The Roar's A-League Men tips and predictions: Round 26 - the jostle for finals positions is on in earnest
Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
Graham Arnold has taken the axe to eight off-contract Sydney FC players, as the coach begins the A-League club’s radical rebuild.
Goalkeepers Ivan Necevski and Anthony Bouzanis, defenders Zac Anderson, Riley Woodcock and Jacob Tratt, and forwards Robert Stambolziev, Alex Mullen and Christopher Naumoff were all let go on Thursday, the day after Sydney were bundled out of the Asian Champions League.
Their departures follow the earlier releases of Jacques Faty, Mickael Tavares and Ali Abbas, while new contracts are still being finalised with off-contract players Alex Brosque and Matt Simon.
SYDNEY FC PLAYERS UNDER CONTRACT:
* Vedran Janjetovic
* Sebastian Ryall
* Matthew Jurman
* Andrew Hoole
* Milos Dimitrijevic
* Shane Smeltz
* Milos Ninkovic
* Brandon ONeill
* David Carney
* Filip Holosko
* Rhyan Grant
* George Blackwood
* Aaron Calver
* Alex Wilkinson
* Michael Zullo
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Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
Even though St.Pauli ultimately lost a high-scoring affair, Jackson Irvine was a standout, as well as scoring a late goal.
Mathew Leckie played a pivotal part in Melbourne City claiming an 8-nil win; playing a role in several of his team's goals.
The loser of the Sydney Derby will be under immense pressure entering the final three matches of the season.
A good performance from Michael Ruhs, scoring twice to beat Macarthur and doubling his season goal tally in the process.
Phillip Cancar’s rather comical and momentarily delayed dive in the 36th minute of Newcastle Jets 3-1 win over Sydney FC on Sunday was a…