The 2025-26 Ninja A-League season is down to the final six teams and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of week 1 of the Finals Series.
Canberra United v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, April 25 – McKellar Park– 2:00pm AEST
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Final table position
Canberra United: 3rd
Melbourne Victory: 6th
Heyman primed for Finals return as Victory skipper relishes ‘underdog’ tag
Canberra United return to the finals for the first time since the 2020-21 season and they’re keen for a deep finals run.
With question marks over the business side of the club, captain Michelle Heyman knows that there’s more than just football riding on their performance.
Standing in there way when it comes to sealing a spot in the Ninja A-League Semi-Finals though are old rivals Melbourne Victory.
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“We’re definitely starting a new. I think the best way to look at it (is) the season is over, so nothing really matters anymore,” said club captain Heyman when speaking at the Ninja A-League Finals Series launch.
“Finals football is so different compared to regular season games. So for us, we know how Victory play. We know the basics. We know Jeff as a coach. We know kind of all their normal key players who have been playing pretty much 90 minutes, week in, week out.
“So we can just assume things like that will continue. And for us, the last couple of weeks, it’s all just been focusing on us.
“Focusing on our football brand and how we want to play and continue to be that dominant attacking footballing team who like to go forward and to press.
“So yeah, for us, it’s just staying the same and working on us.”
After sitting in and around the top four for much of the season, Melbourne Victory only just scraped into finals by finishing ahead of Central Coast Mariners on goal difference.
Captain Kayla Morrison is banking on the experience of the squad and manager Jeff Hopkins to get them progressing.
“I think it probably just comes down to having the finals experience. I do think we’re an experienced team. I think most of our starting XI has been in finals before, whether it’s been with Victory or it’s been with other clubs.
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“I think Jeff has a really good way of pulling us all together going into the Finals Series and kind of reiterating that it might not always be pretty, but we will find a way to win.”
Melbourne Victory have gone from challenging for the Premiership to squeezing into the finals on goal difference on the final day and it’s a change that has led to many questioning whether the side has it in them to make a run to the Grand Final.
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That underdog tag suits Morrison and her teammates just fine.
“I do think it kind of takes the pressure off,” laughed the Captain. “A lot of people will say, like, you guys shouldn’t have even made finals. You shouldn’t be in this position.
“But the last two times that we’ve won the grand final, we came in as the bottom spot as well.
“So playing with that little bit of freedom, playing with, you know, other teams doubting us, that just kind of gives you the extra motivation, with the chip on your shoulder, to go out there, play a little bit more free.
“You don’t have the expectation, and you can just go out there and, you know, do what you want to do.”
Both times these sides met in the season seemed to follow the same script; Victory score first, before Canberra score three unanswered goals to make it 3-1 at full-time.
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Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United
Saturday, April 25 – Spencer Park – 5:00pm AEST
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Final table position
Brisbane Roar: 4th
Adelaide United: 5th
Reds hoping ‘reset’ has worked as A-Leagues legend ready to relive the glory days
Brisbane and Adelaide come into this one with completely opposite form lines. Brisbane have won their last three matches – scoring 11 goals in the process, while Adelaide have lost their last three matches – conceding eight goals.
Adelaide’s Ella Tonkin said during the week that the playing group is focussing on their feats earlier in the season.
“It was not an ideal way to finish off the regular season, but there was a lot of success that we saw throughout the season that got us into the position to play in finals.
“So we’re really just trying to take that forward into this game this weekend. And we’ve really regrouped and reset with this break that we’ve had.”
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A key absentee for Adelaide in recent weeks has been goalscorer Fiona Worts, who left the club to take up a lucrative offer in Asia.
According to Tonkin it’s the move, coupled with a gruelling schedule that ultimately resulted in the side’s end of season drop off. However they’re ready to bounce back on Saturday.
“I think it kind of started after those three games in the week period where we were kind of depleted by that third game against Canberra.
“Then we suffered a few injuries, and obviously we had Fiona leaving, who is a big part of our attack. So I think it was just a combination of a few events like that that kind of led to those downturn and I think also a bit of a change in mindset.
“I think once we kind of suffered that loss, we kind of got in our heads a bit, but I think this two week break has been good to kind of reset that mindset, and I think that will lead to us getting more positive results.”
Standing their way of back-to-back semi-final appearances are Brisbane Roar.
Having fallen away dramatically at the end of last season and subsequently missed out on the 2024-25 Finals Series altogether, Brisbane arrested a form slump this campaign and duly booked their spot in the end of season extravaganza.
Finals qualification is an achievement in itself for the club given they haven’t featured in the Ninja A-League Finals Series since the 2020-21 season.
For club captain and Matildas legend Tameka Yallop it’s something that’s long overdue, given she was previously a key part of some of the Roar’s most successful A-League Women’s sides.
“I think we had a really good build up last season, and we were kind of unlucky not to make top six. And this season, it’s fallen the right way for us.
“I feel like it’s been building for a couple of seasons, and the group that we have together this season is has kind of pushed us over that line, and everyone’s raring to go.
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She later added: “I think it’s exciting. I think it also speaks to sort of the league and how competitive it’s gotten. I think if you look at all the teams that were fighting right until the last game for a top six position, it’s incredible to see that we’re also now, you know, home and away as well, a full season.
“So there’s been lots of growth and lots of change and it is nice to be here when we’re finally sort of back in that top half of the table. And yeah, of course, I’d love to play my part, but I think it’s going to take the whole team and that’s what we’ve been building over the last couple of years.
“So while I’m loving being part of it, I think it’s not really just down to me. I think there are a lot of girls that want to experience it for the first time, and are sort of pushing it as much as I am as well.
“So yeah, look, I think we’re all pretty excited for the weekend.”
Honours are shared between these sides this season; Brisbane taking the three points home with them from Adelaide with a 3-1 win in December and Adelaide winning 2-0 in Brisbane in February.
