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Opinion

A totally accurate prediction of where every A-League Men team will finish

6th October, 2022
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6th October, 2022
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A mere 133 days after Western United downed Melbourne City in the Grand Final, the A-League Men is finally back – so it’s time to post your final ladder predictions for the season.

What better way to prove our credentials than by posting predictions we can all dredge up again at the end of the season? I’ve glanced into the crystal ball myself and I’m confident this is how the final standings will end up.

1. Melbourne Victory

After crashing out in the semi-finals last season, Tony Popovic will expect to go one better this time around.

Former Manchester United winger Nani is the headline signing, but it’s goalkeeper Paul Izzo who could make the biggest difference. Victory look strong all over the park and with one of the meanest defences in the league, they could grind their way to the top, not least because they also enjoy the most partisan support in the competition.

Key player: Jake Brimmer

2. Macarthur

Macarthur started the Dwight Yorke era by winning the Australia Cup, and the one-time Sydney FC star has vowed to play attacking football as the Bulls’ newest manager. He’ll be helped by Daniel Arzani, who is back in the A-League Men and hoping to press his claims for World Cup selection.

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The biggest question mark over the Bulls is the No.9 role, with Georgian journeyman Bachana Arabuli brought in to lead the line in attack.

Key player: Daniel Arzani

3. Melbourne City

Melbourne City have been the team to beat over the past few campaigns, but they were genuinely ambushed in last year’s Grand Final. They’ve lost some key players too, including midfield lynchpin Connor Metcalfe. Much will depend on how quickly foreign signings Richard van der Venne, Thomas Lam and Valon Berisha fit into the side. But can Paddy Kisnorbo, now heading into his fourth season in charge, inspire another title challenge?

Patrick Kisnorbo coach of Melbourne City

(Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

Key player: Jamie Maclaren

4. Western United

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Can John Aloisi repeat the feat of last season’s stunning title win? He’s essentially got the same squad available, but unfortunately for the green and blacks, they no longer have the element of surprise.

They’re now all a year older, with much still expected of the likes of veterans Jamie Young and Alessandro Diamanti. But it’s temperamental striker Aleksandar Prijovic who could hold the key to Western United’s fortunes, who will play most of their home games at AAMI Park.

Key player: Aleksandar Prijovic

5. Sydney FC

No coach is under more pressure than Steve Corica following Sydney FC’s disastrous campaign last time around. The Sky Blues are finally back home in Moore Park, where they’ll expect to put plenty of opponents to the sword.

Cross-town rivals Western Sydney pulled off a memorable heist by nicking Milos Ninkovic, but the Sky Blues retaliated by signing Jack Rodwell in return. The real question is whether Adam Le Fondre still has goals in him – particularly now that Bobo has retired.

Key player: Luke Brattan

6. Western Sydney Wanderers

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The jury is still out on Mark Rudan, but one thing he brings to the touchline is genuine intensity. He’ll oversee a completely revamped outfit, with the Wanderers having made several astute signings. Lawrence Thomas, new skipper Marcelo, Oliver Bozanic, Brandon Borrello and the explosive Romain Amalfitano are all upgrades on last season’s squad, and there’s plenty of room for optimism in Parramatta.

What the Wanderers need, more than anything, is for fans to start returning to CommBank Stadium in numbers once again.

Key player: Lawrence Thomas

7. Brisbane Roar

The positives for Brisbane Roar include a return to Suncorp Stadium, albeit for three games, and the return of both Jordan Courtney-Perkins and Riku Danzaki. But it’s how involved marquee man Charlie Austin gets that could make or break the Roar’s season.

Austin dropped deep into midfield during the Roar’s Australia Cup run, but if the former Queens Park Rangers star receives some service, the Queenslanders will once again be tough to beat – particularly at home.

Key player: Charlie Austin

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8. Newcastle Jets

There’s a chance the Newcastle Jets could be the surprise package of the season and stun the league by slaloming up the standings. But the Novocastrians could just as easily be prime candidates for a lower-ladder finish.

It’s hard to know what to make of Arthur Papas’ outfit, although they’ll sorely miss the guile and penetration of Daniel Penha and Olivier Boumal. Carl Jenkinson, Reno Piscopo and Brandon O’Neill are more than handy pick-ups, but the Jets lack a bit of an intimidation factor going into the new campaign.

Key player: Reno Piscopo

9. Adelaide United

How soon is too soon to be worried, Adelaide United fans? Ben Halloran has returned to the Reds, but that’s about it as far as eye-catching signings are concerned. Perhaps coach Carl Veart believes there’s already enough quality in the squad to make a run to the finals, but with the likes of Zac Clough and Hiroshi Ibusuki not always overly convincing, the South Australians look a bit thin on quality.

They will, however, at least have a revamped Coopers Stadium to call home.

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Key player: Craig Goodwin

Andrew Redmayne and Craig Goodwin

(Photo by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images)

10. Central Coast Mariners

Write off the Mariners at your peril. Last season’s fifth-place finish was a monumental effort, after plenty tipped Nick Montgomery’s men to finish at the foot of the table. In Jason Cummings and Garang Kuol – who is sticking around on loan until January – the Gosford side boast a couple of genuine match-winners.

But they’ve lost plenty of quality, even if Danny Vukovic is a like-for-like replacement for Mark Birighitti in goal. The inexperienced Montgomery may find things a bit tougher the second time around.

Key player: Jason Cummings

11. Wellington Phoenix

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On the surface, Wellington Phoenix look closer to a spot in the finals than the foot of the table. After finishing sixth last season, there’s no denying Ufuk Talay is one of the most talented coaches around.

But plenty needs to go right for the Phoenix to mount a finals challenge, not least the form of unknowns Oskar Zawada and Bozhidar Kraev. The won’t have last season’s siege mentality to rely upon either, with the Kiwi side finally making their long-awaited return to Sky Stadium.

Key player: David Ball

12. Perth Glory

Look away now, Perth Glory fans, because we all know where this is going. Having been shafted yet again by the Western Australian government, Glory will play 10 of their 13 home games at Macedonia Park in distant Stirling.

Rookie coach Ruben Zadkovich has brought in a tonne of new players – of whom the likes of Mark Beevers, Aaron McEneff, Ben Azubel, Mustafa Amini and Ryan Williams all look like decent signings – but on the evidence of last season, when Glory spent an eternity on the road, they’re nailed on to finish bottom.

Key player: Bruno Fornaroli

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