Analysis: Hyundai A-League hat-trick heroes

Red-hot Roar man Jamie Maclaren added his name to the list of 2016/17 Hyundai A-League hat-trick heroes last weekend. But how many triples have we seen this season and how does “Macca” compare to Bruno and “Santa”?

The Roar marksman scored three times in eight explosive minutes during Brisbane’s emphatic 5-1 win over the Mariners at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

Hyundai A-League star in FIFA Team of the Week

It also helped earn him a selection as a reserve for this week’s FIFA 17 Team of the Week. 

It was the fifth hat-trick of the 2016/17 A-League season…

• Andy Keogh, Perth Glory v Melbourne City, round 3
• Besart Berisha, Melbourne Victory v Wellington Phoenix, round 4
• Besart Berisha, Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers, round 10
•  Brendon Santalab, Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne City, round 24
• Jamie Maclaren, Brisbane Roar v Central Coast Mariners, round 25

That surpasses the number of hat-tricks in three of the last four seasons, with two rounds and the Finals Series still to come.

But there is still some way go to match the lofty heights of 2014/15, which saw nine hat-tricks netted.

SANTA NOT HAPPY WITH SINGLES

Brendon Santalab is making a habit of scoring in clumps.

In nine of the games in which he’s scored this season, Santa has gone on to get at least one more goal four times.

It means 64% of his goals for the Wanderers (nine out of 14) have come as part of a brace or hat-trick.

BRUNO KEEPS BANGING THEM IN

While he hasn’t scored a hat-trick this season, Melbourne City talisman Bruno Fornaroli has had more multi-goal games than any other player.

His five braces account for 59% of his total goal scoring tally for the season.

In a record-breaking debut A-League campaign in 2015/16, the Uruguayan scored 25 goals in 29 games, including a hat-trick and six braces.

MULTIPLE GOALS MEAN THREE POINTS

Not surprisingly, all five hat-trick scorers this season have led their side to victory.

And of the 40 instances of a player scoring two or more goals in a game, all but five of them have been in a winning effort.