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A-League action returns after an international break that has seen the Olyroos edge a step closer to qualification for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
With the AFC Under 23 Championships now the next phase of the journey, Graham Arnold’s team must fight for one of the three available spots in Thailand come January.
The domestic league launches into its final five weeks of home-and-away play with two headline matches, as the Phoenix and Jets do battle across the ditch and the Glory play host to the Victory in Perth. Both stand to be compelling matches and vital when it comes to the final standings in the top six.
Good luck with your tips and be sure to entire them into the sheet below to have your say as the ever-important voice of the crowd. With that voice sitting equal top of the tipping ladder with yours truly, it looks like we could gave an epic battle for tipping glory looming.
Here are the panel’s thoughts on all the Round 23 action.
Mike Tuckerman
Sydney, draw, City, Perth, draw
My tipping this season speaks for itself, but at the risk of copping an online lashing from resident Brisbane Roar fan Waz, I can’t see the home team finishing in the points in this one. Maybe the addition of a God next season will help turn Brisbane’s fortunes around, but for now it’ll be an Alf who leads the Sky Blues to victory at Suncorp Stadium.
“I like being weird! Weird’s all I’ve got. That, and my sweet style.” Sorry, I appear to have run a quote from the classic British sitcom The IT Crowd here, which probably goes some way to suggesting how confident I am of predicting the outcome of this match.
Wellington are in better form but Newcastle have more to play for, so… draw?
Here’s a thought: maybe the Wanderers should have played their remaining three home games of the season at Western Sydney Stadium? Perhaps they’re expecting 80,000 fans to buy tickets for this one at ANZ, but either way Melbourne City should do enough to strangle the life out of Markus Babbel’s erratic ‘home’ team.
Western Sydney Wanderers coach Markus Babbel (Photo by Nigel Owen/Action Plus via Getty Images)
This is the big one. Perth Glory have been waiting for this game for weeks and you can bet Tony Popovic will have his team fired up for the visit of Melbourne Victory. Another win here would pretty much seal the Premiers’ Plate for the Glory, and they should make a huge statement by beating the visitors for the third time this season.
How convenient that Alen Stajcic just so happened to be available to take over as interim coach of the Mariners. Stajcic is arguably the coach the Mariners need right now, and if Central Coast can tighten up defensively – they’ve conceded a laughable 58 goals so far this season – they could hold the goal-shy Reds to a draw in Gosford.
Stuart Thomas
draw, Wellington, draw, Perth, Central Coast
Sydney FC slumped to a listless and disappointing loss last time out against Melbourne City and it is hard to see them playing as poorly once again.
The Roar put up a brave performance against the Victory in Melbourne yet lacked the class required to match Kevin Muscat’s men.
There have been promising signs for the Roar and on their home deck, after an energising rest, I’m seeing a draw at Suncorp. You don’t win this thing by tipping with the grain folks!
This is probably the last hoorah for the Jets when they tackle Wellington at Westpac Stadium. A win and I believe they will squeeze into the top six. A loss and they will most likely run out of available points. With Adelaide United looking likely winners against the Mariners, this is a must win. Sadly for Ernie Merrick’s team, the Phoenix will be too good at home.
The one certain fact at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night when the Wanderers take on Melbourne City will be the superb quality of the surface.
The growing season has served the monstrous venue well and there will be no excuses for either side. The big question will be whether the break has halted the momentum of the Wanderers, who were rolling along well until their 3-1 loss to the Phoenix in Wellington.
Jamie Maclaren has given City exactly what they needed and a late season resurgence seems likely, with top six qualification almost assured for Warren Joyce’s men. This feels like a tight one, thus a draw.
The Perth juggernaut continues at HBF Park on Saturday night, with the Victory in town and planning to inflict just a second defeat on the Glory this season. It will not happen. In fact, the Glory will win easily despite the recent heroics of Kosta Barbarouses and a few less than ideal Perth performances.
The Mariners grabbed their second win of the season against the Jets two weeks back and will be furious they have had to endure a break. The refreshing arrival of Alen Stajcic proved the circuit breaker and this match is another more than winnable affair for a team that can score goals yet seems incapable of resisting the consistent attacks of their opposition.
I don’t know why and I may be a madman, but something tells me the Mariners are about to claim their third win for the season and move ever closer to the Roar in ninth place.
Paul Nicholls
Sydney, Wellington, Draw, Perth, Central Coast
With an absence of A-League action and still jumping from a jubilant jaunt in Jamberoo, I’ve almost forgotten where we’re up to. That’s right, Perth Glory have all but sealed the premiership and the battle for second place is on in earnest.
Andy Keogh of the Glory celebrates a goal. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Sydney FC are one of those playing for the penultimate prize and travel to Suncorp to take on Brisbane. The Sky Blues look short on pace and their misfiring combination of Adam le Fondre and Reza Ghoochannejhad need to regroup. What can we say about Brisbane? Their maroon jerseys might give them a lift but it’s hard to see them getting out of their rut. Sydney by the odd goal.
Newcastle, five points behind sixth place Adelaide, will be desperate for three points against Wellington. The Jets are still in a funk after their shock loss to the Mariners and have a job on their hands in New Zealand. Despite the absence of star forward Roy Krishna through suspension, Wellington should have too much class.
The cavernous surrounds of ANZ Stadium will only make Western Sydney fans pine even more for their new home. Melbourne City surprised with their 2-0 win over Sydney and Englishman Shayon Harrison showed some impressive finishing skills. City winning twice in a row would defy logic though. Draw.
Perth Glory host Melbourne Victory in what should be a thriller at HBF Park. King Kosta Barbarouses has been in cracking form for Victory but he will have to get past the under-appreciated Liam Reddy who has kept the most clean sheets in the A-League. Perth to win 2-1.
It will be a tale of two coaches in front of the sauce bottles on Sunday. Central Coast’s coach Alex Stajcic has made a winning start while Adelaide’s Marco Kurz is headed out the door. I can see Staj making it two from two.
| Round 23 | Mike | Stuart | Paul | The Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRI vs SYD | SYD | DRAW | SYD | ? |
| WEL vs NEW | DRAW | WEL | WEL | ? |
| WSW vs MCY | MCY | DRAW | DRAW | ? |
| PER vs MVC | PER | PER | PER | ? |
| CCM vs ADL | DRAW | CCM | CCM | ? |
| Last week | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Previous Total | 38 | 48 | 46 | 47 |
| New Total | 42 | 51 | 50 | 51 |