With less than 50 days to go until the start of the 2017/18 Hyundai A-League Season, how are the squads shaping up?
Here’s your Hyundai A-League transfer report card for the Jets, Perth, Phoenix, Sydney FC and Wanderers.
Read the report cards for the Reds, Roar, Mariners, Victory and City here
Newcastle Jets
In: Daniel Georgievski, Mario Shabow, Roy O’Donovan, Kosta Petratos, Glen Moss, Dimi Petratos, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Jake Adelson
Out: Andrew Hoole, Morten Nordstrand, Joel Allwright, Labinot Haliti, Ben Kennedy, Ma Lei, Daniel Mullen, Mateo Poljak, Tomislav Arcaba, Kristian Brymora, Aleksandr Kokko
New coach Ernie Merrick has refreshed the Jets squad as they seek a long-awaited return to finals football.
The roster already looks better than last season, but it’s the three remaining international players who may have the biggest influence on Newcastle’s campaign.
They need to be confirmed soon in order to give Merrick time to integrate them into his system.
Grade: B
Perth Glory
In: Scott Neville, Jacob Poscoliero, Joe Knowles, Mitch Nichols, Jake Brimmer, Andreu Guerao
Out: Dino Djulbic, Kosta Petratos, Richard Garcia, Josh Risdon, Aryn Williams, Rhys Williams, Lucian Goian, Nebojsa Marinkovic, Mitchell Oxborrow, Jordan Thurtell, Rostyn Griffiths
Glory have some work to do. The loss of captain Griffiths as well as the experience of Djulbic, Risdon, Garcia, Marinkovic and the Williams brothers presents a challenge for Kenny Lowe.
Nichols and Neville and proven Hyundai A-League performers and Brimmer is a promising youngster, while Andreu returns to the competition, having previously played for Western Sydney.
It’s in midfield where Glory need further strengthening, while another defender would be handy, too.
Grade: C
Sydney FC
In: Paulo Retre, Alex Cisak, Luke Wilkshire, Chris Zuvela, Adrian Mierzejewski
Out: Riley Woodcock, Bernie Ibini, Filip Holosko, George Blackwood, Bai Antoniou, George Timotheou, Danny Vukovic, Milos Dimitrijevic
Graham Arnold has retained the vast majority of his all-conquering 2016/17 squad and covered the losses of Vukovic, Holosko and the injured Rhyan Grant with Cisak, Mierzejewski and Wilkshire.
There’s still room to strengthen further too, as the Sky Blues look to go back-to-back.
Grade: A-
Wellington Phoenix
In: Scott Galloway, Goran Paracki, Dario Vidosic, Daniel Mullen, Andrija Kaludjerovic, Ali Abbas
Out: Roly Bonevacia, Shane Smeltz, Jacob Tratt, Glen Moss, Kosta Barbarouses, Alex Rodriguez, Vince Lia
Wellington have lost some good players, but gained some too. Bonevacia and Barbarouses leave the biggest holes, but in Vidosic and Kaludjerovic, new coach Darije Kalezic looks to have recruited well.
Paracki is a handy defensive midfielder and Galloway and Mullen strengthen the backline.
But it’s the addition of former Sydney FC favourite Ali Abbas that could be crucial for their finals hopes. The Iraqi will add passion and goals to the Phoenix side.
Grade: B+
Western Sydney Wanderers
In: Josh Risdon, Michael Thwaite, Roly Bonevacia, Abraham Majok, John Hall, Nicholas Suman, Oriol Riera, Marc Tokich, Mark Bridge, Álvaro Cejudo, Chris Herd.
Out: Dimas, Mitch Nichols, Scott Neville, Bruno Piñatares, Ryan Griffiths, Liam Youlley, Stefan Zinni, Emilio Martinez, Nicolás Martinez, Terry Antonis, Shannon Cole, Mario Shabow, Jackson Bandiera, Aritz Borda
Tony Popovic has undertaken one of his trademark clean-outs with 14 players leaving the Wanderers and a host of new faces arriving.
The upshot is certainly a strengthened squad, with only Martinez and Antonis likely to be severely missed.
Bonevacia and Risdon are excellent additions, the return of prodigal son Bridge will be very well-received, new attacking imports Cejudo and Riera have fine pedigree, while Herd and Thwaite add experience to the side’s spine.
Grade: B+
