The match between Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar raced furiously into top gear, as if the players had in fact been revved up by the sound-affected, slightly cringe-worthy PA countdown to the opening whistle.
Brisbane have been curiously goal-shy this season, with only the bottom four scoring less frequently going into the round. Yet the Roar were vivacious to start this game, thrusting forward repeatedly.
Oblique runs, snappy passing combinations, and ambitious directness whetted the opening throes of this contest, and with Sydney managing just as potent a start. It was indeed a super start to this spectacle from both sides, lacking, of course, only those lovely things called goals, but surely they would come.
Except they didn’t. Sydney extended their unbeaten run in one of those thrilling 0-0 draws that everyone loves and remembers.
Both teams had golden chances to win – Michael Theo pulled off an astonishing save to deny Alex Brosque, and Filip Holosko and Thomas Broich both blew golden headed chances – but a fine attacking display that ultimately falls short of the intention is still worthy of praise.
Tommy Oar, returned to the starting lineup, was effervescent, jet-heeled and a clear thorn in Rhyan Grant’s side.
Grant was also recently back in action for Sydney, having been suspended, and as Oar drifted inside, Grant was dragged out of position. Oar found some handsome space in the middle, with the Sydney players not quite sure whose responsibility it was to pick up Oar, he would dwell dangerously in it, before speeding out back into his nominal territory on the flank. Back and forth, Oar would drag Grant, relentlessly mobile, the victim of a marginal offside call early in the match.
Jamie Maclaren was never-ending supply of interesting, subtle movement as well, often making runs so unlikely, they took him into the path of his teammates. In the second half, his movement created a crossing chance, which he took suddenly, while deliberately off-balance, catching the defence – and, it seemed, his teammates – off-guard.
Of course, some of Maclaren’s work was entirely typical of a striker in his mould. Broich even made a rare bad decision, choosing inexplicably not to cross to his striker in the 73rd minute and draing some ire. Nevertheless, Broich was largely a composed presence in the hole, a half-step ahead mentally of the rest, even if he was one-and-a-half behind them physically. The German was a pivot, around which the willing runners flowed, like stream water babbling around a stone, as Dimi Petratos bustled.
But it was Oar who shone the brightest, creating chances for himself in the first half, and for others in the second. He looked, in this game, every bit an A-League marquee, a role he is set to fill next season at the Roar.
Next season, ah yes. With Sydney already in possession of one stern fistful of the minor premiership flag, and hot favourites to take the toilet seat as well, the minds of the rest have indeed turned – at least a little – to the future.
Images of next season, as they are for most A-League teams every season, are murky; sudden and significant change, both in the rosters and results of A-League clubs, is commonplace from one season to the next.
Brisbane, though, might have to prepare for a little more upheaval than most. It is entirely possible that almost all of the attacking unit that began this match will not be in Brisbane next season. Petratos will certainly not be there; it was announced a week or so ago that he will be a Newcastle Jet in 2017/18.
Broich, at 36, is yet to resign with the club, with his contract up at the end of the campaign. He is currently set to vacate one of the marquee spots for Oar. But then, speaking of Oar, although he is pencilled in to be next season’s marquee, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that a bid from an Asian club could come in for him, as was mooted earlier in the season.
Maclaren’s contract saga, which has trundled on in the background this season, it yet to be resolved. One imagines that when the club announced Luke Devere’s extension late last month, that would have been the perfect time to announce Maclaren’s too, were it finalised.
Brett Holman made a substitute appearance in the match against Sydney, but was unable to repeat his super-sub turn. He has been, largely due to injury, peripheral this season.
Brisbane were unlucky not to be the first team to beat Sydney. Their attack has not clicked like this, generally speaking, and although this was an enthralling display, their disappointing goals-for column has not been improved.
There is, though, a sense that the pieces are already there, even if basing the offence around Broich is not a long-term plan. As the puzzle is upturned over the off-season, the Roar front line might be nearly unrecognisable in 2017/18.
BES
Guest
Why would anyone be surprised by Grants overly cynical physical play when he is coached by Arnold - who since his first day of coaching has publicly proclaimed his priority with any team he has every coached is to knock the opposition out of the game first, then worry about perhaps playing a bit of football second should the opportunity present itself. He will never be employed at any club with any reputation for actually playing the beautiful game. The leopard cannot change his spots - or perhaps a more fitting analogy here: once a thug, always a thug, no matter how you dress it up.
Lionheart
Guest
punter & Waz luck is a tough call in those GF wins by Roar. It was determination, belief, effort, will - all those things that dragged them back from 2-0 down against Mariners. All those qualities that a good coach instills, those qualities that SFC have had in spades this year, so far. Luck plays a part, but it's not just luck here.
Waz
Guest
Punter - I've said it before on these pages, Roar were very lucky to win two grand finals under Ange.
j binnie
Guest
SVB -Like many other things in football this is not a "new" idea. The thought is credited to an Arsenal manager in the 1920's when he moved his centre- half (in those days a midfield player) into a 3 man backline (where he became a centre- back) and issued the instruction --- "You are going on to the field with a point (a draw) ,don't come off the field without it" His name? Herbert Chapman, and he is credited with the first move away from 2-3-5, used worldwide, to the 3-4-3 line up that became known as the "WM formation" .That in fact is seen as the start of what I call,the "numbers game", ie what can be achieved with differing combinations of any 10 outfield players???. Cheers jb
Pauly
Guest
Heaps of empty seats at Motherwell vs Hearts, why don't the AFL fanboys call the Scottish FA and tell them to fold the SPL.
Aethelbert
Guest
All he did was list the attendance.
northerner
Guest
SVB: I didn't disrupt this thread, you did, by throwing in gratuitious comments about the AFLW and then adding in condescending comments about the W League for good measure. I didn't start this, you did, but I'm not going to let you just play the " it's all about football" card as an excuse. Because it isn't. I care about women's competitions, and the disrespect you've shown to both the AFL and W-League grates on me. I thought your kind of attitudes were done and dusted about 30 years ago. It would seem not. You have "nothing against women playing sport." That kind of sums it up, really. This is not about any specific sport. It's about the entire condescension you show for women, and your apparent view that whether you have anything against women playing sport or not matters at all. It doesn't And believe me, this is not "faux" outrage I'm expressing, this is the real thing.
punter
Guest
Oh Waz, I agree with the premiership, still 9 games to go, riding every moment, but no doubt if we fail, massive choke. No signs of it though, BR together with MV our biggest worries. Yesterday though you guys maybe just shaded it, played well took it to SFC & nullified our best players, but even then we conjured up enough chances to win, so did you guys. But the GF, same, we should be favourites, but you should know any team can win, in BR's all conquering year, you were 2 minutes away from losing the GF, 2 nil & only won on penalties.
punter
Guest
No Garry, MF is far worse Nemesis. Maybe Nemesis goes on the AFL tab, I don't know, but most of his work is on the football tab is about football & when he sprouts rubbish I tend to ignore him, while other football fans will tell him to pull his head in. Mister Football, like his mate Northerner, is only on here to disrupt football discussions & it's totally tiresome.
punter
Guest
Northerner, I have two beautiful daughters & treat them with utmost respect & expect every women in the world to be treated exactly them same. As for SVB, it's the SFC girls semis & SVB just death rides everything SFC, so all this Butch talk is bravado. They (WSW) had a big win today, only 4th win this year, so maybe he's had a few too much to drink. I was boom booming his comments about you & your disruptive nature on the football tab.
SVB
Guest
Oh please northerner. You are so phony and your posts are tedious. You are coming here to disrupt the thread with that boring women's AFL competition (which I am portraying in a certain way to stir you). What bothers you is that how I am portraying might see it fail. Not the fact that I am supposedly sexist or a misogynist. I have nothing against women playing sport. I also accept that women are different in appearance and the way they think and look, as are men. Live with it.
j binnie
Guest
Tk - Don't know your age but you may have heard of a player called Dennis Law ,who was playing regularly with Huddersfield at the age of 15,and even when a mature player at Man Utd ,he was as thin as the proverbial rake. Size does not snuff out talent and if that lad's comprehension of the game was no fluke then he should be playing regularly with HAL players no matter that they are bigger and stronger. Those "talents" you correctly mention are the basic necessities in the make up of a good midfielder in today's game.'Cheers jb.
northerner
Guest
Punter: whatever. If you can't see that this is about a fundamental issue which is a whole lot bigger than football codes, well., so be it. If you have daughters, though, you might want to think a bit more deeply about the attitudes SVB is showing towards women: they're either butch or curvy and cute. Brains, ability, personality, don't seem to enter into his figuring at all. That's not a world I want my granddaughters to live in.
northerner
Guest
Interesting. You're the one who got this thread off track by throwing in a gratuitous insult about women athletes in a comment which seems to have disappeared. You're the one demeaning women who play in the W League. And you're the one on the AFL thread doing the same thing for their women's league. This isn't about football or AFL. This is about sexist, misogynist attitudes that should have died out a generation ago. And as long as you keep pumping out your bigotry, I'll keep responding to it. Too bad, so sad.
Waz
Guest
No jealousy punter. You know the rules - you're expected to win it from here, if you do you'll never let us forget it .. failure to become champions of course and we will be relentless with our choke jokes for years to come. May the best side win ...
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I'm not sure either, missed the game. I just read they were turning fans away. Probably free knowing the AFL, but great publicity though if this were the case.
matthew_gently
Guest
Wow. Big calls. Unfortunately I couldn't make the match last night. Now I'm bit sore that I missed out.
punter
Guest
Exactly Waz in regards to Fuss & Nemesis.
punter
Guest
Boom, boom, be careful SVB, he might throw a Pyke at you.
punter
Guest
Stand tall Stuart, the jealous BR & WSW fans are in pain.