Aaron Mooy’s dream start to life in the Championship with Huddersfield Town continued overnight with his rocketing 25-yard strike the difference against Leeds.
The 1-0 victory at Elland Road ensured Town’s lead at the top of the Championship for at least another week – now four points clear of second placed Newcastle.
It’s been a remarkable start to the season for the club who’ve consistently been battling at the wrong end of the table since their promotion from League One in 2012.
And while it’s still early days, who wouldn’t be excited to be riding high on top of the league after 44 years out of the top flight?
Perhaps even greater cause for celebration is the fact that they’ve done it without spending the vast amounts of some of their Championship rivals.
Huddersfield’s $6 million expenditure in the summer window is absolutely dwarfed by the likes of Newcastle ($96 million – though they made back much more in player sales), and Aston Villa ($87 million).
Chief among their bargain recruits is Mooy himself.
Mooy’s 55th minute winner is just his latest triumph in an already notable start to the season which has seen him play every minute for Town, and make the August nominations for Championship player of the month.
While his talent was clear to see during his time at the Wanderers, it’s seriously impressive to have watched Mooy’s game hit higher and higher levels over the past few years. More so given the fact that’s he’s no spring chicken.
Manchester City must be quietly chuffed at the way he’s lit up the Championship, and the rising fee they’ll no doubt be able to ask of potential suitors at the end of his loan spell.
If his current form continues for the rest of the season it would be unthinkable for a Premier League club (or someone else from Europe’s top leagues) not to make a move for him.
Perhaps Huddersfield themselves if they manage to pull off an incredible feat to gain promotion? It would certainly be refreshing to see an Australian playing a starring role in a Premier League team again.
Bondy
Guest
Fad Bratten looks like a homeless person currently,unfortunately ? .. ..
Midfielder
Guest
Real TIPS from the Father of total Football and each rated the same each letter rated 25%.. T... Technical ability I.... Intelligence P.... Perseverance S.... Speed Speed or lack of it is his biggest issue.
Realfootball
Guest
Agree on Brattan. Wildly overrated. His glass ceiling is a very marked lack of pace. And ridiculous hair.
Nemesis
Guest
Aaron Mooy has been nominated for the SkyBet "Championship Player of the Month: August 2016". Does that prove anything? Well, there are over 600 players in the Championship from all parts of the world and it proves observers think Aaron Mooy is amongst the best 4 players in the Championship after 6 matches. The other nominees are: Tom Cairney (Fulham), Matt Doherty (Wolves), Conor Hourihane (Barnsley)
Fadida
Guest
I agree it's too earlier to make definitive comparisons. Taggart and Berisha were both ruined by injury though. Brattan is overrated. I'm not shocked he struggled. Now he looks Fat
Fadida
Guest
I'm on there too RBB. At the start of the season the comments were "squad player at best" "dominated a crap league", "championship is miles better than the A- league". Now it's "the best Huddersfield player I've ever seen", "best player in the league", "too good for us" ?etc... I'm not getting into an argument over which is better but I can't stand the dismissing of the league by people who a) never watch it b) think the speed of football=quality
Gnasher
Guest
The Championship is a horrible attritional league. There are 46 games, so throwing in play offs and cups, the best players have to keep going for 50+ games, with poor surfaces and permissive refereeing making additional demands on their fitness. It's a bit early to make a judgement on his impact and the relative strengths of different leagues. Brattan, Berisha and Taggart weren't trusted with a single game by Championship clubs. Luongo is still struggling to make an impact in his second season. Nothing proven.
Midfielder
Guest
excellent observation real
Midfielder
Guest
very true striker
Bondy
Guest
Realfootball Very true ...
Realfootball
Guest
Perhaps the most interesting point of all, Bondy. Agree completely. If ever we've had a measure for the quality of the A League, it is Mooy's success this season in the UK.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Why Not, Same player - different competitions. He's one of the best players in the English Championship, leads me to deduce the A-League is at least as good and a very good football competition. Grab it by the baIIs, man! Are you a man or a mouse.
Tom Watson
Roar Rookie
Not sure if I agree with you there Bob, if only because it's a tough thing to compare. Despite his great start I'd be seriously surprised if Mooy manges to replicate the figures he got last year at City (not that goals and assists are the defining metric), but I'd love to be proven wrong!
Tom Watson
Roar Rookie
Too true Buddy, though he spent a bit of time north of the border at St Mirren earlier in his career so maybe that'll stand him in good stead. Had a bit more hair back then though!
Buddy
Guest
I was a very young fan last time I saw Huddersfield in the top flight in the early 70's and they were supported by prime minister Harold Wilson..complete with pipe in the VIP box! They had a lot of good players that went onto find more fame with bigger clubs...Dennis Law being one and I think Ray Wilson was there too, mind you Bill Shankly was their manager before he went on to become a Liverpool legend. so its nice to see them on the climb again and great to see young Mr Mooy performing so well.whilst on loan. If it helps to further his career that's even better. I wonder how he will cope with a Yorkshire winter stuck near that motorway between Manchester and Leeds...................might not like playing in the oppressive heat of the A League summer competition but playing in the middle of winter over there might not be any more fun. hope he has a fantastic season though.
Bondy
Guest
What this shows is that there is very little difference between the Championship in England and the A League, Mooy dominated the A League now he's dominating the Championship both Leagues hold roughly the same level of quality ...
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Aaron was one of the best Aussies in the A-League, but I wouldn't say he "dominated the A-league". There were better players than him, especially the imports, like Fornaroli, Castellin, Berisha, Keogh, Castro, Broich, Sanchez, Barbarousos, Khalfallah and so on. There were even games when Mooy went completely missing, particularly in big games for WSW and MC and I think the A-League opposition tactics and good defence had a lot to do with it. He seems to be getting so much time and room in the Championship.
marron
Guest
I'll freely admit I was happy to see him go and happy also to see him do well - it doesn't burn, because he didn't really fit with Popa-ball (or the version that was there in season 2).
striker
Guest
Gotta agree we have a top league no matter what the detractors keep saying which will only get better in the future years.
Sydneysider
Guest
Bob the lucky thing about the A-League is that we have proactive coaches (Graham Arnold excepted) who can try to play good enterprising football as there is no relegation. The other positive is the setting up of academies by most A-League clubs with technical directors and teams down to under 12's. The only problem is that the league has 10 teams. We need more teams in the league sooner rather than later. I believe our football is getting better and better. We just need a Mooy or Rogic or Leckie to get to the next level and play at a big club in a big league (Leckie being the only one playing in a big league, sorry to the Scots out there but the SPL isn't a big league).