Catch up on the Ninja A-League Team of the Week, powered by Opta.
The Ninja A-League 2025-26 season kicked off over the weekend and there was plenty of excitement and goals.
Perth Glory forward Gabby Hollar inspired her team’s curtain-raising victory over Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday night with a brace.
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Note: The weekly Team of the Week will feature matches played from Monday to Sunday.
Team of the Week
What is the Opta Points system?
Opta Points is a system where points are given to players for certain on-field actions. Players who complete the full game duration on the field typically end up with a point total ranging from 10 to 40 points. (View the full breakdown of Opta Points below).
Hollar’s two-goal haul on Friday night headlines the opening Team of the Week for 2025-26 – the Glory forward scoring 43.6 points as Perth celebrated their first away triumph since December 2023.
Another star performer was Brisbane Roar debutant Bente Jansen (37.8). The Netherlands international capped her bow with a brilliant free-kick as Roar took down 2024-25 runners-up Melbourne Victory 3-2 in Round 1.
Glory forward Rola Badawiya (34.4), Western Sydney’s Ella Buchanan (35.8) and Melbourne City debutant Aideen Kean (30.6) were also among the goals, while Roar goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln (33.4), Sydney FC star Mackenzie Hawkesby (32.4), Victory captain Kayla Morrison (27.6), City defender Taylor Otto (27.6), Canberra United’s Sasha Grove (25) and Central Coast Mariners defender Kaiya Buchanan (23.8) earned Team of the Week honours.
Ninja A-League Team of the Week
Goalkeeper: Chloe Lincoln (Brisbane Roar, 33.4)
Defenders: Kaiya Buchanan (Central Coast Mariners, 23.8), Kayla Morrison (Melbourne Victory, 27.6), Taylor Otto (Melbourne City, 27.6), Sasha Grove (Canberra United, 25)
Midfielders: Bente Jansen (Brisbane Roar, 37.8), Ella Buchanan (Western Sydney Wanderers, 35.8), Mackenzie Hawkesby (Sydney FC, 32.4)
Forwards: Rola Badawiya (Perth Glory, 34.4), Gabby Hollar (Perth Glory, 43.6), Aideen Keane (Melbourne City, 30.6)
Explained: Opta’s Team of the Week using Opta Points
The scoring system distinguishes only between field players and goalkeepers, assigning the same number of points to all field players for corresponding actions. A distinctive feature of this system is its exclusive focus on in-game actions, refraining from awarding points for post-game performances, such as securing a victory or allocating bonus points for maintaining a clean sheet.
Positive actions (goals, passes, tackles, etc…) will add to a player’s score and, conversely, negative actions (cards, own goals, goals conceded) will reduce a player’s points total. Theoretically, a player’s points value is unlimited, and players can conclude a game with negative points. However, players who complete the full game duration on the field typically end up with a point total ranging from 10 to 40 points.
Goals, Shots on target, shots off target, blocked shots, own goal, assists, passes, crosses, tackles, interceptions, fouls won, fouls conceded, offsides, yellow cards, red cards, goals conceded, penalty won, saves, penalty saved are included in Opta Points.
