Off the back of an unbeaten home season, Mike Mulvey’s Brisbane claimed a Premiership / Championship double, winning the Grand Final for the third time in four seasons.
Here is the story of the season
STAR POWER
Isaias (Adelaide United)
James Troisi (Melbourne Victory)
Patrick Kisnorbo (Melbourne Heart)
Tomi Juric (WSW)
William Gallas (Perth Glory)
GAME OF THE SEASON
Melbourne Victory 4 Adelaide United 3 – hat-tricks in a losing effort are rare, but that fate befell Spanish striker Sergio Cirio, whose individual exploits were in vain, as the home side came back from 2-1 down to lead 3-2 when Reds keeper Eugene Galekovic gifted Archie Thompson a goal with a muffed clearance. Cirio may have taken home the match ball, but Victory took all three points after a pulsating encounter.
BIGGEST UPSET
Roar were top and Heart bottom when the two met at AAMI Park in round 20 but in their finest performance of the season, the home side earned a fully-deserved victory with towering Dutch midfielder Orlando Engelaar tapping in the game’s only goal after an hour.
GOAL OF THE YEAR
Half an hour into their round 24 clash against the Mariners, Heart’s Engelaar picked up the ball in his own half and after a quick glance, tried his luck from distance to astonishing effect, his drilled left-footed effort sailing over a bemused and back-pedalling Liam Reddy and into the net. It went viral, instantly.
GOLDEN BOOT WINNER
Adam Taggart (Jets) – 16
PREMIERS
Brisbane occupied top spot in 25 of the 27 weeks of the season and were ahead of the rest from round seven onwards. Western Sydney were their closest challengers but finished tied on points with the Mariners, ten points behind the runaway Roar.
STORY OF THE FINALS
The top two won tight semi-finals against Victory and the Mariners to set up a Suncorp decider. Western Sydney were an agonizing four minutes from lifting the silverware after Matt Spiranovic jumped to head home off a corner, but Brisbane displayed their renowned resilience to find a late equaliser through who else but Berisha (in his last game for the club), and an extra-time winner from Henrique.