spot in the top four.
A win over third-placed Western United will not only see the Mariners leapfrog their opponents on the ladder but it will also secure them a home elimination final in the first week of finals.
Wanderers take huge step towards finals football as injury-plagued Western United’s struggles continue
A double from Sophie Harding fired the Western Sydney Wanderers to a huge 3-1 win over Western United at the weekend, a result which now leaves them just a point away from playing finals football.
Despite going a goal down at Wanderers Football Park the home side rallied to secure all three points against a team in Western who they could now potentially face in the finals should they get there.
“This is what Wanderers have been doing when they actually play to their strengths,” remarked Matilda and Dub Zone panelist Ferguson. “When there is space in behind the opposition defence, get the ball into Sophie Harding.
WANDERERS 3-1 WESTERN: Injury blow to star striker as Wanderers come from behind to put one foot in the finals
“What Sophie has also improved on, and she’s said it herself, is her finishing. She’s been working hard on it this season and again, similar with other players with pace, now they’re becoming a more holistic player where they’ve got other elements to their game.”
On the other side of the result were Western United, with the defeat now leaving them in danger of finishing the regular season as low as sixth on the ladder.
The 3-1 loss to the Wanderers was the third defeat in a row for Kat Smith’s side who were also dealt a huge injury blow during the contest after leading scorer Hannah Keane was stretchered off with a knee injury.
Having already lost midfielders Adriana Taranto (ACL) and Chloe Logarzo (Hip) for the remainder of the season due to injury, Western will now be praying the severity of Keane’s issue is not as serious as it looks, especially given they now need to win their remaining game of the season in order to guarantee themselves at least a top four finish.
“They’re all pretty major injuries and major injuries to major players,” said Ferguson on Dub Zone. “Taranto, Logarzo and now Keane – it’s kind of like why can’t you catch a break.
“It’s not just what Kat Smith is going to do personnel wise, but your style of play is naturally going to change when you take three of those players out of the game.
“Do you change the formation? Are you just trying to switch like for like? You don’t have like for like, how are you going to tinker with it to give yourself the best opportunity going into this finals series?”
