Robbie Kruse is back at Melbourne Victory and there’s a big reason why fans should be even more excited about the Australian’s Hyundai A-League return.
After emerging onto the domestic scene with Brisbane Roar in 2007, Kruse lit up the competition in Victoria, winning back-to-back Young Player of the Year awards in two seasons (2009/10 and 2010/11).
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It saw the Queensland-born attacker launched into Europe where he would play eight seasons in the two divisions of Germany, the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga.
In total, Kruse scored 20 league goals throughout his tenure in Germany for the likes of Fortuna Dusseldorf, Bayer Leverkusen VfB Stuttgart and VfL Bochum.
Although it may not be the most prolific goalscoring record for the Caltex Socceroo, who was utilised in a catalogue of different attacking positions during his time in Germany, Kruse’s record in the Hyundai A-League should excite Victory fans.
Kruse scored 16 league goals in 39 matches for Victory, placing him eleventh on the club’s all-time leading goalscorers list.
However, his league goals per game ratio of 0.41 is one that elevates him above some truly legendary goal scorers, including Archie Thompson (0.40), Danny Allsopp (0.35) and Kosta Barbarouses (0.32).
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Thompson netted 90 goals in 224 matches for Victory, Allsopp scored 42 in 118 and Barbarouses collected 41 in 127.
Kruse doesn’t come close to Besart Berisha’s record of 0.61 goals per game in Navy Blue though, a record sustained with 68 goals from 110 matches.
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