It will take more than a pre-season and a few rounds for clubs to engage, encourage and grow their vocal support base but the key thing is to start. It sounds like Victory have done so – and iirc less security presence as well. Whatever Victory have done the benefits are obvious and is a good start.

If I got more than 0/6 tips correct I would be surprised 😂

I am surprised there isn’t a camera looking down the length of the byline at least – there has been no vision shown as such. Would help with balls going out and crossing the goal line…

Perth, draw, City, Sydney, draw, Jets

Not sold on WU storming out of the early rounds. Perth with a 0-1 away win.

Two well drilled sides where I think Wellington will Nix this one.

City will perform consistently as will Sydney with both getting all the points.

Brisbane will push Victory in another fly-in-fly-out game in Melbourne. A draw.

The Jets Derby will be an interesting affair. Safe to say the Robinson influence on the Jets have been removed by now, while large changes in the Jets squad means only the fans will have a real sense of the Jets ring-ins for the WSW squad except for a couple of Jets starters. Will this go horribly wrong for Robbo or will the Jets still have some loose threads in defence? 1-2 scoreline to the Jets in what could be another cracker of a game.

Greece or Turkey seem like graveyards of an Aussie coaches Euro dream.
Maybe Tony will accept a place on the western side of Europe next time…
…although maybe he will have a better chance in Japan, perhaps following on after Muscat at YFM 😛
Wonder what would have become of Poppa if he had of stayed at Crystal Palace instead of taking on the new Wanderers role when they started…

Great that you pointed out both Jurman and Ingham’s mistakes that led to the goals. Neither of these due to a high line or a poor midfield but some poor turnovers in our defensive third, one of which led to a goal.

Jurman aiming for a Socceroo recall will need to improve positioning and distribution. And with Elsey a central defensive partnership that will need to be tight.

Duncan looked to get a finger tip to Nisbet’s shot and those can go either way unless the keeper showed too much of the opposing post – I hadn’t seen a ‘behind the goals’ view yet. A couple of good games will get Duncan’s confidence up. But really the defence needs to improve fast and expect that to be a focus in video analysis this week.

Ingham unfortunately ball watched at the wrong time giving Farrell plenty of time to come from behind and get some decent melon on the ball uncontested.

There is a lot to like about what appears to be our preferred attack. When they collectively put their foot down the quick, technical interplay will put a heap of pressure on our opponents defence. It will need to improve the conversion rate of goals otherwise we will chase games once too often (as we have the past couple of seasons) if the defence isn’t solidified.

I think we will be mid-table at worse. Once the goals flow I think we’ll do alright.

If not I don’t think there will be a knee-jerk reaction to pull it all apart and start again next season.

Papas is a manager with a multi-season mission. I think we will have a good base for next season.

On to the Wanderer-Jets this Sunday 😁

Good write up.

I don’t think everyone should be writing both teams off like they have.

There is some concern for our defence but hopefully that can be resolved so we finish higher than you 😛

Much like Brisbane and Adelaide, you guys are bringing through some local talent which is excellent to see.

This is a good point an important one for some of the fanbase…

Agree but the market is skewed to younger age groups so this song may appeal to them and be an number of strategies to engage overall.

‘I can’t get enough’ appealed to me more but…you know 😉

I didn’t mind Kenny Lowe. I thought he did well. The bias may quickly rub the wrong way but I think there are certain commentators you know are going to just (almost?) be a ‘fan in the box’ – he is the ex-coach of Glory – and those that cannot string a few sentances together on the same theme.

A good comparison with Optus early days – how long did they have, and how long to improve post World Cup hiccup? Paramount+ will improve*.

There are a lot of ‘rustiness’ of teams comments going around but I think it shows that, for the length of a pre-season, there is a sweet spot between ‘too long’ and ‘not long enough’.

Five months is just too long and more rounds in a season are needed. *There is such a thing as ‘match sharpness’.

Thankfully the season has started. Finally.

This pretty much.

Imagine the outcry if Ch10 crossed to the other game in the middle of the broadcast game – the only thing worse would be if they went to an ad break in the middle of the game. There was one update near the end of the Sydney Derby where commentators indicated Victory had scored…perhaps no more than this is required?

Kayo multi-screen capability is a good point to aim for. Whether Paramount+ platform is capable or how far off development of that functionality is remains to be seen.

Personally I am okay with simultaneous kick-offs. It takes time to produce and upload replays of the full game so hopefully the time for this to occurs reduces. Good to get fans used to this now because there will be huge demand for the final round games kicking off all at once, even by those that want all other rounds back-to-back…

To be honest Duncan has to play if only to give him the option of righting some confidence concerns and make amends. He did make some great saves in the FFA Cup.

But also this could be Noah James’ season to breakthrough a la Mat Ryan when at CCM…

Aussie Simon Hill has a couple of decades left yet to call those memorable plays for the ⚽ family.

Newcastle is looking at a wet and rainy Sunday afternoon as predicted all week.

City, Victory, Draw, Perth, Jets, Draw

No team wins on paper alone but City looked improved on last season without some early repeat hiccups. Brisbane will go okay this season but could just finish outside the top six if they lose too much momentum mid-season.

No pining over another wooden spoon for Victory with Popovic righting the ship back to the other end of the table. Western United go either way around sixth place depending on how the team fires under Aloisi.

Sydney Derby draw. No doubting Corica’s recruitment but Sydney are a superpower needing to face a refresh in the future but can’t discount them still. Robinson though can only be looking down the barrel and it will either go incredibly right, for once, or horribly wrong.

Perth building for a nice home opening farewell which could just give them the points against Adelaide who will want to make a good start for confidence.

The Derby. Jets at home, one of the first to begin preseason, with some much needed injection by and support by the caretakers, and positive attacking signs in the FFA Cup, should see Manager Papas’ early plans not get rained on in what will be a wet encounter at the Novodome.

The Nix have set up camp in their second home city on the big island but are away to Macarthur who may flatter to deceive from indifferent form in pre-season. A draw here to round out the most anticipated round of pro- ⚽ in some years.

Nice one, Mike.

How packed will the mid-table be this season? It could take a long time to see either end of the table stretch and break free.

Hard to see who will totally own the spoon early. Will it be Macarthur?

On paper Melbourne City look easy Premiers but that wasn’t always the case early last season either.

Tough draw for Perth but never easy to travel west either.

I’ll paste in what I wrote 08 November to Stuart’s article that day as it fits :

“ Everything points to the current owner-caretakers thinking that this is a multi-year project.

Even Papas title as ‘Manager’ not coach shows that there is more work going on behind the scenes by Papas than just coaching a team and relying on results alone.

Whilst results are still critical more so how Papas gets there and a discerning football community will be watching closely and are eager to get this season started.

The caretakers cannot own this club forever so building on multiple successful seasons probably seen as necessary means for increasing interest in a refreshed league.”

I’d say the team, judging from the FFA Cup game, will do ok and it won’t take many more competitive games to strengthen some already good cohesive signs for the attacking players.

Of course top six is the aim given the investment. You have to spend money to make money and successive good seasons and increased league interest will help with the eventual sale imo.

I know a lot of people are putting the Jets near last – sorry, that ain’t going to happen 😁

I also like the KEEPUP app and website makes it easy to import your team’s calendar into you preferred platform.

Assuming it auto updates any fixture changes but not confirmed yet.

A lot of potential there already.

Maybe not one defining season but an accumulation of many overly positive ones.

With all the change the vibe is positive so it will attract the curious and the rusted on fans are going to appreciate the effort.

Nothing wrong with the new hub either. Not a bad choice of name: ‘KEEPUP with the latest in football…’ has potential.

Ch10 have seriously invested and will not kill their current efforts after one round of lower crowds.

They, like the APL, are starting new or refreshing delivery and can only build on what they see working. Fans have a real chance this time to engage and shape the experience that’s more attuned to them imo.

Now more than ever bring on this season already!

Jets were one of the first to start preseason but there has been massive changes to the squad and staff with signings still trickling in late on.

A good start will only increase the cohesion of a vastly changed squad.

Everything points to the current owner-caretakers thinking that this is a multi-year project.

Even Papas title as ‘Manager’ not coach shows that there is more work going on behind the scenes by Papas than just coaching a team and relying on results alone.

Whilst results are still critical more so how Papas gets there and a discerning football community will be watching closely and are eager to get this season started.

The caretakers cannot own this club forever so building on multiple successful seasons probably seen as necessary means for increasing interest in a refreshed league.

How much of that ‘Japan being our biggest rivals’ would change if we kept getting South Korea all this time? Quite a bit I’d say.

I would believe there is a lens of history through which Japan, China, and South Korea would colour their sporting rivalries. Australia in football would just view a rivalry from 2006 onwards from their draw tags being uncut from each other.

Tuesday’s game will be tough and a win not guaranteed. But there should be no fear.

We may not make Japan’s list of rivals but I don’t think they see us as easy, either.

Interesting to see how Gustavsson starts this game given the harder games ahead. Will want to start strong and have a confidence-boosting first win.

Has he settled on a starting 11 yet? I’m not sure some players are comfortable in less favoured positions but no matter, bring on Wednesday night!

A little less ‘going for the jugular’ right now so here’s my attempt at smacking the Kiwis in the first game:

A 4-2-3-1 with marauding wingbacks

Williams
Carpenter Kennedy Polkinghorn Catley
Cooney-Cross Logarzo
Raso van Egmond Foord
Kerr

I’m glad he didn’t land at the Jets. Third time lucky or more evidence that not everyone can be successful coaches? We’ll see.

Stajwatch is more interesting. Perth Glory? I think a year-long learning intensive until there are a few A-League vacancies again.