The final round of the Isuzu UTE A-League season kicks off on Friday night – and with the start of a new round comes fresh possibilities for you and your Official A-Leagues Fantasy team!
Consider these five fantasy options heading into Round 26, thanks to neds.
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INS AND OUTS: Big names back for Isuzu UTE A-League’s tense top-six fight
Nestory Irankunda (Adelaide United)
- Price: $224K
- Ownership: 3%
- Three-round average: 5.7 points
Friday night’s blockbuster clash between second-placed Adelaide United and Central Coast Mariners has all the makings of an A-Leagues classic – and when the match clock strikes the hour mark, watch out for Nestory Irankunda off the bench.
The 17-year-old Adelaide forward is yet to make an A-League Men start – but in his 31 bench appearances across two seasons, has so often wreaked havoc on tiring defences.
No player has played more minutes (449), scored more goals (five), or made more shots at goal (29) as a substitute in the 2022/23 A-League Men season than Adelaide United’s Nestory Irankunda. His latest goal came in the 99th minute of Adelaide’s simply ridiculous 4-4 draw with Perth Glory last weekend. It feels as though Irankunda is primed to have one last impactful bench cameo as his side welcome the Mariners to Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
Robert Mak (Sydney FC)
- Price: $391K
- Ownership: 4%
- Three-round average: 10.0
Sydney FC’s off-season recruit was on a subdued run of A-League Men form through the early stages of 2023. Then, he went away on international duty with Slovakia, and scored a goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His return to Australia has coincided with a blistering return to form. Mak has bagged four goals in as many games since the start of April, the last of which coming off a neat piece of interplay with fellow Sydney winger Joe Lolley in a 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar.
The pressure is off Sydney FC as they head into the last round of the season. They take on the Jets in Round 26, a side bruising from defeat to Central Coast which ended their hopes of a top-six finish. Arthur Papas’ side is without co-captains Carl Jenkinson and Brandon O’Neill due to red cards picked up in the F3 Derby.
However, keep an eye on whether he plays this weekend, as he came from the field early in their 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar. Coach Steve Corica said he’s all good, but is no certainty to suit up.
Adam Taggart (Perth Glory)
- Price: $252K
- Ownership: 0.4%
- Three-round average: 8.7
Adam Taggart is in flying form heading toward the end of the regular season. The Perth Glory striker bagged a brace in Round 25 in that thrilling 4-4 draw with Adelaide, and with each game is looking more and more like the Socceroo who returned to Perth on a long-term deal in mid-season.
Injuries have stalled Taggart’s progress through the backend of the campaign, but he looks set to finish the season on a high against Western United at HBF Park on Saturday night. Taggart has scored three goals across his last three starts in the A-League Men after scoring only two goals in his 11 previous starting appearances in the competition.
Adam Le Fondre (Sydney FC)
- Price: $398K
- Ownership: 3%
- Three-round average: 13.3
Much like Mak, Le Fondre is a player who has produced with consistency for Sydney FC over a four-game unbeaten run which secured finals football for the Sky Blues.
Adam Le Fondre has been directly involved in four of Sydney FC’s last seven goals scored in the A-League Men (three goals, one assist). His strike against Brisbane in Round 25 was Le Fondre at his clinical best: taking one touch to control, the Englishman swivelled and fired past Jordan Holmes into the back of the net.
Up next? The out of form Jets.
Sam Silvera (Central Coast Mariners)
- Price: $294K
- Ownership: 4%
- Three-round average: 12.3
The star of last week’s F3 Derby, Samuel Silvera let his former side know exactly what he has to offer in the final third with two fantastic goals, cutting in off the left wing to cause problems with his lethal left boot.
Silvera has flown under the radar as one of the signings of the season league-wide. After Garang Kuol’s January departure from the Mariners, Silvera has stepped up to shoulder plenty of the attacking burden. He’s a pivotal foil to Marco Tulio and Jason Cummings in Nick Montgomery’s attack.
The Mariners take on Adelaide on Friday night; the second-placed Reds are one of the best sides in the league going forward, but have conceded the most goals of any top-four side. Silvera will fancy a goal in the final round of the campaign.
