Melbourne City’s triumphant 3-1 win over Sydney FC in Sunday’s grand final ensures the A-League will resume on Network Ten and Paramount+ with plenty of compelling storylines.
For 35 minutes at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon, premiership winners City and two-time defending champs Sydney FC turned on one of the most enthralling spectacles seen all season.
Then Luke Brattan dived in on Marco Tilio ten minutes before halftime and the complexion of the whole campaign, let alone the remainder of the game, changed completely.
Sky Blues supporters were quick to claim Brattan was first to the ball when he slid in on Tilio on the halfway line, but the reality is the Sydney FC midfielder was already on a yellow card.
Having already up-ended Aiden O’Neill ten minutes earlier, Brattan gave referee Chris Beath no choice but to dismiss him.
And as soon as Sydney FC went down to ten men, it was always going to be Melbourne City’s game to lose.
It looked that way even before Kosta Barbarouses had given the visitors a shock lead, with City dominating the early exchanges before the Kiwi international smashed home the opener with an absolute piledriver from long-range.
City’s immediate equaliser was no less than they deserved, and their goalscorer Nathaniel Atkinson would go on to win the Joe Marston Medal as the best player on the park.
If Atkinson deserved his accolade, surely City skipper Scott Jamieson can’t have been too far behind.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The veteran fullback rubs plenty of people the wrong way but he was utterly relentless on the night, harassing like a terrier and showing nerves of steel to step up and smash home an unstoppable second from the penalty spot.
If City’s big names stepped up – goalkeeper Tom Glover and his back four allowed just two Sydney FC shots on goal for the entire 90 minutes – then Sydney FC’s had a night to forget.
Bobo barely touched the ball before he was hooked following Brattan’s dismissal, while Adam Le Fondre spent much of the game forlornly trying to press City’s commanding back four.
And with Milos Ninkovic only fit enough for the bench, it was left to Alex Baumjohann to try and spark something for the visitors.
The German set up Barbarouses for the opener but without Brattan’s metronomic passing through midfield, the Sky Blues looked cooked.
That’s because City outplayed them from start to finish. Hats off to Paddy Kisnorbo, who emulated Steve Corica in winning the A-League in his first season as coach.
For all the question marks around the City Football Group, they’re evidently in Australia for the long haul. They deserve praise for elevating a coach like Kisnorbo from within and backing him to the hilt.
And with Mat Leckie set to join Jamie Maclaren in a star-studded attack next season, it’s clear Melbourne City are the A-League’s new team to beat.
They celebrated their win with gusto and had the usually taciturn Kisnorbo waxing lyrical following the full-time whistle.
One of the first things he did was thank Fox Sports and their presenters after the game.
After 16 years and more than 2000 fixtures, Foxtel’s long-running broadcast of the A-League ended last night.
The panel of Tara Rushton, Robbie Slater and Mark Bosnich signed off with some genuine emotion, before a six-minute highlight reel reminded us of everything Fox Sports has done for football and brought back a flood of amazing memories.
And if the last two COVID-riddled seasons have taught us anything, it’s that we can never again take for granted things like having a football league to follow.
The A-League gets a fresh start and a clean slate on a new broadcaster next season.
But we, as football fans, need to play our part if the competition is to get back to those halcyon days.
Because there’s no point securing a new broadcaster if no one subscribes to it or buys memberships to support their club.
This is our game. It’s time to make the A-League great again.
Rodney McMinge
Roar Rookie
There's only one word commercial networks understand...." Ratings "...to support advertising revenue. Every time a tv network is mentioned , i get nervous...yet remain optimistic.
Justin Mahon
Guest
MVFC can be accused of many things, but squatting on a license isn't one of them. They have built the single biggest club football following in the codes history. However bad they have been in recent times in a range of ways, from scratch, in a very hostile Melbourne market and lacking Petro dollars that 'magic away' barriers, they have built a strong foundation. The imminent academy announcement, Poppa's arrival and the general levity around the professional game in general will see the club realise it huge latent capability soon enough. I haven't said much about the Vuk hate on here, because we deserve to feel some pain, but I didn't want to let this comment pass by. Also, there is no "we" mate. I know what you are about and it ain't football....
Justin Mahon
Guest
I have derided the ABC for many reasons in recent years.... as a leftie! Among them the fact that they truly are the Anglo Broadcasting Corporation.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
We also cant have clubs squatting on licenses like Roar and Victory and no more teams making the league stale ala SFC. I also think we should go for the 3+1 rule to a-line us with Asia because at the moment we are behind the Philippians in League rankings which clearly tells us something is rotten in the kitchen.
josh
Guest
Well East Sydney FC lost so things are looking up already. There seems to be a lot less smug in the sky over Sydney today.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Sorry, can’t remember what time…maybe about 9-00 pm? My cat sat on remote and changed channel so I quickly surfed and it was most definitely on…it may have been abc 2 though
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Another positive is that we have managed to complete the season. No mean feat. Events of the past week suggest that the winter codes are in for a world of pain in trying to complete their season on schedule. If it's not one city in lockdown, it's the next one. If a state ain't in lockdown, more than likely they are blocking entry to everyone else. It will be challenging. There might be remnants of this by the time the next A-League season starts.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
R We have been poorly run for decades only for some brief periods have we had decent management and pre A-L, like wow and some still pine for the return to these times as they were a time of enlightenment .... Lets hope we can unite this time...
Winter A League is Awesome
Roar Rookie
Lol
Maximus Insight
Guest
Given the tumbleweeds, we'll have to conclude it is an article of faith rather than a fact....
jbinnir
Guest
Waz- this latest answer to my comment is a bit mystifying to say the least. Who selected the Aloisis for the club and kept them for 3 years despite the decline in playing standards and crowd numbers, then we got. midst great trumpeting, Fowler, who lasted a season and a bit before exiting under fiscal reasons. Who hired him? Now we have a young man with no top league experience getting thrust into a job for which he has no experience and luckily for him the standard of football across the league has suffered with the pandemic's effects and the team, on paper, while achieving a creditable 4th place, finishing behind one of the leagues recent cellar dwellers and still, over the last three of four seasons, suffering from a dire inability to score goals which you do hint at. What has been done to fill the positions you nominate as having to be filled. Lads from the NPL and a veteran of many clubs have been tried and yet found wanting even up to last week. Why has it taken 5 or 6 years to replace the Berisha magic touch, even McLaren and Taggart didn't last too long. Why??? I put it to you that the club has not been well run for many years now and that mismanagement has reflected all the way down to the playing staff. One thing that surprise me is your reference to talent coming through. There is a huge gap in standard between the top teams in the league and the local NPL product and between you and me that gap has existed in Australian football since the days of the NSL, and to be honest I wonder if it is ever going to close. Melbourne City ,and unsurprisingly Sydney FC contested the GF yesterday and no one was really surprised for when one examines their full line-ups (no socceroo call up) all one sees is experience ,experience and more experience. This train of thought we have here that NPL is producing A League ready players is a myth and I suspect you know it. I prefer the term "promising " players who have to be taken under specialist coaching where their basic skills in ball control and passing are improved if they are to make what is in fact a huge jump in standard. Cheers jb.
Cameron
Roar Guru
3hr delay and 40k. I'm actually impressed by that.
Coastyboi
Guest
Foxtel & News Corp = Stockholm syndrome. “A condition in which hostages (A-League fans) develop a psychological bond with their captors during captivity.”
NoMates
Roar Rookie
So Telstra wont be the streaming partner anymore?> MyFootball dead?
TK
Guest
That's cos Jamie Young worked so hard under Fowler on his ball distribution and can now occasionally kick over halfway!
TK
Guest
Roar would be happy to have Tillio!
TK
Guest
And if Waz posts his Netflix password we can get that free too????
TK
Guest
Whew! Still within their demographic...for a few more years anyway.
Chopper
Roar Rookie
AA I think you need to take a chill pill and realize you are wrong with your long ball description of Brisbane. A Brazilian coach taught me that a ball through the air travels 5 times faster than a ball being dribbled. A long diagonal ball is merely a refined pass over distance. I think Adelaide were certainly guilty of hoof ball in the finals at Redcliffe which became their saviour whilst under tremendous pressure.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
You're right, it doesn't matter, I just put up the numbers because it's the last time we'll ever see Fox numbers. On the TV Tonight site, someone asked: "How did the A-league Grand Final go on ABC ME?" The answer from the editor, David Knox: Very low. Below 41,000.