As the dust settles on Melbourne Victory’s championship win, Angela Christian-Wilkes looks back at the highlights from another campaign.
The Liberty A-League season draws to a close. Confetti will be swept up, flights home boarded, and final pieces written. Melbourne Victory’s championship celebrations continue, Sydney FC are still wondering how the Grand Final was lost. While the post-season sadness lends itself to some bittersweet belly-button gazing, there’s plenty to reflect on and to learn from the season so freshly completed.
The story of the season
Melbourne Victory becoming back-to-back champions is the tale to beat all others. It’s an obvious choice, but it’s hard to beat an underdog narrative.
There was a strong sense of repetition to Sunday’s game (Victory rose to the occasion last year, pipping favourites Sydney FC in extra time after finishing third). Yet Victory’s win was special given they not only overcame the pressures of the individual game, but also overcame numerous material and psychological difficulties to get themselves to Kogarah in the first place. Their journey to champions will be remembered because of their resilience, rather than technical dominance.
The question of whether Jeff Hopkins’ Victory could claim another championship defined the start of their campaign. However, this line of enquiry quickly faded from discussions. For much of the season, Victory were in survival mode, pushing through COVID outbreaks, injuries, and a February fixture list that featured a game roughly every three days. The championship question was replaced by queries as to whether they would make finals at all, let alone have the personnel and will to contend once there. They scraped through, a single Canberra United goal away from dropping out to a gutsy Perth Glory, who went from wooden spoons to fifth in one swoop.
The true extent of the Victory’s character emerged once they found themselves playing not one, but two, must-win matches. Cages were rattled and expectations overturned as they first beat Adelaide United and then Melbourne City – both of which had thumped them earlier in the season. Their final outing, meeting Sydney FC, was not an even contest. Sydney dominated with their attack, in possession, and with shots.
However, player of the match Casey Dumont’s huge showing between the sticks epitomised the attitude of getting it done. As coach Jeff Hopkins noted post-game, “We’ve had our ups and downs this season and the game was probably a bit like that…. The girls managed to do what they’ve done all season and come through it and we came out of a few of those spells and come out of it stronger.”
Team of the season
For the second year in a row (and the fourth time in their history), Sydney FC have had the consistency and class to claim the Premiers Plate. While the glory wasn’t theirs on Sunday, they have been undeniably the best holistically. This is not just reflected by their numbers – although, to name a few, they only lost one game prior to finals, broke the record for the longest clean sheet streak, and had the best defensive record in the league.
Aesthetically, too, the Sky Blues have been a joy to watch. Regardless of who has been named on the team-sheet, they have demonstrated an almost-eerie level of chemistry in the middle of the park. Building on last year’s foundations, they sharpened their weapons all over, boasting one of the sturdiest backlines punctuated by the superstar keeper Jada Mathysson-Whyman. Midfielders such as Mackenzie Hawkesby and Taylor Ray have risen to the occasion with smart, dynamic and disciplined play. And of course, attackers such as Remy Siemsen, Cortnee Vine and the ever-persistent Princess Ibini need no introduction.
The Sky Blues’ dominance made them seem untouchable. While many Sydney fans will disagree at this tender point in time, their fallibility has been important to the league more broadly. The chinks in their armour combined with the element of chance inherent in all football (what Juric terms “the football gods”) has produced excitement and energy that invites in even the most placid of neutrals. Not only this, but the quality of Sydney also sets the standard and lifts the competition around them.
Coach Ante Juric has been his squad’s biggest advocate, noting post-game that he is “always proud, beyond proud” of his squad. This belief has shone through during his tenure as fringe players have emerged almost seamlessly, core leaders such as Nat Tobin have solidified their games, and others have gone on to compete for the national team. It is no surprise that the two head coaches at this year’s grand finals lead with philosophies that put players and their enjoyment first.
What ifs
Each follower of the ALW will have their own personal “what if” they hold close; a “what if” that pertains to the smaller cogs of the competition. For example, your truly’s most haunting question is: “What if Kayla Morrison didn’t rupture her ACL in Round 1?”
However, the biggest overarching “what if” was “what if we had a full home and away season?” This was asked most frequently amid the late winning runs of Canberra United, Wellington Phoenix, and Brisbane Roar as they came into form. Had the season been longer, the results could have radically reshaped the final standings. This “what if” invites further complex and tricky questions about how to make this happen, and how to achieve the best effect for the most people. Regardless, the fiery last outings showed that the competition, the teams and the players have outgrown the current fixture length.
The biggest feels
In amongst frustrations and difficulties, the losses and the injuries, there’s been some incredible affective moments across the season. There was the recognition of the Afghan Women’s National Team on the green at AAMI Park; Adelaide United’s Pride games; new mother Katrina Gorry playing in front of her baby Harper with Brisbane Roar; Melbourne City stalwart Rebekah Stott making her return following remission from Hodgkins’ lymphoma; to name a few.
There’s been numerous milestones games, the closest thing we have to quantifying the immense dedication and labour players have provided to the league. And of course, there’s the constant warm songs and noise that emanate from the league’s active supporter groups, come rain or shine, city or suburb, finals or not. These moments, where football, community, and connection have woven together harmoniously, remind us why we’re all here.
What we learned
The most important lesson this year is that patience is key, regardless of what hill a player or a team might be climbing. This can be seen with Victory’s success, demonstrating it’s not over until it’s well and truly over. This can be seen with Adelaide’s slow ascent and eventual debut appearance in the finals – a fourteen year-long wait. On a much shorter scale, a young Wellington Phoenix side proved in their first season that if you’re doing everything right, things will eventually fall in their favour, even it takes a little heartbreak to get there.
Patience will continue to play a hand next year, as this year’s successes and lessons shape the next. Old threads will re-emerge and carry over, woven together with the new in unexpected ways. For the time being, we’ll be sitting patiently, waiting for the next big lesson.
