A Friday night triple header kicks off a busy week of A-League action with nine matches over the next six days.
However the headline clash of the round will come on Monday night as second placed Macarthur hosts third placed Adelaide in what promises to be an enthralling clash.
We’ve got you covered with our previews and best bets for every match below so read on and check it out.
The good news for Melbourne City is that they went through the month of December unbeaten, however they probably would have preferred to have a better record than one win and three draws.
Especially when you consider that they have given up the lead in each of their last three matches forcing them to settle for a draw.
However it was a better month than what Wellington had losing three but they did defeat Newcastle in their last outing.
That win could have been something to build on, but their three prior defeats are hard to forget and I’m not convinced the Nix are truly back on track yet.
Melbourne City to Win @ $1.72
Season 2024/25 has not been great for Central Coast, with two wins and five draws from their ten matches leaving them in tenth place.
That is still infinitely better than how this season has gone for Brisbane though, with just two draws providing brief respite among a series of frustrating defeats.
There is a reason Brisbane is at the bottom of the A-League ladder and there is not to get excited about for this team.
Yet they somehow find themselves favoured in the market, but that just makes the Mariners the value bet of the weekend.
Central Coast to Win @ $2.90
Perth’s season is not going much better than Brisbane’s with seven losses from ten matches and their lone win coming against the Roar.
It’s tough to make a case for them to be competitive against Western United here, especially with the visitors winning three straight heading into this contest.
John Aloisi’s side have dominated this rivalry throughout their short history, taking out the last five meetings including a 3-1 win at this venue in late November.
They are playing well and it’s tough to see this one being all that close.
Western United to Win @ $1.85
Sydney FC has scored three goals in each of their last three matches, all of which produced different results.
They fell 4-3 to Western United before a late rally for a 3-3 draw in Adelaide before Christmas, with their most recent performance their best, a commanding 3-0 victory over the Victory on Saturday.
Needing to keep that winning form going to close the gap on the top six, the Sky Blues simply have to, and should, find a way to take all three points.
The Jets have lost five of their last six, with only a win over lowly Perth interrupting that streak and they just don’t look like a team that will be overly competitive.
Sydney FC to Win @ $1.78
Despite not winning since Patrick Kisnorbo left the club, the Victory have been doing their best to remain competitive.
A Derby draw was nothing to be ashamed of, while the loss to Sydney last Saturday did see them playing for over an hour with 10 men, before a New Years’ Day draw away to league leaders Auckland.
Perhaps the only cause for concern is the travel and quick turnaround before a stubborn Wanderers team comes to town.
Western Sydney will feel like they let a point slip on Wednesday losing to Macarthur and they will be ready to respond here.
There is not much between these two clubs and a draw certainly looks like the value option in this market.
Draw @ $4.00
Get ready for a Monday night shootout in Sydney’s west as two of the league’s most exciting teams face off.
Macarthur occupies second place on the A-League ladder, with their one extra goal scored the difference between them and third placed Adelaide.
Both clubs are averaging over two goals scored per match and based on recent results those trends should continue here.
It’s may well come down to who scores last but either way, the over should be a winning play for punters.
Over 3.5 Goals @ $1.92
*ROUND 17 MATCH*
Both of these sides are riding five match unbeaten runs into this contest and are part of a four team logjam on 18 points.
Melbourne City broke a three game draw streak with their win over Wellington on Friday night and they will be quite happy with how that match unfolded, especially as that was their first clean sheet since November 10.
Western United left it very late out in Perth for their fourth consecutive win but John Aloisi will no doubt be reminding his team that they will need to be a lot better going forward.
However the long trip home will no doubt have an impact on how this one will unfold, especially with City able to put their feet up at home while United were on the plane.
City have won the last two head to head meetings 1-0, including a Melbourne Cup eve clash earlier this season and another low scoring win looks to be on the cards.
Melbourne City to Win @ $2.10
*ROUND 11 MATCH*
You could almost copy and paste the analysis from Brisbane’s game on Friday night for this one and wind up with the same conclusion.
The Roar were largely uninspiring as they slumped to yet another defeat, their eighth of the season falling 3-1 to Central Coast.
Yet somehow, they have been installed as favourites in this match against a Newcastle side that showed a lot more fight on Saturday.
The Jets are going only marginally better than the Roar but they have two wins to their name and did produce 70 odd good minutes against the Sky Blues before being forced to settle for a draw.
If they can play well for 70 minutes in Brisbane they will walk away with all three points.
Newcastle to Win @ $2.90
*ROUND 11 MATCH*
After a couple of weeks at home, the Glory are on the road for this midweek match as they chase their second win of the campaign.
The last time they travelled they picked up a win in Brisbane, but the Sky Blues will present a significantly tougher challenge than the Roar, as evidenced by the heavily one sided market.
It is a case of pick your poison for Sydney FC, with the need for some creative work to manufacture some value.
Of their four victories, they have lead at halftime twice and been level at the intermission twice.
Meanwhile the Glory have trailed at the break in six of their eight defeats so let’s back the Sky Blues double for a bit of value.
Sydney FC HT/FT Double @ $1.73
2023/2024
The A-League is jumping on the new fad for Australian competitions by staging their version of Magic Round, called Unite Round in Sydney this weekend.
Allianz Stadium and Commbank Stadium will host three mens’ matches apiece over the coming days and the fans should be in for a treat with plenty of fascinating action on the cards.
As it stands just five points separate the third placed Wanderers and the tenth placed Jets so a club can go on a run and quickly climb up the ladder.
Let’s get into our Round 12 preview so read on and find our best bets below.
If Macarthur is going to end their winless streak, currently at five games, they may not have a better chance than this weekend against last placed Western United.
The Bulls are going to have to do it the hard way though, with this being their third game in seven days after playing out 1-1 draws with Newcastle last Friday and in Adelaide on Monday.
Playing that much football is not exactly a foreign concept in the sport, but even the fittest professional athletes will struggle doing it in the midst of the Australian summer.
Western United has lost nine of their 11 matches so far, including a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Macarthur just over a month ago.
With the Bulls being a bit flat due to fixturing and Western United scoring just eight goals all season, there is some real value on the under in this market.
Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.50
Third placed City will be “hosting” fourth placed Western Sydney at the Wanderers home ground to wrap up Friday’s mens double header.
City has really enjoyed their recent matchups with the Wanderers, winning six of the last nine head to head and last losing to the Wanderers in March 2019.
However Western Sydney does not lose back to back matches this season and they should be much better than they were against the Mariners last week.
Like the prior match, the value in this market lies in the total goals number, with four of the last five head to head meetings seeing four or more goals scored.
City’s attacking lineup is starting to gel and they have scored 10 goals in their last two matches, while the Wanderers have scored multiple goals in seven of their 11 matches this season.
Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.25
Absentee attackers will be the main story in this game, with the Victory playing without golden boot leader Bruno Fornaroli and the Mariners farewelling Marco Tulio after his transfer.
That should not dampen the attacking intent for either side, although their efficiency in front of goal could be a bit lower than normal.
With both sides riding lengthy unbeaten runs that includes a 2-2 head to head draw just over a month ago, neither team is going to want to see that come to an end here.
There really is not a lot between these sides with the way they are playing and I cannot split them so the draw is where I’ll be going.
Draw @ $3.50
Just like Macarthur, this is going to be 90 minutes of attrition for Adelaide as they play their third match in eight days.
While fatigue was not a massive issue for them in their draw with the Bulls on Monday, that is probably going to play some role in this fixture and it does give Sydney an advantage.
As does the Sky Blues three match winning streak, their longest A-League streak since April and May 2023 and it looks like Ufuk Talay is finally getting this team on the same page.
It was Talay’s first match in charge of the Sky Blues in November when they went to Adelaide and recorded a resounding 5-1 win, I’m not expecting this game to be as much of a blowout but Sydney should get the job done.
Sydney FC to Win @ $1.94
It was a less than ideal start to the Ben Cahn era in Brisbane last week, but it was a much improved performance even in defeat against Sydney FC.
While they did suffer their fourth straight defeat, the return of Florin Berenguer to the starting lineup showed that there is hope for this side to challenge as the season goes on.
Newcastle won’t be an easy opponent, having picked up eight points from their last five matches they can compete with anyone on their day.
Unfortunately for them, those days are few and far between and the head to head history is firmly in favour of the Roar no matter who is coaching them.
They have won seven of the last ten meetings including the Australia Cup Round of 32 tie back in August and I’ll take them to do it again.
Brisbane to Win @ $2.40
This won’t be the inaugural edition of the Distance Derby in New South Wales but it is the first one that is getting played here because of a special event.
While the Glory have been nominated as the home team for this fixture, they won’t enjoy the typical advantages of playing at HBF Park which includes a better shot of winning outright.
Their record outside of Western Australia is well documented, winless in their last 16 matches, drawing just four of those games.
On top of that, the last eight matches have seen five Wellington victories and three draws and the value on the Nix is too good to pass up.
Wellington to Win @ $2.45
2022/23
The A-League rolls on with another fascinating week of matchups!
We’re nearly at the halfway point of the 2022/23 season and the table is still incredibly close. Just 6 points separate 11th from 4th.
There are some very exciting matchups this weekend and as always, I have your back for tips.
Here is my preview of Round 12 of the A-League.
Kicking us off on Friday night we have the Bulls taking on Central Coast.
It’s second taking on fourth and we should should be in for a great game with both sides are coming off impressive wins in Round 11.
‘Over 2.5 Goals’ market has hit in 11 of Central Coast’s last 12 A-League matches and Central Coast has won seven of its last eight A-League night matches.
I’m backing a Cenny Coast win and combining that with a play on over 2.5 goals.
Central Coast H2H & Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.84
The fifth placed Roar will host the Phoenix on Saturday afternoon in a game that should be closer than the bookies are giving them credit for.
The Roar are $2.25 favourites to Wellington’s $2.95 but I think the Phoenix could trouble Brisbane.
Four of Brisbane’s last five A-League day matches have resulted in a draw and I’m liking that trend to continue here.
Back the Draw @ $3.30
Adelaide United will host Melbourne Victory on Saturday night in what should be one of the more interesting fixtures of the round.
Obviously the Victory have been dealt some punishments in the wake of their fans storming the field a few weeks ago and I’m interested to see if that has an effect on how the players perform on Saturday night.
I think Adelaide H2H at $2.40 is the play here, the Victory are bottom of the ladder without their punishment and I think this will just add insult to injury.
Back Adelaide United H2H @ $2.40
The Glory will look to make it two in a row when they host Sydney FC on Saturday night and I think we could be on again.
They are $3.70 underdogs but have a look at the stats I’ve just found.
The home team has won seven of Perth’s last eight A-League matches and Sydney FC has lost four of its last five A-League matches as a favourite.
I’m having another play on the Glory, it worked for me last week lets see if lightning can strike twice!
Back the Glory H2H @ $3.70
Third place hosts the runaway league leaders on Sunday afternoon at Commbank Stadium.
The Wanderers look to be on a downward spiral and will take on a City side that continues to show everyone why they are the powerhouse in Australian football.
Even though the Wanderers are currently third on the table, they’ve only won 1 of their last 5 games.
City are $2.10 favourites and honestly that’s enough value for me, I think they’re going to win and I think that’s a decent price.
Back Melbourne City H2H @ $2.10
Rounding out the round we have a massive 10th v 11th matchup and the bookies are tipping it to be one way traffic.
Despite losing 4-0 last week, Western United are $1.83 favourites to beat the Newcastle Jets.
‘Under 2.5 Goals’ market has hit in each of Western United FC’s last four A-League matches as a home favourite and the ‘Both Teams to Score’ market has failed to hit in seven of Newcastle’s last eight A-League away matches.
I think a draw is the play on this game. I think it will be a snoozer and will be checking the results on my phone.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
2021/2022
Four matches will be contested in the A-League Men competition this week, as pandemic rescheduling continues to bare its ugly head.
The lowly Roar and Wanderers are desperate for points and meet in Brisbane on Saturday, while top four sides Western United and the Melbourne City clash in Victoria.
Sunday’s matches see Sydney FC taking on the Central Coast Mariners, before the Newcastle Jets return to action against Adelaide United.
The Brisbane Roar are steadily building in form, and they are offered the opportunity to climb off the bottom of the table when they take on the similarly lowly Wanderers on Saturday.
It was a slow start to the season for the Roar, and they were forced to wait until just over a week ago for their first win. That triumph over the Perth Glory wasn’t franked, however, and they suffered a heavy defeat to Adelaide United most recently.
The Wanderers’ schedule has also been thrown into disarray by the pandemic, and this will be their first league match since January 9th.
I haven’t seen nearly enough from the Roar to trust them from a betting perspective, but I also believe that the Wanderers will be a little rusty, so I’m staying on the fence.
Back the Draw @ $3.40
An all-Victorian affair will see Western United take on Melbourne City on Saturday night, with top four implications on the line.
The fourth-placed Western United have dropped out of form recently, and they are looking down the barrel of a third-consecutive defeat.
City meanwhile are undefeated in the league since early December, and they take winning form into this match after overcoming the Mariners last week.
I think that the market just about has this one right, and I am keen to take Melbourne City as favourites.
Back City to Win @ $2.05
The most intriguing match of the round looks like materialising between Sydney FC and the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.
Sydney’s exceptionally slow start to the season does look to be in the rear-view mirror, but they have squandered chances against the Roar and Victory recently, and suffered a loss to Perth.
The Mariners have exceeded expectations, but they too take their place this week following a forgettable performance and loss to Melbourne City.
Sydney don’t deserve to be odds-on favourites in my opinion, but I’m also not entirely confident in the Mariners’ winning claims, so I am going to stay away from match betting.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.05
The Newcastle Jets will make their eagerly awaited return to action on Sunday, and they are offered a good opportunity to win at the expense of Adelaide United.
It has been a very promising start to the season for the young Jets, and they have returned many exciting performances, on their way to some very positive results. This will however be their first match since December 19th, and they will need to be sharp to overcome a fit Adelaide outfit.
Adelaide have been mediocre at best, but they’ve often done enough to steal a point from their opposition, and it’s fair to say that their performance and win over the Roar last week was their best of the season to date.
Solely because of their fitness edge, I’m backing Adelaide to steal an upset.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.95
The Bulls are back in action on Tuesday for the first time since Boxing Day, and they’ll have their hands full with a fit Western United.
Macarthur enjoyed a glittering start to their second-ever A-League campaign, and sat atop standings until suffering the first defeat of the season at their last appearance. Simply on account of having several games in hand, they have slipped to fifth overall.
Western United have returned several pleasing performances of their own to sit second on the ladder, and they snapped a two-game losing streak with an impressive win over Melbourne City on Saturday.
At full fitness this would be an outstanding match, but I think that Western United will get over the line this week.
Back Western United to Win @ $2.70
*RESCHEDULED ROUND 10 MATCH*
The struggling Wanderers will host the inconsistent Perth Glory on Wednesday night, and there is a case to be made for both clubs.
The Wanderers’ poor form has resulted in the sacking of manager Carl Robinson, and Mark Rudan will take the reins for the first time on Wednesday. Often, changes in coaching personnel can have an immediate positive effect, and that is echoed in Western Sydney’s $2.02 favouritism.
The Glory have been tough to trust from a betting perspective since returning to action, but they broke a two-game losing streak with a shock win over Sydney FC last week. I think that they can repeat that result on Wednesday.
Back the Glory to Win @ $3.50
*RESCHEDULED ROUND 9 MATCH*
2021
Six matches make up Round 12 of the A-League season and the stunning question we are all asking is, can the Central Coast Mariners keep going?
Well clear at the top of the A-League table, the Mariners will look to consolidate their position when they take on Perth this weekend.
Elsewhere the Victory will try and shake off a derby battering when they host Adelaide United and Brisbane will try and rediscover their scintillating form of a month ago.
Find our best bets and match previews below!
Fresh off hitting cross town rivals Melbourne Victory for six, City will try to overtake A-League new boys Macarthur FC on the ladder.
It was a stunning derby showing from the side looking to show everyone that last season’s run to the Grand Final was no fluke to make it three wins in a row.
Perhaps more impressively, it was their second consecutive clean sheet and after conceding in their six matches prior.
Macarthur have proven to be a touch inconsistent in their last month of matches, losing two of their last three to Western United and Central Coast.
I’ll back the red hot form of Melbourne City as they avoid channelling Melbourne Heart and shake off a potential derby hangover.
Back Melbourne City to Win @ $1.82
The Jets head south to take on the defending champions and end a two-match losing streak in the process.
Sydney’s form over the last month has not been much better, going four matches without a win (midweek clash with Western United still to be played at the time of writing).
This has all the makings of an arm wrestle between two sides that really could use the confidence boost of going on a run.
I’ll back both sides to enter this fixture in damage limitation mode and as such, a goal or two could decide it.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.10
Get on while you can get some phenomenal value on an Adelaide United win.
The return of Craig Goodwin has sparked the Reds into life, and three consecutive wins.
Add in they are playing possibly the worst performing Melbourne Victory team in their club history.
A week ago they were humiliated in the derby and don’t appear capable of generating any sort of response.
I’ll happily back against Victory for the foreseeable future.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.55
Undoubtedly the best sporting story in Australia at the moment, the Central Coast Mariners sit seven points clear at the top of the A-League table and have shown no signs of slowing down.
From the Wizard of Woy Woy Matt Simon, to the phenomenal youngster Alou Kuol, not to mention the debutant who only needed 25 seconds to score a goal Matt Hatch, the Mariners bandwagon is accepting applications.
Up next is Perth Glory, whose phenomenal Both Teams to Score streak came to an end in their 3-0 loss to Wellington last weekend.
That trivia note can now be altered to “Over 2.5 Goals has hit in every Perth match” and there is no reason to expect anything different here.
Central Coast won 2-1 in Perth when these teams met on March 2nd, and this should follow a similar pattern.
I’ll back another Mariners victory with a few goals to be scored.
Back Central Coast to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $3.10
It’s time to push the panic button in Brisbane, the Roar have now gone five matches without a win and have scored a grand total of two goals in that time.
Something has been missing from this side since their 5-2 demolition of Melbourne Victory, they have lacked a sharp finishing touch and cannot seem to find their footing.
Western United on the other hand will enter this match knowing they have a 2-1 edge on the Roar in their short but somewhat eventful rivalry.
Perhaps the only thing that will give the Roar hope of edging a tight contest is the fact that Western United is coming off a midweek clash with Sydney FC and their aging squad might not back up as quickly as others do.
I’m not entirely sold on the hosts ability to back up and come away with a win and the Roar have been good enough to grind out three draws in the last month, but I am expecting a low scoring, tight affair just like their three prior meetings.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.05
Less than a month after playing out an enthralling 2-2 draw, the Wanderers and Phoenix face off again.
It certainly seems like the Nix have played themselves into some good form, winning their last two matches against the Jets and Glory.
Western Sydney on the other hand snapped a three-match winless run edging out Western United last Sunday evening.
All things considered there’s not a lot between these sides and the Wanderers should not be such clear favourites in the market, I’ll happily back the visitors to pull off an upset here.
Back Wellington to Win @ $3.40
2019/2020
While the A-League’s festive calendar is nowhere near as busy as the Premier League’s, there’s still plenty of football to keep us entertained at this time of year.
We get an all light blue derby between Sydney FC and Melbourne City plus a wooden spoon battle between the Jets and the Roar.
Check out our previews for the final five matches of 2019 right here!
It’s a pretty simple explanation here, I have to back Adelaide United, they’ve been the better side this year and I’m willing to write off that loss to the Mariners as a bad day.
While the Wanderers showed some signs of life as the pressure builds on Markus Babbel as they ended a five game losing run with a draw against Western United, they can’t keep up with Adelaide if they concede first.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.05
It’s the second edition of the Mark Rudan Derby, although the crowd will be a lot more friendly to the former Nix boss in Ballarat compared to Wellington in Round 1.
When that took place in October, it was a strike from Besart Berisha getting the visitors over the line and the A-League’s all time leading goalscorer has shown he can still be a feared opponent for defenders.
The right results could see the A-League’s newest side jump up to second place with a win here.
We now know what the pattern for United’s wins are going to be, it will see them happy to sit back and make the most of their scoring opportunities with the experience in their lineup.
SGM: Western United to Win & Under 3.5 Goals @ $3.27
Something has to give soon for Robbie Fowler and the Brisbane Roar.
Perhaps a bye will give them the spark they need, perhaps it will be facing a Newcastle side that is coming off a 6-2 drubbing in Perth.
Historically the Hunter region has been quite profitable for the Roar but there’s not a lot of cause for optimism so far with the side desperate for goals.
They might find a way to score a few here but I can’t bring myself to back them outright, even as underdogs considering the Jets might see this as a get right game themselves.
Back Over 1.5 Brisbane Goals @ $2.30
It’s the A-League’s Light Blue Derby… since City continue to insist they are City Blue which is different to Sydney’s Sky Blue… it’s all light blue to me anyway.
Anyway, City still has just enough of that Melbourne Heart DNA in them to make you wary of backing them on a big stage, just look at their Derby no-show.
Plus Sydney will be smarting after dropping two points in Wellington last time out.
I’m expecting a big Sydney bounce back game here and they increase the gap between themselves and City by three points.
Back Sydney FC to Win @ $1.91
It looks like that match against Melbourne City a few weeks ago woke up the defending Premiers.
That 6-2 defeat of the Jets last weekend was nothing short of a demolition job and should put the Mariners on red alert going into this one.
In what is now a New Years Eve fixture, we will all be hoping this goes a bit smoother than last season’s meeting where a broken goalpost delayed play by around an hour.
You could argue both sides are carrying a bit of form into the match but at this stage, I have to back Perth.
Back Perth to Win @ $1.80
2018/2019
It’s a different kind of schedule in the A-League for Round 12, the games are still being played over the course of four days, just spread out over two weeks.
Brisbane and Newcastle already played their match last Wednesday night and the Mariners and City don’t play their game until the 16th.
So for your enjoyment, here is a slightly abbreviated A-League Round 12 Preview with the usual breakdowns and predictions.
*MATCH PREVIEWED FOR ROUND 10*
If nothing else, the Nix are showing plenty of resilience finding ways to hold on for draws right now.
After Mandi’s red card against Adelaide they closed ranks and held on for just the second scoreless draw in the competition all season.
Western Sydney showed plenty of fight going down to the Victory but were undone by the class of Ola Toivonen.
All in all that makes for a tough task for both of these sides to back up on just 72 hours rest and while Wellington should have a slight edge in class, this one probably won’t reach any great heights.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
Another edition of the “Original Rivalry” as the Reds and Victory face off for the second time this season.
It was the Victory claiming all three points when they met at Marvel Stadium a month ago and you have to like them to repeat that effort.
The more games they have to play without Keisuke Honda, the more they will find new ways to adapt and sending the ball in the direction of their Swedish striker is a good starting point.
With both sides on a level price you have to like the Victory as a value play here.
Back Melbourne Victory to Win @ $2.60
No rest for Perth after an emotional come from behind win in Brisbane on Sunday, they have to back up at home against a Sydney side fresh off scoring five goals.
We saw the good and bad of Glory against the Roar when they sleepwalked through the first half before a red card swung the game in their favour.
There is a lot of history for the Glory to overcome, they have been on the receiving end of some big defeats from Sydney over the last few years.
Perth is a huge step up from the Mariners but an extra two days of rest could be big for Sydney.
Back Sydney to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $4.60
*MATCH TO BE PREVIEWED IN ROUND 13*
2017/2018
One of the more dramatic rounds of A-League action is followed up with a big weekend leading into Christmas.
The second Melbourne Derby of the season highlights this weekend with Victory looking to build a winning streak heading into 2018.
Elsewhere the round begins with a big game in Brisbane as the Roar and Perth Glory want to push themselves into the mix and pull out of the pack currently residing between fourth and ninth on the ladder.
It is first against last as Wellington are the next team to try and stop the rampant Sydney FC.
Read our preview and our recommended plays for a festive fill up.
These sides get together for the first time this season having split the three meetings evenly last week.
Brisbane were undone by a slow start against Melbourne Victory last week while Perth snatched a valuable point thanks to a Diego Castro goal.
On a short rest and with an injury ravaged side it will be worth watching to see how many changes are made to the Roar with a number of youngsters pushing for more game time.
Even with those potential changes, neither side seems to have the confidence to really go for it this week so take a draw.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
It took a few weeks but Saturday night showed just what the Wanderers are capable of under new coach Josep Gombau.
They face the Newcastle Jets this weekend who are fresh off a big win over Adelaide on the weekend.
Debate may still continue over that penalty, but the Jets will take it however they will need to be much more clinical creating chances this week instead of waiting until the 55th minute to have their first shot on target.
With the Wanderers potential to hit the Jets on the break this has the makings of a high scoring affair with neither side able to find a breakthrough.
Back the Draw @ $3.60
It is looking like Sydney’s Premiership to lose at the moment with Graham Arnold’s side ruthlessly going through opponents at will.
Wellington made them work for it in round two almost snatching a point at Allianz Stadium and now they have a chance to spring an upset on their home ground.
It has been five straight wins for Sydney and having dropped points in just two games so far, it is worth riding them while their form drops off.
Back Sydney FC to Win to Nil @ $2.90
One of the biggest matches in the A-League calendar is the late December tradition of the Melbourne Derby.
When these sides met in October it was City emerging as 2-1 victors despite a late onslaught from Victory.
Going into this game it is City trying to rebound from a loss having gone down in Sydney last week while the Victory came away with a 2-1 win in Brisbane.
With the A-League struggling for traction in a busy summer market, they more than anyone else need this derby to be a classic and while I’m not sure this will fulfil that need it will be a tight finish with a score draw.
Back Both Teams to Score and Draw @ $4.20
It is a good thing both of these sides will have a few extra days to cool off after some highly frustrating VAR related moments in their matches last weekend.
Working in Adelaide’s favour is the fact that they will be able to welcome back Ben Garrucio and Daniel Adlung from suspension for this game.
The latter scored a stunning volley when these sides met six weeks ago and would love to have the opportunity to replicate that feat on home turf.
Both of these sides have improved greatly this year but I like Adelaide’s strengths at set pieces to get the job done for them.
Back Adelaide United to Win @ $1.90
2016/2017
The A-League action does not stop for Christmas weekend!
The round starts on Friday night when the Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers do battle before there is a big double-header on Boxing Day, which is highlighted by the clash between Adelaide United and Sydney FC.
The action goes all the way to Wednesday and it really is an absolute feast for football fans this weekend!
The Brisbane Roar have still only lost the one game this season and they will go into this clash with the Western Sydney Wanderers as clear favourites.
Suncorp Stadium continues to be a real fortress for the Roar and they have won 11 of their past 14 games as home favourites for a big profit and they beat Western Sydney in this corresponding fixture 12 months ago.
Western Sydney have won just one of their past eight games and they were fairly poor against the Wellington Phoenix last weekend.
The Wanderers have won just one of their past seven games as away underdogs for a clear loss and they are a side that has been very tough to trust from a betting perspective this season.
Brisbane are always a safe bet in front of their home fans and should be able to get the job done comfortably.
Back Brisbane To Win @ $2
This will be one of the most interesting games of the round as both the Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix both come into this game on the back of promising efforts.
Newcastle have recorded back-to-back wins over the Perth Glory and Adelaide United and will go into this clash as clear favourites.
The Jets have won only one of their past three as home favourites, but their record in front of their home fans has been good.
Wellington have not lost a game since Ernie Merrick resigned and there was a lot to like about their performance against the Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend.
The Phoenix have won three of their past 10 games as away underdogs for a clear profit and their record against the Newcastle Jets is excellent.
Wellington are a good gamble to continue their unbeaten run and take the three points from this clash.
Back Wellington To Win @ $3
This season continues to go from bad to worse for Adelaide United and it is Sydney FC that will start this clash as clear favourites.
Adelaide went down to the Newcastle Jets last weekend and this will be the first time that they have started a home game as underdogs for over a year.
Sydney FC returned to winning form with a dominant performance against Perth Glory and it should come as no surprise that they will go into this clash as the punter’s elect.
The Sky Blues have now won five of their past eight games as away favourites and they look like the safest bet in the A-League this weekend.
Anything better than even money is well over the odds.
Back Sydney FC To Win @ $2.05
Melbourne City may have lost to Melbourne Victory last weekend, but they will still go into this clash with the Perth Glory as clear favourites.
Melbourne City have dominated at AAMI Park over the past 12 months and they have won nine of their past 12 games as home favourites.
Perth have not won a game since they beat Adelaide United over a month ago, but they still do have a surprisingly good record as away underdogs – they have won four of their past ten games in this scenario for a clear profit.
Melbourne City should be able to get the job done comfortably, but there is no value at their current price and I am happy to stay out of this clash from a betting standpoint.
No Bet
The Melbourne Victory produced one of their best performances of the season to date to beat Melbourne City and they are the shortest-priced favourites of the weekend.
The Victory have now won six of their past eight games and their record against the Central Coast Mariners is nothing short of outstanding.
Melbourne have won five of their past 11 games as home favourites for a clear loss, but they are 6-1-2 against the Mariners in this scenario.
Central Coast have now lost three games on the trot and their record as away underdogs does not inspire a great deal of confidence – they have won just two of their past 13 games as away underdogs for a clear loss.
Melbourne Victory are another safe bet, but there is no real value at the current price.
No Bet
2021/2022
Four matches will be contested in the A-League Men competition this week, as pandemic rescheduling continues to bare its ugly head.
The lowly Roar and Wanderers are desperate for points and meet in Brisbane on Saturday, while top four sides Western United and the Melbourne City clash in Victoria.
Sunday’s matches see Sydney FC taking on the Central Coast Mariners, before the Newcastle Jets return to action against Adelaide United.
The Brisbane Roar are steadily building in form, and they are offered the opportunity to climb off the bottom of the table when they take on the similarly lowly Wanderers on Saturday.
It was a slow start to the season for the Roar, and they were forced to wait until just over a week ago for their first win. That triumph over the Perth Glory wasn’t franked, however, and they suffered a heavy defeat to Adelaide United most recently.
The Wanderers’ schedule has also been thrown into disarray by the pandemic, and this will be their first league match since January 9th.
I haven’t seen nearly enough from the Roar to trust them from a betting perspective, but I also believe that the Wanderers will be a little rusty, so I’m staying on the fence.
Back the Draw @ $3.40
An all-Victorian affair will see Western United take on Melbourne City on Saturday night, with top four implications on the line.
The fourth-placed Western United have dropped out of form recently, and they are looking down the barrel of a third-consecutive defeat.
City meanwhile are undefeated in the league since early December, and they take winning form into this match after overcoming the Mariners last week.
I think that the market just about has this one right, and I am keen to take Melbourne City as favourites.
Back City to Win @ $2.05
The most intriguing match of the round looks like materialising between Sydney FC and the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.
Sydney’s exceptionally slow start to the season does look to be in the rear-view mirror, but they have squandered chances against the Roar and Victory recently, and suffered a loss to Perth.
The Mariners have exceeded expectations, but they too take their place this week following a forgettable performance and loss to Melbourne City.
Sydney don’t deserve to be odds-on favourites in my opinion, but I’m also not entirely confident in the Mariners’ winning claims, so I am going to stay away from match betting.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.05
The Newcastle Jets will make their eagerly awaited return to action on Sunday, and they are offered a good opportunity to win at the expense of Adelaide United.
It has been a very promising start to the season for the young Jets, and they have returned many exciting performances, on their way to some very positive results. This will however be their first match since December 19th, and they will need to be sharp to overcome a fit Adelaide outfit.
Adelaide have been mediocre at best, but they’ve often done enough to steal a point from their opposition, and it’s fair to say that their performance and win over the Roar last week was their best of the season to date.
Solely because of their fitness edge, I’m backing Adelaide to steal an upset.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.95
The Bulls are back in action on Tuesday for the first time since Boxing Day, and they’ll have their hands full with a fit Western United.
Macarthur enjoyed a glittering start to their second-ever A-League campaign, and sat atop standings until suffering the first defeat of the season at their last appearance. Simply on account of having several games in hand, they have slipped to fifth overall.
Western United have returned several pleasing performances of their own to sit second on the ladder, and they snapped a two-game losing streak with an impressive win over Melbourne City on Saturday.
At full fitness this would be an outstanding match, but I think that Western United will get over the line this week.
Back Western United to Win @ $2.70
*RESCHEDULED ROUND 10 MATCH*
The struggling Wanderers will host the inconsistent Perth Glory on Wednesday night, and there is a case to be made for both clubs.
The Wanderers’ poor form has resulted in the sacking of manager Carl Robinson, and Mark Rudan will take the reins for the first time on Wednesday. Often, changes in coaching personnel can have an immediate positive effect, and that is echoed in Western Sydney’s $2.02 favouritism.
The Glory have been tough to trust from a betting perspective since returning to action, but they broke a two-game losing streak with a shock win over Sydney FC last week. I think that they can repeat that result on Wednesday.
Back the Glory to Win @ $3.50
*RESCHEDULED ROUND 9 MATCH*
2021
Six matches make up Round 12 of the A-League season and the stunning question we are all asking is, can the Central Coast Mariners keep going?
Well clear at the top of the A-League table, the Mariners will look to consolidate their position when they take on Perth this weekend.
Elsewhere the Victory will try and shake off a derby battering when they host Adelaide United and Brisbane will try and rediscover their scintillating form of a month ago.
Find our best bets and match previews below!
Fresh off hitting cross town rivals Melbourne Victory for six, City will try to overtake A-League new boys Macarthur FC on the ladder.
It was a stunning derby showing from the side looking to show everyone that last season’s run to the Grand Final was no fluke to make it three wins in a row.
Perhaps more impressively, it was their second consecutive clean sheet and after conceding in their six matches prior.
Macarthur have proven to be a touch inconsistent in their last month of matches, losing two of their last three to Western United and Central Coast.
I’ll back the red hot form of Melbourne City as they avoid channelling Melbourne Heart and shake off a potential derby hangover.
Back Melbourne City to Win @ $1.82
The Jets head south to take on the defending champions and end a two-match losing streak in the process.
Sydney’s form over the last month has not been much better, going four matches without a win (midweek clash with Western United still to be played at the time of writing).
This has all the makings of an arm wrestle between two sides that really could use the confidence boost of going on a run.
I’ll back both sides to enter this fixture in damage limitation mode and as such, a goal or two could decide it.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.10
Get on while you can get some phenomenal value on an Adelaide United win.
The return of Craig Goodwin has sparked the Reds into life, and three consecutive wins.
Add in they are playing possibly the worst performing Melbourne Victory team in their club history.
A week ago they were humiliated in the derby and don’t appear capable of generating any sort of response.
I’ll happily back against Victory for the foreseeable future.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.55
Undoubtedly the best sporting story in Australia at the moment, the Central Coast Mariners sit seven points clear at the top of the A-League table and have shown no signs of slowing down.
From the Wizard of Woy Woy Matt Simon, to the phenomenal youngster Alou Kuol, not to mention the debutant who only needed 25 seconds to score a goal Matt Hatch, the Mariners bandwagon is accepting applications.
Up next is Perth Glory, whose phenomenal Both Teams to Score streak came to an end in their 3-0 loss to Wellington last weekend.
That trivia note can now be altered to “Over 2.5 Goals has hit in every Perth match” and there is no reason to expect anything different here.
Central Coast won 2-1 in Perth when these teams met on March 2nd, and this should follow a similar pattern.
I’ll back another Mariners victory with a few goals to be scored.
Back Central Coast to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $3.10
It’s time to push the panic button in Brisbane, the Roar have now gone five matches without a win and have scored a grand total of two goals in that time.
Something has been missing from this side since their 5-2 demolition of Melbourne Victory, they have lacked a sharp finishing touch and cannot seem to find their footing.
Western United on the other hand will enter this match knowing they have a 2-1 edge on the Roar in their short but somewhat eventful rivalry.
Perhaps the only thing that will give the Roar hope of edging a tight contest is the fact that Western United is coming off a midweek clash with Sydney FC and their aging squad might not back up as quickly as others do.
I’m not entirely sold on the hosts ability to back up and come away with a win and the Roar have been good enough to grind out three draws in the last month, but I am expecting a low scoring, tight affair just like their three prior meetings.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.05
Less than a month after playing out an enthralling 2-2 draw, the Wanderers and Phoenix face off again.
It certainly seems like the Nix have played themselves into some good form, winning their last two matches against the Jets and Glory.
Western Sydney on the other hand snapped a three-match winless run edging out Western United last Sunday evening.
All things considered there’s not a lot between these sides and the Wanderers should not be such clear favourites in the market, I’ll happily back the visitors to pull off an upset here.
Back Wellington to Win @ $3.40
2019/2020
While the A-League’s festive calendar is nowhere near as busy as the Premier League’s, there’s still plenty of football to keep us entertained at this time of year.
We get an all light blue derby between Sydney FC and Melbourne City plus a wooden spoon battle between the Jets and the Roar.
Check out our previews for the final five matches of 2019 right here!
It’s a pretty simple explanation here, I have to back Adelaide United, they’ve been the better side this year and I’m willing to write off that loss to the Mariners as a bad day.
While the Wanderers showed some signs of life as the pressure builds on Markus Babbel as they ended a five game losing run with a draw against Western United, they can’t keep up with Adelaide if they concede first.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.05
It’s the second edition of the Mark Rudan Derby, although the crowd will be a lot more friendly to the former Nix boss in Ballarat compared to Wellington in Round 1.
When that took place in October, it was a strike from Besart Berisha getting the visitors over the line and the A-League’s all time leading goalscorer has shown he can still be a feared opponent for defenders.
The right results could see the A-League’s newest side jump up to second place with a win here.
We now know what the pattern for United’s wins are going to be, it will see them happy to sit back and make the most of their scoring opportunities with the experience in their lineup.
SGM: Western United to Win & Under 3.5 Goals @ $3.27
Something has to give soon for Robbie Fowler and the Brisbane Roar.
Perhaps a bye will give them the spark they need, perhaps it will be facing a Newcastle side that is coming off a 6-2 drubbing in Perth.
Historically the Hunter region has been quite profitable for the Roar but there’s not a lot of cause for optimism so far with the side desperate for goals.
They might find a way to score a few here but I can’t bring myself to back them outright, even as underdogs considering the Jets might see this as a get right game themselves.
Back Over 1.5 Brisbane Goals @ $2.30
It’s the A-League’s Light Blue Derby… since City continue to insist they are City Blue which is different to Sydney’s Sky Blue… it’s all light blue to me anyway.
Anyway, City still has just enough of that Melbourne Heart DNA in them to make you wary of backing them on a big stage, just look at their Derby no-show.
Plus Sydney will be smarting after dropping two points in Wellington last time out.
I’m expecting a big Sydney bounce back game here and they increase the gap between themselves and City by three points.
Back Sydney FC to Win @ $1.91
It looks like that match against Melbourne City a few weeks ago woke up the defending Premiers.
That 6-2 defeat of the Jets last weekend was nothing short of a demolition job and should put the Mariners on red alert going into this one.
In what is now a New Years Eve fixture, we will all be hoping this goes a bit smoother than last season’s meeting where a broken goalpost delayed play by around an hour.
You could argue both sides are carrying a bit of form into the match but at this stage, I have to back Perth.
Back Perth to Win @ $1.80
2018/2019
It’s a different kind of schedule in the A-League for Round 12, the games are still being played over the course of four days, just spread out over two weeks.
Brisbane and Newcastle already played their match last Wednesday night and the Mariners and City don’t play their game until the 16th.
So for your enjoyment, here is a slightly abbreviated A-League Round 12 Preview with the usual breakdowns and predictions.
*MATCH PREVIEWED FOR ROUND 10*
If nothing else, the Nix are showing plenty of resilience finding ways to hold on for draws right now.
After Mandi’s red card against Adelaide they closed ranks and held on for just the second scoreless draw in the competition all season.
Western Sydney showed plenty of fight going down to the Victory but were undone by the class of Ola Toivonen.
All in all that makes for a tough task for both of these sides to back up on just 72 hours rest and while Wellington should have a slight edge in class, this one probably won’t reach any great heights.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
Another edition of the “Original Rivalry” as the Reds and Victory face off for the second time this season.
It was the Victory claiming all three points when they met at Marvel Stadium a month ago and you have to like them to repeat that effort.
The more games they have to play without Keisuke Honda, the more they will find new ways to adapt and sending the ball in the direction of their Swedish striker is a good starting point.
With both sides on a level price you have to like the Victory as a value play here.
Back Melbourne Victory to Win @ $2.60
No rest for Perth after an emotional come from behind win in Brisbane on Sunday, they have to back up at home against a Sydney side fresh off scoring five goals.
We saw the good and bad of Glory against the Roar when they sleepwalked through the first half before a red card swung the game in their favour.
There is a lot of history for the Glory to overcome, they have been on the receiving end of some big defeats from Sydney over the last few years.
Perth is a huge step up from the Mariners but an extra two days of rest could be big for Sydney.
Back Sydney to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $4.60
*MATCH TO BE PREVIEWED IN ROUND 13*
2017/2018
One of the more dramatic rounds of A-League action is followed up with a big weekend leading into Christmas.
The second Melbourne Derby of the season highlights this weekend with Victory looking to build a winning streak heading into 2018.
Elsewhere the round begins with a big game in Brisbane as the Roar and Perth Glory want to push themselves into the mix and pull out of the pack currently residing between fourth and ninth on the ladder.
It is first against last as Wellington are the next team to try and stop the rampant Sydney FC.
Read our preview and our recommended plays for a festive fill up.
These sides get together for the first time this season having split the three meetings evenly last week.
Brisbane were undone by a slow start against Melbourne Victory last week while Perth snatched a valuable point thanks to a Diego Castro goal.
On a short rest and with an injury ravaged side it will be worth watching to see how many changes are made to the Roar with a number of youngsters pushing for more game time.
Even with those potential changes, neither side seems to have the confidence to really go for it this week so take a draw.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
It took a few weeks but Saturday night showed just what the Wanderers are capable of under new coach Josep Gombau.
They face the Newcastle Jets this weekend who are fresh off a big win over Adelaide on the weekend.
Debate may still continue over that penalty, but the Jets will take it however they will need to be much more clinical creating chances this week instead of waiting until the 55th minute to have their first shot on target.
With the Wanderers potential to hit the Jets on the break this has the makings of a high scoring affair with neither side able to find a breakthrough.
Back the Draw @ $3.60
It is looking like Sydney’s Premiership to lose at the moment with Graham Arnold’s side ruthlessly going through opponents at will.
Wellington made them work for it in round two almost snatching a point at Allianz Stadium and now they have a chance to spring an upset on their home ground.
It has been five straight wins for Sydney and having dropped points in just two games so far, it is worth riding them while their form drops off.
Back Sydney FC to Win to Nil @ $2.90
One of the biggest matches in the A-League calendar is the late December tradition of the Melbourne Derby.
When these sides met in October it was City emerging as 2-1 victors despite a late onslaught from Victory.
Going into this game it is City trying to rebound from a loss having gone down in Sydney last week while the Victory came away with a 2-1 win in Brisbane.
With the A-League struggling for traction in a busy summer market, they more than anyone else need this derby to be a classic and while I’m not sure this will fulfil that need it will be a tight finish with a score draw.
Back Both Teams to Score and Draw @ $4.20
It is a good thing both of these sides will have a few extra days to cool off after some highly frustrating VAR related moments in their matches last weekend.
Working in Adelaide’s favour is the fact that they will be able to welcome back Ben Garrucio and Daniel Adlung from suspension for this game.
The latter scored a stunning volley when these sides met six weeks ago and would love to have the opportunity to replicate that feat on home turf.
Both of these sides have improved greatly this year but I like Adelaide’s strengths at set pieces to get the job done for them.
Back Adelaide United to Win @ $1.90
2016/2017
The A-League action does not stop for Christmas weekend!
The round starts on Friday night when the Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers do battle before there is a big double-header on Boxing Day, which is highlighted by the clash between Adelaide United and Sydney FC.
The action goes all the way to Wednesday and it really is an absolute feast for football fans this weekend!
The Brisbane Roar have still only lost the one game this season and they will go into this clash with the Western Sydney Wanderers as clear favourites.
Suncorp Stadium continues to be a real fortress for the Roar and they have won 11 of their past 14 games as home favourites for a big profit and they beat Western Sydney in this corresponding fixture 12 months ago.
Western Sydney have won just one of their past eight games and they were fairly poor against the Wellington Phoenix last weekend.
The Wanderers have won just one of their past seven games as away underdogs for a clear loss and they are a side that has been very tough to trust from a betting perspective this season.
Brisbane are always a safe bet in front of their home fans and should be able to get the job done comfortably.
Back Brisbane To Win @ $2
This will be one of the most interesting games of the round as both the Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix both come into this game on the back of promising efforts.
Newcastle have recorded back-to-back wins over the Perth Glory and Adelaide United and will go into this clash as clear favourites.
The Jets have won only one of their past three as home favourites, but their record in front of their home fans has been good.
Wellington have not lost a game since Ernie Merrick resigned and there was a lot to like about their performance against the Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend.
The Phoenix have won three of their past 10 games as away underdogs for a clear profit and their record against the Newcastle Jets is excellent.
Wellington are a good gamble to continue their unbeaten run and take the three points from this clash.
Back Wellington To Win @ $3
This season continues to go from bad to worse for Adelaide United and it is Sydney FC that will start this clash as clear favourites.
Adelaide went down to the Newcastle Jets last weekend and this will be the first time that they have started a home game as underdogs for over a year.
Sydney FC returned to winning form with a dominant performance against Perth Glory and it should come as no surprise that they will go into this clash as the punter’s elect.
The Sky Blues have now won five of their past eight games as away favourites and they look like the safest bet in the A-League this weekend.
Anything better than even money is well over the odds.
Back Sydney FC To Win @ $2.05
Melbourne City may have lost to Melbourne Victory last weekend, but they will still go into this clash with the Perth Glory as clear favourites.
Melbourne City have dominated at AAMI Park over the past 12 months and they have won nine of their past 12 games as home favourites.
Perth have not won a game since they beat Adelaide United over a month ago, but they still do have a surprisingly good record as away underdogs – they have won four of their past ten games in this scenario for a clear profit.
Melbourne City should be able to get the job done comfortably, but there is no value at their current price and I am happy to stay out of this clash from a betting standpoint.
No Bet
The Melbourne Victory produced one of their best performances of the season to date to beat Melbourne City and they are the shortest-priced favourites of the weekend.
The Victory have now won six of their past eight games and their record against the Central Coast Mariners is nothing short of outstanding.
Melbourne have won five of their past 11 games as home favourites for a clear loss, but they are 6-1-2 against the Mariners in this scenario.
Central Coast have now lost three games on the trot and their record as away underdogs does not inspire a great deal of confidence – they have won just two of their past 13 games as away underdogs for a clear loss.
Melbourne Victory are another safe bet, but there is no real value at the current price.
No Bet
2021/2022
Four matches will be contested in the A-League Men competition this week, as pandemic rescheduling continues to bare its ugly head.
The lowly Roar and Wanderers are desperate for points and meet in Brisbane on Saturday, while top four sides Western United and the Melbourne City clash in Victoria.
Sunday’s matches see Sydney FC taking on the Central Coast Mariners, before the Newcastle Jets return to action against Adelaide United.
The Brisbane Roar are steadily building in form, and they are offered the opportunity to climb off the bottom of the table when they take on the similarly lowly Wanderers on Saturday.
It was a slow start to the season for the Roar, and they were forced to wait until just over a week ago for their first win. That triumph over the Perth Glory wasn’t franked, however, and they suffered a heavy defeat to Adelaide United most recently.
The Wanderers’ schedule has also been thrown into disarray by the pandemic, and this will be their first league match since January 9th.
I haven’t seen nearly enough from the Roar to trust them from a betting perspective, but I also believe that the Wanderers will be a little rusty, so I’m staying on the fence.
Back the Draw @ $3.40
An all-Victorian affair will see Western United take on Melbourne City on Saturday night, with top four implications on the line.
The fourth-placed Western United have dropped out of form recently, and they are looking down the barrel of a third-consecutive defeat.
City meanwhile are undefeated in the league since early December, and they take winning form into this match after overcoming the Mariners last week.
I think that the market just about has this one right, and I am keen to take Melbourne City as favourites.
Back City to Win @ $2.05
The most intriguing match of the round looks like materialising between Sydney FC and the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.
Sydney’s exceptionally slow start to the season does look to be in the rear-view mirror, but they have squandered chances against the Roar and Victory recently, and suffered a loss to Perth.
The Mariners have exceeded expectations, but they too take their place this week following a forgettable performance and loss to Melbourne City.
Sydney don’t deserve to be odds-on favourites in my opinion, but I’m also not entirely confident in the Mariners’ winning claims, so I am going to stay away from match betting.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.05
The Newcastle Jets will make their eagerly awaited return to action on Sunday, and they are offered a good opportunity to win at the expense of Adelaide United.
It has been a very promising start to the season for the young Jets, and they have returned many exciting performances, on their way to some very positive results. This will however be their first match since December 19th, and they will need to be sharp to overcome a fit Adelaide outfit.
Adelaide have been mediocre at best, but they’ve often done enough to steal a point from their opposition, and it’s fair to say that their performance and win over the Roar last week was their best of the season to date.
Solely because of their fitness edge, I’m backing Adelaide to steal an upset.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.95
The Bulls are back in action on Tuesday for the first time since Boxing Day, and they’ll have their hands full with a fit Western United.
Macarthur enjoyed a glittering start to their second-ever A-League campaign, and sat atop standings until suffering the first defeat of the season at their last appearance. Simply on account of having several games in hand, they have slipped to fifth overall.
Western United have returned several pleasing performances of their own to sit second on the ladder, and they snapped a two-game losing streak with an impressive win over Melbourne City on Saturday.
At full fitness this would be an outstanding match, but I think that Western United will get over the line this week.
Back Western United to Win @ $2.70
*RESCHEDULED ROUND 10 MATCH*
The struggling Wanderers will host the inconsistent Perth Glory on Wednesday night, and there is a case to be made for both clubs.
The Wanderers’ poor form has resulted in the sacking of manager Carl Robinson, and Mark Rudan will take the reins for the first time on Wednesday. Often, changes in coaching personnel can have an immediate positive effect, and that is echoed in Western Sydney’s $2.02 favouritism.
The Glory have been tough to trust from a betting perspective since returning to action, but they broke a two-game losing streak with a shock win over Sydney FC last week. I think that they can repeat that result on Wednesday.
Back the Glory to Win @ $3.50
*RESCHEDULED ROUND 9 MATCH*
2021
Six matches make up Round 12 of the A-League season and the stunning question we are all asking is, can the Central Coast Mariners keep going?
Well clear at the top of the A-League table, the Mariners will look to consolidate their position when they take on Perth this weekend.
Elsewhere the Victory will try and shake off a derby battering when they host Adelaide United and Brisbane will try and rediscover their scintillating form of a month ago.
Find our best bets and match previews below!
Fresh off hitting cross town rivals Melbourne Victory for six, City will try to overtake A-League new boys Macarthur FC on the ladder.
It was a stunning derby showing from the side looking to show everyone that last season’s run to the Grand Final was no fluke to make it three wins in a row.
Perhaps more impressively, it was their second consecutive clean sheet and after conceding in their six matches prior.
Macarthur have proven to be a touch inconsistent in their last month of matches, losing two of their last three to Western United and Central Coast.
I’ll back the red hot form of Melbourne City as they avoid channelling Melbourne Heart and shake off a potential derby hangover.
Back Melbourne City to Win @ $1.82
The Jets head south to take on the defending champions and end a two-match losing streak in the process.
Sydney’s form over the last month has not been much better, going four matches without a win (midweek clash with Western United still to be played at the time of writing).
This has all the makings of an arm wrestle between two sides that really could use the confidence boost of going on a run.
I’ll back both sides to enter this fixture in damage limitation mode and as such, a goal or two could decide it.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.10
Get on while you can get some phenomenal value on an Adelaide United win.
The return of Craig Goodwin has sparked the Reds into life, and three consecutive wins.
Add in they are playing possibly the worst performing Melbourne Victory team in their club history.
A week ago they were humiliated in the derby and don’t appear capable of generating any sort of response.
I’ll happily back against Victory for the foreseeable future.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.55
Undoubtedly the best sporting story in Australia at the moment, the Central Coast Mariners sit seven points clear at the top of the A-League table and have shown no signs of slowing down.
From the Wizard of Woy Woy Matt Simon, to the phenomenal youngster Alou Kuol, not to mention the debutant who only needed 25 seconds to score a goal Matt Hatch, the Mariners bandwagon is accepting applications.
Up next is Perth Glory, whose phenomenal Both Teams to Score streak came to an end in their 3-0 loss to Wellington last weekend.
That trivia note can now be altered to “Over 2.5 Goals has hit in every Perth match” and there is no reason to expect anything different here.
Central Coast won 2-1 in Perth when these teams met on March 2nd, and this should follow a similar pattern.
I’ll back another Mariners victory with a few goals to be scored.
Back Central Coast to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $3.10
It’s time to push the panic button in Brisbane, the Roar have now gone five matches without a win and have scored a grand total of two goals in that time.
Something has been missing from this side since their 5-2 demolition of Melbourne Victory, they have lacked a sharp finishing touch and cannot seem to find their footing.
Western United on the other hand will enter this match knowing they have a 2-1 edge on the Roar in their short but somewhat eventful rivalry.
Perhaps the only thing that will give the Roar hope of edging a tight contest is the fact that Western United is coming off a midweek clash with Sydney FC and their aging squad might not back up as quickly as others do.
I’m not entirely sold on the hosts ability to back up and come away with a win and the Roar have been good enough to grind out three draws in the last month, but I am expecting a low scoring, tight affair just like their three prior meetings.
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.05
Less than a month after playing out an enthralling 2-2 draw, the Wanderers and Phoenix face off again.
It certainly seems like the Nix have played themselves into some good form, winning their last two matches against the Jets and Glory.
Western Sydney on the other hand snapped a three-match winless run edging out Western United last Sunday evening.
All things considered there’s not a lot between these sides and the Wanderers should not be such clear favourites in the market, I’ll happily back the visitors to pull off an upset here.
Back Wellington to Win @ $3.40
2019/2020
While the A-League’s festive calendar is nowhere near as busy as the Premier League’s, there’s still plenty of football to keep us entertained at this time of year.
We get an all light blue derby between Sydney FC and Melbourne City plus a wooden spoon battle between the Jets and the Roar.
Check out our previews for the final five matches of 2019 right here!
It’s a pretty simple explanation here, I have to back Adelaide United, they’ve been the better side this year and I’m willing to write off that loss to the Mariners as a bad day.
While the Wanderers showed some signs of life as the pressure builds on Markus Babbel as they ended a five game losing run with a draw against Western United, they can’t keep up with Adelaide if they concede first.
Back Adelaide to Win @ $2.05
It’s the second edition of the Mark Rudan Derby, although the crowd will be a lot more friendly to the former Nix boss in Ballarat compared to Wellington in Round 1.
When that took place in October, it was a strike from Besart Berisha getting the visitors over the line and the A-League’s all time leading goalscorer has shown he can still be a feared opponent for defenders.
The right results could see the A-League’s newest side jump up to second place with a win here.
We now know what the pattern for United’s wins are going to be, it will see them happy to sit back and make the most of their scoring opportunities with the experience in their lineup.
SGM: Western United to Win & Under 3.5 Goals @ $3.27
Something has to give soon for Robbie Fowler and the Brisbane Roar.
Perhaps a bye will give them the spark they need, perhaps it will be facing a Newcastle side that is coming off a 6-2 drubbing in Perth.
Historically the Hunter region has been quite profitable for the Roar but there’s not a lot of cause for optimism so far with the side desperate for goals.
They might find a way to score a few here but I can’t bring myself to back them outright, even as underdogs considering the Jets might see this as a get right game themselves.
Back Over 1.5 Brisbane Goals @ $2.30
It’s the A-League’s Light Blue Derby… since City continue to insist they are City Blue which is different to Sydney’s Sky Blue… it’s all light blue to me anyway.
Anyway, City still has just enough of that Melbourne Heart DNA in them to make you wary of backing them on a big stage, just look at their Derby no-show.
Plus Sydney will be smarting after dropping two points in Wellington last time out.
I’m expecting a big Sydney bounce back game here and they increase the gap between themselves and City by three points.
Back Sydney FC to Win @ $1.91
It looks like that match against Melbourne City a few weeks ago woke up the defending Premiers.
That 6-2 defeat of the Jets last weekend was nothing short of a demolition job and should put the Mariners on red alert going into this one.
In what is now a New Years Eve fixture, we will all be hoping this goes a bit smoother than last season’s meeting where a broken goalpost delayed play by around an hour.
You could argue both sides are carrying a bit of form into the match but at this stage, I have to back Perth.
Back Perth to Win @ $1.80
2018/2019
It’s a different kind of schedule in the A-League for Round 12, the games are still being played over the course of four days, just spread out over two weeks.
Brisbane and Newcastle already played their match last Wednesday night and the Mariners and City don’t play their game until the 16th.
So for your enjoyment, here is a slightly abbreviated A-League Round 12 Preview with the usual breakdowns and predictions.
*MATCH PREVIEWED FOR ROUND 10*
If nothing else, the Nix are showing plenty of resilience finding ways to hold on for draws right now.
After Mandi’s red card against Adelaide they closed ranks and held on for just the second scoreless draw in the competition all season.
Western Sydney showed plenty of fight going down to the Victory but were undone by the class of Ola Toivonen.
All in all that makes for a tough task for both of these sides to back up on just 72 hours rest and while Wellington should have a slight edge in class, this one probably won’t reach any great heights.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
Another edition of the “Original Rivalry” as the Reds and Victory face off for the second time this season.
It was the Victory claiming all three points when they met at Marvel Stadium a month ago and you have to like them to repeat that effort.
The more games they have to play without Keisuke Honda, the more they will find new ways to adapt and sending the ball in the direction of their Swedish striker is a good starting point.
With both sides on a level price you have to like the Victory as a value play here.
Back Melbourne Victory to Win @ $2.60
No rest for Perth after an emotional come from behind win in Brisbane on Sunday, they have to back up at home against a Sydney side fresh off scoring five goals.
We saw the good and bad of Glory against the Roar when they sleepwalked through the first half before a red card swung the game in their favour.
There is a lot of history for the Glory to overcome, they have been on the receiving end of some big defeats from Sydney over the last few years.
Perth is a huge step up from the Mariners but an extra two days of rest could be big for Sydney.
Back Sydney to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $4.60
*MATCH TO BE PREVIEWED IN ROUND 13*
2017/2018
One of the more dramatic rounds of A-League action is followed up with a big weekend leading into Christmas.
The second Melbourne Derby of the season highlights this weekend with Victory looking to build a winning streak heading into 2018.
Elsewhere the round begins with a big game in Brisbane as the Roar and Perth Glory want to push themselves into the mix and pull out of the pack currently residing between fourth and ninth on the ladder.
It is first against last as Wellington are the next team to try and stop the rampant Sydney FC.
Read our preview and our recommended plays for a festive fill up.
These sides get together for the first time this season having split the three meetings evenly last week.
Brisbane were undone by a slow start against Melbourne Victory last week while Perth snatched a valuable point thanks to a Diego Castro goal.
On a short rest and with an injury ravaged side it will be worth watching to see how many changes are made to the Roar with a number of youngsters pushing for more game time.
Even with those potential changes, neither side seems to have the confidence to really go for it this week so take a draw.
Back the Draw @ $3.50
It took a few weeks but Saturday night showed just what the Wanderers are capable of under new coach Josep Gombau.
They face the Newcastle Jets this weekend who are fresh off a big win over Adelaide on the weekend.
Debate may still continue over that penalty, but the Jets will take it however they will need to be much more clinical creating chances this week instead of waiting until the 55th minute to have their first shot on target.
With the Wanderers potential to hit the Jets on the break this has the makings of a high scoring affair with neither side able to find a breakthrough.
Back the Draw @ $3.60
It is looking like Sydney’s Premiership to lose at the moment with Graham Arnold’s side ruthlessly going through opponents at will.
Wellington made them work for it in round two almost snatching a point at Allianz Stadium and now they have a chance to spring an upset on their home ground.
It has been five straight wins for Sydney and having dropped points in just two games so far, it is worth riding them while their form drops off.
Back Sydney FC to Win to Nil @ $2.90
One of the biggest matches in the A-League calendar is the late December tradition of the Melbourne Derby.
When these sides met in October it was City emerging as 2-1 victors despite a late onslaught from Victory.
Going into this game it is City trying to rebound from a loss having gone down in Sydney last week while the Victory came away with a 2-1 win in Brisbane.
With the A-League struggling for traction in a busy summer market, they more than anyone else need this derby to be a classic and while I’m not sure this will fulfil that need it will be a tight finish with a score draw.
Back Both Teams to Score and Draw @ $4.20
It is a good thing both of these sides will have a few extra days to cool off after some highly frustrating VAR related moments in their matches last weekend.
Working in Adelaide’s favour is the fact that they will be able to welcome back Ben Garrucio and Daniel Adlung from suspension for this game.
The latter scored a stunning volley when these sides met six weeks ago and would love to have the opportunity to replicate that feat on home turf.
Both of these sides have improved greatly this year but I like Adelaide’s strengths at set pieces to get the job done for them.
Back Adelaide United to Win @ $1.90
2016/2017
The A-League action does not stop for Christmas weekend!
The round starts on Friday night when the Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers do battle before there is a big double-header on Boxing Day, which is highlighted by the clash between Adelaide United and Sydney FC.
The action goes all the way to Wednesday and it really is an absolute feast for football fans this weekend!
The Brisbane Roar have still only lost the one game this season and they will go into this clash with the Western Sydney Wanderers as clear favourites.
Suncorp Stadium continues to be a real fortress for the Roar and they have won 11 of their past 14 games as home favourites for a big profit and they beat Western Sydney in this corresponding fixture 12 months ago.
Western Sydney have won just one of their past eight games and they were fairly poor against the Wellington Phoenix last weekend.
The Wanderers have won just one of their past seven games as away underdogs for a clear loss and they are a side that has been very tough to trust from a betting perspective this season.
Brisbane are always a safe bet in front of their home fans and should be able to get the job done comfortably.
Back Brisbane To Win @ $2
This will be one of the most interesting games of the round as both the Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix both come into this game on the back of promising efforts.
Newcastle have recorded back-to-back wins over the Perth Glory and Adelaide United and will go into this clash as clear favourites.
The Jets have won only one of their past three as home favourites, but their record in front of their home fans has been good.
Wellington have not lost a game since Ernie Merrick resigned and there was a lot to like about their performance against the Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend.
The Phoenix have won three of their past 10 games as away underdogs for a clear profit and their record against the Newcastle Jets is excellent.
Wellington are a good gamble to continue their unbeaten run and take the three points from this clash.
Back Wellington To Win @ $3
This season continues to go from bad to worse for Adelaide United and it is Sydney FC that will start this clash as clear favourites.
Adelaide went down to the Newcastle Jets last weekend and this will be the first time that they have started a home game as underdogs for over a year.
Sydney FC returned to winning form with a dominant performance against Perth Glory and it should come as no surprise that they will go into this clash as the punter’s elect.
The Sky Blues have now won five of their past eight games as away favourites and they look like the safest bet in the A-League this weekend.
Anything better than even money is well over the odds.
Back Sydney FC To Win @ $2.05
Melbourne City may have lost to Melbourne Victory last weekend, but they will still go into this clash with the Perth Glory as clear favourites.
Melbourne City have dominated at AAMI Park over the past 12 months and they have won nine of their past 12 games as home favourites.
Perth have not won a game since they beat Adelaide United over a month ago, but they still do have a surprisingly good record as away underdogs – they have won four of their past ten games in this scenario for a clear profit.
Melbourne City should be able to get the job done comfortably, but there is no value at their current price and I am happy to stay out of this clash from a betting standpoint.
No Bet
The Melbourne Victory produced one of their best performances of the season to date to beat Melbourne City and they are the shortest-priced favourites of the weekend.
The Victory have now won six of their past eight games and their record against the Central Coast Mariners is nothing short of outstanding.
Melbourne have won five of their past 11 games as home favourites for a clear loss, but they are 6-1-2 against the Mariners in this scenario.
Central Coast have now lost three games on the trot and their record as away underdogs does not inspire a great deal of confidence – they have won just two of their past 13 games as away underdogs for a clear loss.
Melbourne Victory are another safe bet, but there is no real value at the current price.
No Bet