If you’re hoping for a touch of spice in Round 1, look no further than Saturday’s F3 Derby on the Central Coast, as the Mariners and Jets resume their fierce rivalry.
Fans of the Mariners and Socceroos alike will be itching to see teenage sensation Garang Kuol lace up for the hosts, with opportunities to watch the 18-year-old destined for Premier League club Newcastle United in the flesh on home soil at a premium prior to the FIFA Men’s World Cup kicking off in Qatar in November.
Marco Ureña’s Gosford departure leaves a significant hole in Nick Montgomery’s attack – but newly-capped Socceroo Jason Cummings is itching to pick up the slack. He’s one of many players looking to use the opening rounds of the A-League Men season to stake a claim for a spot on the plane to Qatar, and has laid down a marker in pre-season to fellow Socceroo and Melbourne City striker Jamie Maclaren to expect a scrap in this season’s Golden Boot race.
Newcastle will look a very different side under Arthur Papas this season. Star midfielder Daniel Penha led the off-season departures, but 11 players have come through the door to join the Jets including Brandon O’Neill, Reno Piscopo, Trent Buhagiar and Jaushua Sotirio. Papas has elected to lean on players experienced in the league to fill squad gaps ahead of his second season at the helm.
Watch out for Piscopo should he make his Jets debut; the former Wellington Phoenix creator has the flair and attacking creativity to match Penha’s output last season, and could be poised for a breakout season should he stay fit and healthy.
Opta stat: The Central Coast Mariners have won their last three straight A-League Men games against the Newcastle Jets, the second time they’ve won as many in succession and the first time since 2014; they have never won four straight games against the Jets in the competition.
MATCH DETAILS
Central Coast Mariners v Newcastle Jets
Saturday, October 8 2022
Central Coast Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Mariners $1.98, Draw $3.50, Jets $3.30
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Austin powers toward Round 1 as Roar welcome Aus Cup champs to Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Roar return to Suncorp Stadium to kick off 2022-23 – and a fully-fit Charlie Austin is ready to fire in his league debut for the Queenslanders.
The former Premier League marksman arrived Down Under in early July; a three-month pre-season which included friendlies against Aston Villa and Leeds United as well as a deep run in the Australia Cup has helped to ready the Englishman for battle in the league.
Brisbane’s Round 1 opponents are arguably the only club in the land coming off a better pre-season than the Roar. Macarthur FC are riding high after lifting the 2022 Australia Cup title, defeating NPL club Sydney United 58 in the final on October 1. Dwight Yorke’s managerial career is off to a flier, and his star-studded Bulls outfit looms as a must-watch in 2022-23.
Daniel Arzani’s Australian return adds to Macarthur’s allure, with Craig Noone, Ulises Dávila, Daniel De Silva and Al Hassan Toure joining Arzani in a frightening frontline.
Opta stat: The last time Brisbane Roar FC began an A-League Men season with a win was in 2015 when they defeated Western Sydney Wanderers FC 3-1; they’ve since logged three draws and three losses in such fixtures.
MATCH DETAILS
Brisbane Roar v Macarthur FC
Saturday, October 8 2022
Suncorp Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Roar $2.35, Draw $3.30, Bulls $2.75
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Nani primed for A-Leagues debut in Big Blue
It’s the box-office bout of the opening round: Sydney FC hosting Melbourne Victory at the Sky Blues’ sparkling new home at Allianz Stadium.
On hand to bolster the visitor’s hopes of spoiling the homecoming party is Luis Nani, the former Portugal international and Manchester United star looming as one of the biggest marquees to grace the A-League Men.
Like Austin at Roar, Nani has enjoyed a long run-up to the season, and by all reports has shown intense dedication to pre-season training under Victory boss Tony Popovic. He’ll look to play from the start against Sydney amongst an attacking unit featuring Nick D’Agostino, Tomi Juric, Chris Ikonomidis, Ben Folami and reigning Johnny Warren Medallist Jake Brimmer.
Victory finished second last season, falling just shy of the Grand Final. Sydney, meanwhile, came eighth. Head coach Steve Corica was backed in the off-season to right the wrongs of 2021-22, and his squad looks all the better for it: Jack Rodwell crossed town to join the Sky Blues, with Milos Ninkovic heading the other way. Slovakian international Robert Mak shapes as a dangerous recruit, whilst Diego Caballo, Joe Lolley and Alex Parsons all add quality to Corica’s squad.
Throw out last season’s form book, because anything could happen when these two great rivals meet on Saturday night.
Opta stat: Melbourne Victory picked up a 4-1 win in their last A-League Men game against Sydney FC (7 May 2022), snapping a nine-game winless streak against the Sky Blues (D1, L8); this will be the first A-League Men game played at the new Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, October 8 2022
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10BOLD
Odds: Syney $2.50, Draw $3.30, Victory $2.55
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9
‘Nix begin new campaign on home soil with fresh optimism
Wellington Phoenix opening an A-League Men campaign in the ‘Cake Tin’ promises to be one of the sights of the season.
It’s the return to normality Phoenix fans have desperately craved as their displaced side toiled away from home for the best part of three COVID-impacted seasons. Ufuk Talay’s side begin this season at home, in front of the Yellow Fever, with a squad oozing attacking talent after significant reinforcement.
The ‘Nix, however, do look light on at the back. It’s what Carl Veart’s Adelaide United will look to exploit in Round 1 whilst across the ditch. The Reds are shaping as one of the favourites for silverware this season having reached the semi-finals in consecutive seasons.
Captain Craig Goodwin is the most valuable asset in Official A-League Men Fantasy after a simply sublime 2021-22 campaign – and his partner in crime Ben Halloran has returned from FC Seoul to give Adelaide quality to attack off either flank in a 4-3-3 formation. Striker Hiroshi Ibusuki has his feet under the desk after his first season in Red, and together the trio could act as a formidable attacking force this season.
Opta stat: Wellington Phoenix have won seven of their last nine A-League Men games at Sky Stadium (D1, L1); however, their only defeat in that period came in their most recent game at the venue (4-0 v Central Coast Mariners).
MATCH DETAILS
Wellington Phoenix v Adelaide United
Sunday, October 9 2022
Sky Stadium
Kick-off: 1.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Phoenix $2.60, Draw $3.30, Reds $2.45
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Another rebuild brings familiar cautious optimism as Wanderers take on Perth
It’s an all-too familiar sight: Western Sydney Wanderers heading into a new campaign with a practically unrecognisable squad.
There’s a feel-good factor emanating out of Wanderland after 16 new signings joined Mark Rudan’s side in the off-season, and 17 departed. The Wanderers’ last competitive game came in May: a 3-1 Australia Cup play-off defeat to Brisbane. How they line up in Round 1, and the personnel Rudan fits into his starting XI, remains a mystery waiting to be solved. All will be revealed on Sunday afternoon.
Perth travel to CommBank Stadium under Ruben Zadkovich, appointed permanent head coach after overseeing the team on an interim basis at the end of last season. The wooden spooners have been similarly busy in the transfer market, with Socceroos midfielder Mustafa Amini and Melbourne City’s Stefan Colakovski headlining a recruitment drive which garnered the services of many players unproven in the league, such as Salim Khelifi, Ben Azubel and Mark Beevers.
Opta stat: Only once in the last five A-League Men seasons have Western Sydney Wanderers FC begun their season with a loss (W2, D2) while Perth Glory haven’t lost a season opener since October 2017 in a 2-1 loss to the Wanderers (W1, D3 since).
MATCH DETAILS
Western Sydney Wanderers v Perth Glory
Sunday, October 9 2022
CommBank Stadium
Kick-off: 3.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+, 10BOLD
Odds: Wanderers $1.62, Draw $3.70, Glory $5.00
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