It’s a huge topic of discussion with so many quality strikers starting the new season. Who do you fancy? Here’s our rundown of favourites, dark horses and contenders ahead of the new season of football in the Hyundai A-League.
The favourites
The man known as “El Tuna” is at the top of the list after an incredible 2015/16 campaign.
Bruno Fornaroli slammed home 25 in just 29 games last season and has showed no signs of slowing down during this pre-season, scoring a stack of goals in friendlies as well as the club’s run to the Westfield FFA Cup semis.
With the added responsibility of the captain’s armband at City he could go to an even higher level.
Perhaps the chief threat to Fornaroli’s crown is crosstown rival Besart Berisha.
The A-League’s favourite pantomime villain “Bes” gets to double figures every season and in a Victory side full of attacking intent, should get plenty again. Berisha has 81 goals in the Hyundai A-League so far, needing just 10 more this season to go past Archie Thompson (90) as the competition’s greatest-ever scorer.
Brisbane’s goal-scoring hopes will rest largely on the shoulders of livewire Jamie Maclaren. The 23-year-old notched 20 goals last term – the most ever in a single season by an Aussie – and has pace to send shivers through any defender.
Mentored by Caltex Socceroo great John Aloisi, Maclaren should be even more confident this season and will look to get on the end of service from the likes of Broich, Oar, Borrello and of course Brett Holman.
Glory should be one of the contenders for the title and that is largely down to the goals of Irishman Andy Keogh.
Set an Australian national league record last season by finding the net in eight consecutive games and if he’s in that kind form again, is a serious contender for the golden boot.
Sydney FC’s marquee man Bobo is also a major threat, having scored goals wherever he has played.
Powerful, quick and technical superb, the Brazilian has seemingly settled quickly at his new club and could hit the ground running once the A-League gets underway.
The Sydney Derby would be a fabulous way to introduce himself to Australia and the Sky Blue faithful.
In the running
After his high profile signing, Caltex Socceroo Tim Cahill should play a huge role with City and simply just knows where the goals are.
Almost unstoppable in the air from crosses, Cahill will score plenty if the service is right, as we’ve seen for more than a decade for both club and country (though he’ll likely miss a batch of games due to Socceroos duty).
Most likely to lead the line for the Wanderers, Kerem Bulut offers speed, great movement, work-rate and – most importantly – a genuine finisher.
He scored five goals in eight appearances in his last stint at the club, the 24-year-old will be a menace if Tony Popovic gets consistency out of him.
Roy Krishna endured an injury-plagued 2015/16 but still scored six times from 16 appearances. If he can stay fit, and strike up a good combo with Finkler and Barbarouses, he could be amongst the goals.
Johnny Warren Medallist Diego Castro may have only got 13 goals last season but it took him a while to get going.
He’ll be primed to go from round one and if he shows anything like the form we saw at the end of last season then he’ll bag plenty.
The dark horses
Could Sergi Guardiola be the competition’s newest Spanish sensation? Not much is known of the Adelaide United recruit but he’s highly regarded by Gui Amor.
The 25-year-old scored eight goals in 19 appearances for Granada B last season, while he amassed 17 goals in 39 games 12 months earlier for third-tier Spanish side Eldense.
Newcastle Jets are likely to rely on Dane Morten Nordstrand for their goals and he was excellent after joining the club midway through last season.
Marco Rojas is back at Victory and be finding the net regularly in pre-season and could go on a goal-scoring run if he finds the form he displayed in his last stint in the A-League.
Experienced Caltex Socceroo Brett Holman, Central Coast’s Roy O’Donovan, Sydney FC’s Bernie Ibini and Wanderers super sub Brendon Santalab are others that shouldn’t be discounted in what should be an enthralling race for the Golden Boot.
So, who do you think will smash it this season?
