Melbourne Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins says Sunday’s Grand Final showdown at AAMI Park is a fixture he’s been obsessing over during the entire course of the 2024-25 Ninja A-League season.
Victory secured their spot in the showpiece event at AAMI Park after dispatching Adelaide United 6-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals whilst opponents Central Coast Mariners overcame Premiers Melbourne City over the course of two legs.
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Hopkins’ side head into the game as favourites to secure a fourth Ninja A-League Championship given they’re currently unbeaten in their last 15 matches, chalking up a whopping 13 wins during that time.
“I think everyone else can think what they like. We don’t see ourselves as (favourites) we see it as an even game,” said Hopkins when speaking at the Grand Final media conference on Friday afternoon.
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“We’re going out there to start the game and play the game from 0-0 which it will be and trying to win the game the way that we we normally try and win the games.
“Favourites or not, underdogs, (it) doesn’t really come into it, to be honest. We’ve got a process to follow and we’ll follow that and if we get it right we’ll win the game.
He later added: “We’ve got to hold our nerve. I think I know what type of game it’s going to be. It’s going to be a tight game. It’s going to be a game where there’s not going to be a lot in the difference between winning and losing.
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“It’s going to be small margins and that’s what we’ve been good at all season, doing the little things, doing the unpopular things, the dirty things, you know that people don’t always equate with good teams.
He continued: “But the real good teams get everything done, not just the nice things out on the park and I think if we can hold on there and make sure that we look after those things, then we’ll come through, and I think we’ll win the game.”
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Sunday’s game at AAMI Park will be the seventh Ninja A-League Grand Final that Hopkins will have contested and it’s a feat the 61-year-old certainly doesn’t take for granted.
“No definitely not, I haven’t smiled all season, until it’s all about this game,” said Hopkins when speaking to reporters.
“This is all that I’ve been thinking about all season. I might have hidden it a little bit and talked about the next game and the next game, but this is the next game for us and it’s what I’ve been waiting for all season.”
Despite putting together their record-breaking unbeaten run of form Victory ultimately missed out on clinching the Premiership as they were pipped to the crown by rivals Melbourne City on the final day of the regular season.
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However when it comes to playing finals football Hopkins has a wealth of big game experience to not only choose from but to also lean on when it comes to competing for the biggest prizes.
“It is an advantage and I think the lead up to the game is really important and we’ve got a lot of calm people around the place, which is really good.
“I think that’s where the experience really helps players that have been in these games before. They understand maybe some of the pitfalls as well. So we don’t fall into those little traps.
“They’ve been there before. So the lead up to the grand final has been good fun. It’s been – as you can hear in there – we’ve enjoyed the week, but we’ve had some great quality training as well.
“I think everybody understands what we need to do and what we’re here for. And yeah, whether it be the experienced players that have been there before, or the ones that haven’t, I think we’re all on the same page.”
Arguably key to Victory’s chances of lifting the trophy on Sunday will be the central defensive pairing of Kayla Morrison and Claudia Bunge.
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“I sleep a lot better at night knowing that I’ve got those two (in) central defence,” said Hopkins when asked how they plan to contain the Mariners attack.
“But also, the good thing about them is we talk about having a real pride in our defence, and we talk about clean sheets. It means a lot to to us, and it means a lot to them to to make sure that for the whole of the game, not just some of the game or most of the game, they’re on their game.
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“They’re switched on. And yeah, look, we’re, we’re not bad at scoring late goals either.”
For Morrison in particular Sunday represents the perfect opportunity to finally achieve something that was so cruelly taken away from her the last time Victory reached the Grand Final.
Having been named captain in 2022, Morrison then tore her ACL and as such missed out on the chance to lead her side out in the Ninja A-League Grand Final, a game which Victory ultimately won by defeating Sydney FC 2-1.
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“I don’t really want to think about it at the moment, but yeah, I’ll guess it’ll be quite an emotional moment for me,” said Hopkins when asked about the prospect of Morrison lifting the trophy on Sunday as captain.
“I still can’t watch the last one without shedding a tear. So yeah, it will make an old man very happy.”
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