Nicki Flannery was Melbourne Victory’s Original Rivalry hero in Round 21, occupying a new role on the right wing that could see the rapid winger become head coach Jeff Hopkins’ not-so-secret weapon in the finals series.
In her first season at Victory, Flannery has been utilised in multiple roles but, deployed on the right side of a three-pronged attack against Adelaide United, the 26-year-old was a thorn int the Reds’ side as she scored a clinical brace in a 2-1 win.
Flannery came into Round 21 with just two goals to her name at Victory but doubled her tally for the season, with her second goal of the Original Rivalry clash in second-half stoppage time sealing three points and all-but securing a second-place finish for Victory with two rounds left to play until the post-season.
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Despite playing the majority of the game down the right side of Victory’s attack, Flannery’s ability to drift in and out of positions caused problems for Adelaide.
Her first goal of the game came in a rare foray to the left wing, while her winning goal – a powerful header – came as a result of a brief positional switch with striker Emily Gielnik, with the Matildas forward’s cross meeting Flannery’s central run into the box for the decisive goal.
On this week’s episode of Dub Zone, A-Leagues commentator Teo Pellizzeri and two-time Ninja A-League Champion Teresa Polias highlighted Flannery as a potential difference-maker for Victory in the lead-up to finals.
“(It was) a masterstroke from Jeff Hopkins,” said Pellizzeri, regarding Flannery’s deployment on the right wing.
“She’s had a great season and I think she finally got reward for it.
“I think Flannery has had great moments in the season but at times I think she struggled playing on the left. We saw Gielnik through the middle, on the right. We saw Holly Furphy come into the team and mix up the dynamic.
“I feel as thought Victory weren’t at their brilliant best in this game, they took a long time to warm up and had the cutting edge in the dying moments… Victory showed a real winning mentality to get over the line.”
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“You mention she’s been a bit inconsistent,” Polias replied, “But I feel like it’s hard in those positions, you’re going to have inconsistencies… (but) she’s a very experienced player. She’s been around this league for a very long time and has plenty of finals experience.
“I think she could definitely be the player that steps up during the finals for Victory.”
Flannery and Victory are taking part in the only game of this weekend’s international break: a rescheduled fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers at Wanderers Football Park on Sunday evening.
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Champions’ unlikely route to finals mapped out with 17yo the ‘gamechanger’ in late tilt for top six
Sydney FC have left it late to make a charge for the finals, but don’t count out the reigning champions just yet.
The Sky Blues have won four of their last five games leading into the last two rounds of the season. The dramatic turnaround in form came off the back of just two wins through the first 16 games of the season in their championship defence.
The Sky Blues are five points off sixth-placed Canberra United, who are the last remaining team inside the top six yet to cement their place in the finals.
Pellizzeri mapped out the finals permutations on Dub Zone, and the results that the Sky Blues desperately need to go their way to facilitate a surge into the top six.
“They will be cursing that Perth dropped that game to Canberra, because Canberra is now in the box seat, they control their destiny,” Pellizzeri said.
“If Canberra draw one more game their goal difference is -6. Sydney FC would have to win all their remaining games and overtake Canberra’s goal difference in order to do that.
“Sydney (are) home to Perth (and) away to Adelaide. Canberra (are) home to Wellington, (and) away to Western Sydney Wanderers.
“The other spanner in the works is if Brisbane can win one more game, they would also go to 28 (points) and have a far better goal difference, and that would effectively knock Sydney out.
“It’s pretty unlikely at this point but to even get to two rounds of the season to go, it just goes to show that if you’re the big boss of the league and you’ve got all that history behind you and all of those trophies in your cabinet, it just looms over other teams that are trying to fall over the line.”
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One player who has proved influential in Sydney’s resurgence has been 17-year-old Indiana Dos Santos. Named the Shark Player of the Month and Boost Mobile Young Footballer of the Year nominee in February, Dos Santos scored the sealing goal in Sydney’s 2-0 derby win over Western Sydney Wanderers in Round 21 to ensure the Sky Blues’ winning streak extended to three games.
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Former Sydney midfielder Polias praised Dos Santos as a rising star with an experienced head on her shoulders, who is thriving in a position central to her side’s attacking play.
“When you meet her, she’s such a chilled out kid. I think she just enjoy it,” Polias said.
“I don’t think she thinks too much about it, she just goes out and plays football.
“Lately she’s actually played more central and I think that’s been a gamechanger for Sydney.”
“It comes very naturally,” Pellizzeri added. “Even in a team that’s struggling, her own performances have been improving. She just gets better and better regardless of whatever hurdles the team collectively have struggled to overcome.”
