For the first time in 2022-23, both the Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women took place on the same weekend, making for a busy three days for those managing fantasy teams in both Official A-Leagues Fantasy competitions.
These are the key headlines from the weekend’s fantasy action across the A-Leagues
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Ayres hitting her stride in ALW at a cut price
After a quiet opening two rounds, Melina Ayres is hitting her stride; her price has risen $81K since Round 1, and should the Melbourne Victory forward continue the form shown in Round 4, you can expect that trend to continue throughout the Liberty A-League season.
Ayres began the season priced at just $155K, as one of the cheapest fantasy assets in the game. The cut price was a result of Ayres’ truncated 2021-22 season in which she featured just four times for Victory (three of those appearances coming in the finals series).
Make no mistake: Ayres is a genuine golden boot contender. Should she remain fit and on the park for Jeff Hopkins’ side, expect the goals to flow with regularity. Ayres got off the mark in Round 3, and backed up her 12-point display with 20 more in Round 4, bagging a brace on the road against Perth Glory.
Phoenix midfielder becoming ALM must-have
It was a new-look Bozhidar Kraev returning from the World Cup break – but it was more of the same from Kraev on the field for Wellington Phoenix, who scored his third goal in four A-League Men games in Round 7.
A well-taken header in Wellington’s 1-1 draw with Western Sydney helped the Bulgarian international to 16 fantasy points in Round 7, and inclusion in the Fantasy Team of the Week.
Only Craig Goodwin (23.7) and Jamie Maclaren (16.0) have a better three-round average than Kraev (15.3) heading into Round 8; owned by just 7% of teams, Kraev’s value has risen by $200k as a result of his consistent form.
Gorry Watch: Matildas gun to return for Roar in ALW Round 5?
Could Round 5 of the A-League Women season provide the first sighting of Brisbane Roar star Katrina Gorry of 2022-23?
The gun Matildas midfielder re-signed for her hometown club ahead of the new campaign to continue her preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup; Gorry is a lock to feature at the tournament for Australia; after giving birth to first child Harper in 2021, Gorry returned to the Roar for the 2021-22 season, earned a spot in the Matildas squad and has since been superb at almost every time of asking in green and gold.
The midfielder spent the off-season with Vittsjo in Sweden; prior to the start of the A-League Women season Gorry told AAP: “It’s been a really big year, a really exciting year for me and probably my favourite year, to be honest. But I definitely need a bit of a break to come out firing for the next six months. I’ll have two weeks completely off and then two weeks lead in, and then see where I’m at.”
The opening four rounds of the season have come and gone. If Gorry is included in Brisbane’s squad for Round 5, expect her fantasy ownership to skyrocket.
Gorry is currently in 4% of teams, and is valued at $510K in Official A-League Women Fantasy. Keep an eye on the A-Leagues socials channels and the KEEPUP website on Thursday afternoon when Ins and Outs land ahead of the weekend’s action.
Sky Blues bye gives ALW fantasy owners significant headaches
Sydney FC’s bye in Round 5 of the Liberty A-League is set to sideline some of the most consistent fantasy scorers of the early-season; the question for fantasy managers is: to sell or not to sell?
Four Sydney FC stars made the A-League Women Team of the Week for Round 4: Sarah Hunter led all comers with 25 points from midfield, with Charlize Rule, Madison Haley and Kirsty Fenton all making the competition’s strongest fantasy XI over the weekend.
Hunter, Rule and Sydney defender Charlotte Mclean all occupy spots in the top 10 for total points after four rounds.
The Sky Blues quartet dominated a Team of the Week which also featured three stars apiece from both Melbourne Victory and Canberra United.
Ashlee Brodigan (Newcastle Jets) was the only player from a club outside Victory, Sydney FC and Canberra to make the Team of the Week. Incredibly, no player from Melbourne City made the cut in the strongest XI despite Dario Vidosic’s side notching a 5-1 win over the Jets.
A-LEAGUE WOMEN TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 4
Name (points)
GK: Casey Dumont (15)
DEF: Charlize Rule (21) Kirsty Fenton (16)
MID: Sarah Hunter (25) Vesna Milivojevic (19) Ashlee Brodigan (17) Alex Chidiac (16) Grace Maher (15)
FWD: Michelle Heyman (23) Madison Haley (21) Melina Ayres (20)
There was a greater spread of clubs in the A-League Men Team of the Week, with seven teams represented across the strongest XI in a 3-5-2 formation.
Perth Glory’s Jack Clisby top-scored for the weekend (19 points) thanks to a beautifully-struck goal against Western United at Macedonia Park – the left-footer put his curling attempt into the top-right corner with one of the cleanest strikes you’re likely to see this season.
And a special mention to Jamie Maclaren. Those without the City spearhead in their fantasy squad will be kicking themselves as the relentless goalscorer bagged his ninth goal in seven games to start the season against Sydney FC in Round 7.
On return from the World Cup with the Socceroos, Maclaren converted a first-half goal from the spot which helped him into the Fantasy Team of the Week, and brought him to within one goal of Andy Keogh’s all-time A-League Men record scoring in eight consecutive games.
Maclaren is on seven. Up next? The Melbourne Derby in Round 8. Score again, and he’ll have his slice of history. The way Maclaren is tracking throughout the early stages of the season, he’s odds on to make that record his own.
A-LEAGUE MEN TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 4
Name (points)
GK: Paul Izzo (12)
DEF: Jack Clisby (19) Jacob Muir (18) Jason Geria (12)
MID: Jay O’Shea (18) Bozhidar Kraev (16) Neil Kilkenny (16) Ryan Williams (16) Clayton Lewis (14)
FWD: Joe Lolley (14) Jamie Maclaren (12) Adam Le Fondre (12)
