The A-League is officially back for what is hopefully another blockbuster season!
There’s heaps to look forward to this season including a brand new Kiwi team, Auckland will debut against the Roar this week.
Enough dilly-dallying, let’s jump straight into it.
Here is my preview of week 1 of the A-League!
Last years premiers the Mariners get us kicked off on Friday night and are ever so slightly favourites against the Victory.
The Victory finished third last season and are always a chance, look for Bruno Fornaroli and Daniel Arzani to get their goal tally started early in this one.
I’m leaning towards the Victory here, anything can happen in a season opener and an upset to Melbourne could be on the cards.
Auckland make their A-League debut this week and could very easily come away with three points against the Roar here.
Brisbane have done nothing but let me down in the past and despite them being $2.55 favourites over a brand new team, Brisbane could more than likely do Brisbane things and bottle this season opener.
I’m willing to back a bit of history here, Kiwis to win.
The footballing powerhouses that are Melbourne City had somewhat of a down year last season that they will be hoping people forget quite quickly.
City finished the season last year in 6th place with a record of 11-6-10. Quite a dissappointing result for a team that has massive expectations on itself.
It is a new year however and City are $2.20 favourites over a Newy outfit that finished 10th last year when it was all said and done.
Will we see an upset in week 1? Unlikely.
Must watch TV on Saturday night, we’re getting the season started with a Sydney Derby!
Anything can truly happen in these matchups and these two teams genuinely hate eachother!
“Both Teams to Score” market has hit in each of Western Sydney’s last six A-League matches and given how firey these clashes are, we could see a goalfest quite easily.
Wellington Phoenix were our darling team last year, they finished second on the table and were never respected by the bookies throughout their 2023/24 campaign at all.
They might’ve clued on for this one however. The ‘Nix are $1.90 favourites over United but it feels wrong to go against the side that did us so well last season.
The underdog has won three of the last four A-League matches between Wellington and Western United FC so you could be looking at a play on the $3.30 United but I think that stat reflects how little the bookies liked Wellington last year.
Up the ‘Nix
Sunday afternoon we wrap up with the Bulls hosting the Glory and despite Macarthur being in the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late. They come into this one as favourites.
Are we shocked though? Perth have been the whipping boys of the A-League for quite some time and the bookies believe we’ll see much of the same from them here.
Perth has lost each of its last seven day games, I’m willing to back that they make that eight here.