A new Isuzu UTE A-League season breeds new opportunities for young guns at all 13 clubs to burst onto the scene in the Australian top flight.
Season 2023-24 was a season of young talent emerging; think Clayton Taylor at the Jets, Miguel Di Pizio at the Mariners, Victory midfielder Jordi Valadon, Roar striker Thomas Waddingham, Western United’s Matthew Grimaldi and a swathe of homegrown Wellington Phoenix prospects at the heart of one of the club’s best season to date – and that’s just touching the surface.
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Ahead of the new campaign, clubs are loading up on youngsters as academy stars galore graduate to first-team squads around the league.
As the countdown continues toward Round 1, aleagues.com.au picks out one young player to watch at each club in the 2024-25 campaign.
2024-25 SEASON FIXTURES
FULL FIXTURES: Every match of the Isuzu UTE A-League 24-25 season here
TALKING POINTS: New TV format, byes & everything you need to know from the draw
DERBY DATES: The matches to circle in your calendar now
Adelaide United: Amlani Tatu
Amlani Tatu’s entrance into the Isuzu UTE A-League will be an exciting story to follow in season 2024-25.
The 16-year-old, signed to a three-year contract at Adelaide United, has joined the senior squad after starring in the NPL SA with the Reds.
Adelaide’s latest academy gem to arrive on the scene in the Isuzu UTE A-League, Tatu was a standout performer for the Subway Joeys at the 2024 ASEAN U16 Boys’ Championship and continued to turn heads at the recent National Youth Championships, where he was named Under-16 Player of the Tournament.
READ MORE: An unprecedented contract tactic has secured the future of Adelaide United
Auckland FC: Jesse Randall
Jesse Randall will forever be a part of Auckland FC folklore after his unveiling as one of the club’s first four signings ahead of the club’s first season in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Aged 22, Randall is an exciting attacking talent having joined the A-Leagues’ newest club from Wellington Olympic.
Randall ventured to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as part of the New Zealand squad and will look to back up that achievement with an eye-catching debut Isuzu UTE A-League season.
2024-25 SEASON FIXTURES
FULL FIXTURES: Every match of the Isuzu UTE A-League 24-25 season here
TALKING POINTS: New TV format, byes & everything you need to know from the draw
DERBY DATES: The matches to circle in your calendar now
Brisbane Roar: Quinn MacNicol
The debut of immensely talented 16-year-old Quinn MacNicol was an exciting aspect of Brisbane Roar’s 2023-24 season, and after he became the third-youngest player in Isuzu UTE A-League history, expect to see plenty more from the attacking midfielder this season.
MacNicol, like Adelaide’s Tatu, shone brightly in the ASEAN U16 Boys’ Championship in the off-season, scoring six tournament goals including four in one half against Timor-Leste.
Central Coast Mariners: Arthur De Lima
Is this the next rising star set to emerge from the Central Coast talent factory?
Arthur De Lima has signed a three-year scholarship deal with the Isuzu UTE A-League Champions and senior head coach Mark Jackson is excited to see what the 17-year-old can produce having made the step up from the club’s first-grade NPL squad.
Described as “an exciting forward with huge potential” by the club, De Lima – originally a Brisbane Roar academy product – says the Mariners are “the club of opportunity” and hopes to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Josh Nisbet, Jacob Farrell, Harrison Steele, Max Balard and Miguel Di Pizio who emerged from the club’s youth ranks to become an important Isuzu UTE A-League squad member.
Macarthur FC: Ariath Piol
Teenage striker Ariath Piol has already made his mark in a Macarthur FC kit; now it’s time for the 19-year-old to chase regular minutes in his second season at the club.
Piol turned heads in Round 24 of the 2023-24 season when he came off the bench to score the winning goal in Macarthur’s 2-1 comeback win over Adelaide United on the road. It was his second of two brief bench cameos of the season.
Away from the senior squad, Piol has been a key performer for the Bulls FC Academy squad through both the 2023 NSW NPL season and 2024 League One Men’s seasons but will back himself in to make his impact felt in the senior squad after signing a two-season contract extension.
Melbourne City: Medin Memeti
Highly-rated Young Socceroo Medin Memeti has signed his first professional contract with Melbourne City ahead of the 2024-25 season.
The 17-year-old City academy product has already featured in City’s senior squad on three occasions: once in the 2023 Australia Cup where he made his debut against MetroStars, and twice in City’s 2023-24 AFC Champions League campaign.
Memeti has been a goalscoring regular for Melbourne City’s VPL1 squad in 2024 and, having signed a three-year deal with the club’s Isuzu UTE A-League squad, will look to continue his upward trajectory at the club he first joined in 2022.
Melbourne Victory: Kasey Bos
In recent years, Australian football fans have witnessed the development of former Melbourne City fullback and now-Socceroo Jordan Bos, who thrived in the Isuzu UTE A-League before sealing a move abroad and becoming a national team mainstay.
Melbourne Victory fans hope to see the Socceroo’s younger brother, Kasey Bos, follow a similar path to his sibling as the 20-year-old approaches his first full season in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Kasey Bos made four appearances for Victory in 2023-24 after being elevated to the club’s senior squad in February; Bos came off the bench in Victory’s Elimination Final against Melbourne City and, with his side trailing 1-0, supplied the assist to Nishan Velupillay’s dramatic equaliser that led to a dramatic penalty shootout win for his side.
Bos scored the first senior goal of his career in Victory’s run to the 2024 Australia Cup Final, finding the back of the net in a 4-0 win quarter-final win over Moreton City Excelsior. Despite missing his side’s semi-final against Adelaide Untied due to injury, Bos is expected to flourish under new Victory boss Patrick Kisnorbo – the coach who gave his brother Jordan his debut at City and helped develop the now-Socceroo into the player he is today.
Newcastle Jets: Alex Nunes
One of the feel-good stories of the off-season has been the promotion of Newcastle local Alex Nunes to the Jets’ first team after eight years in the club’s academy.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder joined the Jets aged nine after relocating from Darwin, and has now earned a two-year scholarship contract to work under head coach Rob Stanton in the Isuzu UTE A-League squad.
Nunes trialled with Portuguese giants Benfica as a 15-year-old and has since caught the eye of Stanton, who describes one of his newest recruits as a “highly-talented creative footballer” and backed Nunes to make his mark in the Isuzu UTE A-League this season.
Perth Glory: Abdelelah Faisal
With new head coach David Zdrilic at the helm, Perth Glory’s Isuzu UTE A-League squad has undergone a dramatic overhaul this off-season, with several young players arriving from rival clubs to bolster the club’s cohort of up-and-coming talent.
One of those young players is 18-year-old Abdelelah Faisal who, judging by his pre-season form, is ready to light up the competition after his move to Perth from Macarthur FC.
Faisal scored three goals in three Australia Cup games for Glory in pre-season, including a brace on debut against Brisbane Roar in the Australia Cup. The electric winger bagged his third of the Australia Cup campaign in Glory’s dramatic 5-4 win over Melbourne City in the Round of 32.
After signing Faisal, Glory football director Stan Lazaridis backed the winger to impress at the club this season.
“In terms of his style, I would liken Abdelelah to Mo Salah from Liverpool,” Lazaridis said.
“He’s so tricky, can play on the left, up front or as a number ten and has huge potential.
“When we unleash him next season, I’m confident he’ll make a big impact.”
Sydney FC: Marin France
Sydney FC have promoted 17-year-old attacking midfielder Marin France to the first-team squad after the academy product won the club’s 2024 Rising Star Award.
Head coach Ufuk Talay was reportedly impressed by France’s performances during the academy’s trip to Germany this year and after handing the teen a three-year contract, played France from the start in Sydney’s Australia Cup Round of 32 loss to Oakleigh Cannons in late July.
Wellington Phoenix: Luke Brooke-Smith
Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano has an exciting plan for the club’s future built on the foundation laid by acquiring young New Zealanders with immense potential, and in 16-year-old Luke Brooke-Smith the club has found a player that perfectly fits the bill.
The teenage winger stole the show in New Zealand’s OFC U16 Men’s Championship triumph in Tahiti where he scored five goals. Winning the tournament subsequently earned New Zealand a place at the 2025 U17 World Cup.
Brooke-Smith is a multi-talented sportsman having won eight national age-group BMX championships; in 2020 he relocated from Whangarei to Cambridge to pursue his dream of becoming an Olympic BMX rider but is now committed to pursuing football on a three-year contract with the Phoenix.
Western Sydney Wanderers: Alex Bonetig
The 2024-25 season could be a big one for 22-year-old central defender Alex Bonetig after the departure of former Wanderers captain Marcelo.
The experienced Brazilian helped Bonetig develop as a centre-back last season, as the Wanderers academy graduate made 13 appearances (all starts) in red and black.
Alongside new signing Jeong Tae-wook, Bonetig could find himself as an important pillar in the Wanderers’ defence as he looks to improve on his career-best season in terms of minutes, appearances and starts.
Western United: Abel Walatee
There’s plenty of hype building for 20-year-old Abel Walatee who comes into the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season after being named Players’ Player of the Season in the club’s VPL1 squad.
Walatee scored 11 goals and three assists for Western’s senior academy side, with stunning goals scored cutting in off the right flank with his favoured left foot becoming somewhat of a trademark for the exciting Western winger.
Walatee made three appearances for Western’s Isuzu UTE A-League squad last season, and scored his first senior goal in a 4-3 win over Perth Glory.
