Kai Trewin has been soaring to new heights since joining Melbourne City at the start of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season, catching the attention of the Socceroos. aleagues.com.au looks at the numbers behind the 24-year-old star heading into Saturday night’s Semi-Final second leg.
There was a moment late in last week’s clash at AAMI Park that summed up Kai Trewin.
Melbourne City were in control and leading 3-0 in the opening leg of their Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Final when the ball fell to Western United’s Oli Lavale. Then, Trewin popped up.
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The 24-year-old produced a last-ditch tackle to deny City’s rivals and preserve the team’s three-goal advantage heading into Saturday’s return fixture.
It was a perfectly-time challenge from a player at the top of his game with the clock winding down – a player refusing to give an inch.
It highlighted Trewin’s exceptional quality.
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“We knew he was always a good player. Someone at his age before he came here 22 almost 23, playing 100 games of A-League that’s never easy to do. He definitely has qualities here,” City head coach Aurelio Vidmar said earlier this season.
“But he’s just grown in the working he’s doing in the gym. The work we’ve been giving him that he takes on board very quickly.
“When you have a good mindset, you’re always wanting to learn and that’s what he is. He comes in everyday always picking up something, and always wanting to do well.
“He is a leader within his own right. He is not the vocal guy but when he has to say something, he says something.
“Firstly he is an exceptional person and he is going to be an exceptional player. I don’t think this is his last bus stop to be honest. I expect him to go onto bigger and better things.”
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Trewin has barely put a foot wrong since swapping Brisbane Roar for City at the start of 2024-25. In fact, the highly-rated Australian is soaring to new heights. As well as being one of the leading men in a Championship push, he was also recognised by Tony Popovic after being called up for the Subway Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup qualifiers in March.
He has been instrumental in not only City having one foot in the Grand Final, but also helping the 2021 champions finish second in the regular season to qualify for the lucrative 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite.
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In his first season in Melbourne, Trewin has played 25 league matches, scoring a career-high three goals – only four other players at City have scored more goals than him and they’re not defenders.
Trewin has always been highly rated but his 2024-25 stats are elite.
Able to play in midfield as well as full-back and centre-back, the versatile Aussie has been able to do it all this season – defend, pass and score.
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At City this term, Trewin ranks first for aerial duels (108), aerial duels won (67), clearances (126), headed clearances (55), carry directness (173.7), forward passes (621), passes into the final third (255), successful passes (1,589), successful passes own half (935) and successful passes in the opposition half (654).
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It paints a picture of his positioning on the field.
This is a player who is also in the top three at City for duels (197), duels won (110), tackles (32), interceptions (30), possession won (110), total carries (409), total carry distance (4,288.7), total carry progress (2,290.6), possession won middle third (60), passes ending in final third (375) and successful passes ending in final third (275).
If you compare his numbers among defenders across the Isuzu UTE A-League this season, they also standout.
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Trewin is first for successful passes in the opposition half, while he is second for passes into final third, successful passes and aerial duels.
He is also top five for aerial duels won, forward passes and possession won in the middle third. Not to mention only Sydney FC’s Jordan Courtney-Perkins and Nando Pijnaker of Auckland FC have scored more goals than him in 2024-25.
It is safe to say his Melbourne move is paying dividends.
“Sort of since the start of the season, my teammates in Melbourne and the coaches gave me a lot of confidence,” Trewin said previously.
“I wouldn’t say there was one sort of moment [when I knew I was ready], but just this season as a whole has been quite good for me and I feel like I’ve really stepped it up a bit this year.”
