Another week, another slate of major talking points from the Ninja A-League, brought to you by the Dub Zone crew.
ROUND 4 PREVIEW: What you need to know for Round 4 of the Ninja A-League
On this week’s episode, Amy Duggan and A-Leagues commentator Teo Pellizzeri are joined by Sydney FC legend Teresa Polias to break down all the biggest talking points from Round 3.
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Wanderers play the long game with strategy to recruit ‘best in the league’ imports
Is Western Sydney Wanderers’ unique transfer strategy set to pay dividends in the Ninja A-League 2025-26 season?
That was the question posed on Dub Zone this week after South Korean attacker Kim So-eun (Sony)’s second appearance in Red & Black – a surprise 1-0 win to the Wanderers over Brisbane Roar on the road.
With Sony impressing in attack for Geoff Abrahams’ side, the Wanderers are on the rise and with Chinese international duo Wang Ying and Yuan Cong yet to arrive at Wanderland to take part in the 2025-26 campaign, the Wanderers will be well stocked with overseas talent once the three Asian imports get into full swing this season.
“They still haven’t had their Chinese imports, Yuan Cong and Wang Ying arrive, recommended by the Chinese national team coach, Australian Ante Milicic,” Pellizzeri said.
“The Wanderers have been patient because they are quietly confident that, like Kim So-eon, their foreigners are worth the wait, and that while other teams wanted players who were here for Round 1, they want the best foreigners in the league.
“So far, so good, but it is only one win, and we need to see that level of commitment and dedication and fight every week if they’re going to be a consistent contender.”
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Wanderers star earns 3rd straight selection!
18yo ‘baller’ showcases insane skillset: ‘That was awesome!’
Remember the name: Danella Butrus.
The 18-year-old Junior Matildas star is excelling through the early months of her time at Melbourne City and, after two bench appearances in the Ninja A-League, has been unleashed on the continental stage during her new club’s three-game AFC Women’s Champions League stint in Vietnam this week.
Butrus made her first City start and scored in a 5-0 win over Lion City Sailors. Three days later, she came off the bench and scored again in a 7-0 whalloping of Stallion Laguna FC.
It was against Laguna that Butrus produced her most eye-catching City highlight to date: an audacious rainbow flick that helped the teenage talent breeze past her defender and drive into City’s attacking box.
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“It’s obvious the players who watch football and the players who play football,” Pellizzeri said, while marvelling at the 18-year-old’s piece of trickery.
“Danella Butrus, she is a baller! She gets up early and she watches the games. I mean, you don’t go for skills like this unless you’ve seen someone else try them and you want to replicate them yourself. That was just awesome.
Polias added: “That was audacious and really good to see her with the confidence.
She’s only played in the A-League so early in her career, but she’s obviously happy and having fun where she’s at. And it’s nice to see a player out there showing their creativity and making it happen on the pitch.”
Are the Jets flying under the radar? ‘Could certainly be a dark horse’
Other teams are writing the headlines after three rounds, but after a strong off-season recruitment push, Newcastle Jets are shaping as a genuine contender for a spot in the Finals Series and their progress under new head coach Stephen Hoyle is not to be ignored.
The Jets beat Canberra on the road in Round 1 and, after a Round 2 bye, travelled to face predicted title contenders Wellington Phoenix at Porirua Park, where they came away with a point from a 1-1 draw.
The return of star striker Melina Ayres to the club this season was met with much excitement due to the lethal spearhead’s ability to score at will; Ayres converted from the penalty spot against Wellington to get off the mark for the season and earn her side a point.
MATCH REPORT: International star sidelined with injury as Wellington held by Jets
Down the other end, Kiwi goalkeeper Anna Leat has excelled through Newcastle’s first two games and is lifting the level of a team predicted to mix things up with the best going around this season on the Dub Zone panel.
“Real credit to the Jets that they’ve kind of gone under the radar a bit,” Pellizzeri said.
“Melina Ayres has scored from the penalty spot as their only goal of the weekend, so that’s a bit of pressure off her. The Kiwi import Anna Leat in goal in particular, we were expecting an upgrade, but it looks as though late is really giving the Jets a bit of confidence to build on into this new campaign.
“They’re slowly going about their business, aren’t they?” Polias added.
“You know, they haven’t lost the game, which is great. I think it’s one of their better starts they’ve had in recent years. So I think the Jets are slowly building their confidence, and could certainly be a dark horse.”
This 11-year journey to 100 games is the ‘blueprint’ for any footballer lacking belief
Eleven years on from her Ninja A-League debut, Rhianna Pollicina is a 100-game player and any footballer on the fringes of a top-flight squad should be taking inspiration from the Melbourne Victory star’s journey.
The 28-year-old played five games for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2014, then spent more than six years without a Ninja A-League club. Her return came via Newcastle Jets in 2021, and the rest is history; Pollicina was a star for the Jets in her sole season at the club, before a fruitful four seasons at Melbourne City where she scored 29 goals – the second-most of any player in City’s history – and won two Premiership titles.
In her first season at Victory, Pollicina made the 100th appearance of her Ninja A-League career in Round 3 against Central Coast Mariners, and marked the occasion with the winning goal in a 1-0 triumph that sent her new club to the top of the table.
On Dub Zone, A-Leagues commentator Teo Pellizzeri labelled Pollicina’s career the “blueprint” to follow for any player who drifts in and out of the Ninja A-League and is left wondering whether their future is tied to the Australian top flight.
“Rhianna Pollicina, I’m not sure there’s a player who better typifies persistence, personal belief, a great support network, and also the value of working on your game,” Pellizzeri said.
“This milestone is special for Rhianna Pollicina, not just because it’s 100 games, not just because Victory won, but because she was out of this league for years.
“She got a little taste just five games at the Western Sydney Wanderers in the 2014-15, season, and she was out until the 2020-21 season. For most players, that’s your time in the national league over.
“But Rhianna Pollicina is a blueprint for everyone who is going back to NPL pre-season, who’s maybe had a little taste or been overlooked in their teenage years to say: Pollicina has done it, I believe in myself, I can do it too.”
