2024/2025 A-League Round 24 Preview

It’s time for the run home in the 2024/25 A-League season and there is still so much to play for starting this weekend.

It gets underway in Campbelltown with Macarthur and Newcastle trying to keep their finals hopes alive, before Saturday’s headline clash between the Victory and Adelaide United.

Sunday sees the premiers-elect Auckland play their first game in Brisbane as they look to complete the season sweep of the Roar.

Find our full breakdown of every A-League match and best bets below.

Just when you thought you were out on Macarthur they pull you back in… maybe.

The Bulls seemed destined for implosion before a late rally sparked a 5-4 win over Adelaide in their last game before the international break.

Meanwhile Newcastle were brought back to earth in spectacular fashion in their last outing, going down 6-2 at home to Western United.

So which of these teams are you willing to put more faith in for this game?

Based on a slightly larger sample size, Newcastle has to be the team worth backing, especially as outisders in the market.

It was one bad game at the end of a busy week and while their squad is improved, it is still quite thin.

Macarthur on the other hand might be coming off a good win over a bad team.

Newcastle to Win @ $2.75

Things are going from bad to worse for the Nix with the side now 13 points out of the finals picture and with three points from their last seven games.

Compare that to Western Sydney who have not only won four straight, but they are scoring for fun with four goals in each of their last three and 17 total in their last five.

Their last match ended in a 4-1 win to the Wanderers and we could see another big win for the visitors in Wellington.

Western Sydney to Win @ $1.90

In a game neither team can afford to drop points in, we could see the pressure of this point in the season rob us of a good contest.

Sydney is currently in seventh place, navigating a tricky run of domestic and continental commitments, and the international break would have given their players a much needed chance to recharge.

Meanwhile, Melbourne City is four points off second place and four points clear of their Sky Blue rivals, grinding out results with 10 points from their last five games.

Two of the last four league matches between these sides have ended in a draw and with both teams desperate to avoid defeat, this has all the makings of a game neither does enough to win.

Draw @ $3.60

Adelaide’s 3-2 win over the Victory at Coopers Stadium on January 18 was a pivotal moment in their season… potentially for all the wrong reasons.

It was the end of their good run and since then, things have been quite rocky for the Reds since then.

They have picked up a grand total of seven points in their eight matches since then, winning just once and going from premiership contenders to barely hanging onto a spot in the finals.

Meanwhile the Victory have managed 14 of a possible 24 points and now find themselves on level footing with the Reds on the table.

It might be time to back off the Reds if you haven’t already and jump on the Victory for this game.

Melbourne Victory to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.30

We’ve got two bad teams set to face off in this game with the Glory anchored to the foot of the table and the Mariners now winless in over two months in all competitions.

However there is an angle to take for finding value in this game and it’s backing a high scoring contest.

Central Coast have conceded 16 goals in their last six matches in all competitions, while Perth gave up seven goals in their last two before the break.

Admittedly not a huge sample size but it is a worrying sign especially when you remember tha three of those goals came at home to Brisbane a fortnight ago.

Who knows who will score the goals in this game, but we should see a few.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.80

It’s not quite coronation time for Auckland, who could use a confidence boost after three straight draws to head into the international break.

They recorded their first A-League win over the Roar back in October in their inaugural match and will understandably head into this match as favourites.

Brisbane might have pulled themselves off the foot of the table with a win over Perth in their last outing, but it’s tough to see how they manage to keep pace with the league leaders.

It might not be the prettiest performance, but Auckland should get the job done.

Auckland to Win and Under 4.5 Goals @ $2.30

2023/2024

If you are one of those football fans that prefers a first past the post, league-only system, this A-League premiership race is set up for you over the next few weeks.

With three weeks remaining, Central Coast and Wellington are level on points after their dramatic clash in Gosford last weekend and it’s all set up for the Mariners if they can win out.

This weekend they take on Western United while the Nix are at home to the Victory.

But that’s not where the only drama is, with seven points between fourth and ninth in a tightly congested race for the top six.

With every match set to have some bearing on the makeup of that race this weekend, there is a lot to look forward to in the coming days in the A-League, find out who we are backing here!

Following last weekend’s defeat in Gosford, the Nix are back at home and will be desperate to turn things around against the Victory here.

There is a very strong chance that these two sides will be meeting at some point during May’s finals series and getting any sort of edge in this match will be critical.

Not to mention, for Wellington they will want to avoid opening up the door for the Victory to potentially pip them for second spot.

There has been nothing between these teams in either head to head meeting so far, but the hosts being underdogs once again is simply too good to pass up the value on.

After all, they have won their last four on that side of the Tasman and taken 26 of a possible 33 points as the home team.

Wellington to Win @ $3.20

Just going off the state of the A-League ladder, Adelaide should not be even slightly favoured over Macarthur, let alone $1.78.

But going off recent form, the Reds might actually be decent value at their current price.

They have won their last three matches and played some scintillating football, largely off the back of teen sensation Nestory Irankunda, who bagged a hat-trick in Perth last week.

Heading into March, Macarthur was locked in a fight for a top two finish but three defeats in their last four outings have dropped them to fifth and they are in real danger of missing the finals entirely if their slide continues.

Adelaide might be the ones to capitalise on the Bulls’ slide with a Reds win able to shrink the gap between the two clubs to four points with Carl Veart’s side having a game in hand.

You would think with 23 or 24 games of evidence, we might have an idea about which teams are good and bad, but all we can say for certain is that outside of the top two, every side is only consistent with their inconsistency.

Which means any given week can see an in-form team collapse in a heap, or a struggling side produce a massive turnaround, but based on what we have seen lately, you have to go with the in-form Adelaide team to get the job done at home.

Adelaide to Win @ $1.78

While finals football might be officially out of reach for Western United (after being unofficially out of reach after about Round 5), they showed last week they still have the ability to play spoiler on their day.

Macarthur looked well placed to spoil the Tarneit debut of John Aloisi’s side, before a four goal blitz in 14 minutes propelled Western United to an impressive win.

It’s tough to back them to do that two weeks in a row, especially with the increase in quality that comes with taking on the ladder leading Mariners.

Mark Jackson’s side might not always do it the easy way, but they just seem to have this innate ability to grind out results more often than not.

Since the November international break, the reigning champions have lost two matches, both of which were against Sydney FC.

I’m expecting the Mariners to be pushed all the way, but I can’t back against them at the moment as they are closing in on their third A-League premiership.

Central Coast to Win @ $1.98

Considering only Brisbane has a chance to play finals football out of these two teams, the Roar should be the more motivated side.

Not to mention, their confidence will be sky high after last week’s dramatic win over the Wanderers kept their season alive.

However Newcastle does have a couple of things going for them in the lead up to this match, starting with the recent history between these teams.

In their first meeting, the Jets were arguably the better side across 90 minutes as the Roar pulled out an unlikely 3-2 win before Newcastle demolished a 10-man Brisbane side nine days later, winning 3-1 in the Hunter.

Plus they have won each of their last four matches at Suncorp Stadium, although the most recent meeting between the teams was in 2019.

Newcastle always plays well in Queensland and they could be well placed to capitalise on a Brisbane team that is under plenty of pressure to win out and keep their season going.

Newcastle Win or Draw Double Chance @ $1.85

We have seen our fair share of meaningful Sydney Derbies and this is set to be another one that could play a major factor in the conclusion of the respective seasons of these teams.

Entering the weekend, there is just one point between the fourth placed Sydney FC and the sixth placed Western Sydney and neither is in a position where they can afford to drop points with the chasing pack set to pounce on any failures between now and the end of the month.

History certainly favours the Wanderers, who had their moments against Brisbane last week and should have at least found a way to earn a point, with the last six Sydney Derbies going the way of the visitors.

However with such high stakes for losing the match, a conservative approach could be on the cards for both of these teams.

That does play into the possibility of a draw, as well as a low scoring match despite the market favouring an end to end contest.

I’ll be taking the unders as both teams try to avoid making a potentially season defining mistake.

Under 3.5 Goals @ $1.70

Melbourne City should win this game, they have the firepower to outscore anyone in the league when they want to, but they have massively struggled all season long and at $1.38 the value just is not there.

However with Perth’s apparent decision to make defending optional for large parts of their recent matches, we should at least see a few goals scored in this match.

The Glory have the worst defence in the A-League, letting in 50 goals to date including four against Adelaide last weekend.

Take the overs as there should be no shortage of scoring opportunities for both teams and they have the forwards to take full advantage of them.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $1.95

*REARRANGED FIXTURE*

Tarneit will host it’s third match from the A-League Men’s competition in the space of 10 days with the final catch up fixture (we hope) of the season.

No matter what the weekend results are, this will be a live fixture for Adelaide’s finals hopes but it could their last chance if they drop points to Macarthur and other results go against them.

Just how much of an advantage the new venue will give Western United is very much in the air but if their debut at the ground is anything to go by, it should be notable.

Especially on a random Tuesday night with autumn conditions in full effect in Melbourne’s west.

John Aloisi’s side have lost both matches against the Reds this season but with the chance to play spoiler here, they are more than capable of taking something from this fixture.

Western United Win/Draw Double Chance

2022/2023

I’ve said almost every week how close this A-League season is, but have you seen the ladder this week?

Just four points separate teams from finals and the wooden spoon – with only three games left, I reckon there is a few more twists and turn in this A-League season.

As always, I’ve run my eyes over each fixture just for you punters!

Here is my preview of Round 24 of the A-League.

Both these sides have thoroughly disappointed me this season, I thought that both of them would be a lot better than they are, but a loss and some Melbourne Victory points could see them fall to the bottom of the A-League ladder.

Newy have opened as short favourites but I didn’t like what I saw from them against the Roar last week.

Macarthur have not travelled well recently, they’ve lost each of their last six A-League away matches and I think that’s why the punters should lean towards the Jets.

Back Newcastle H2H @ $1.83

First plays third on Saturday arvo and we should be in for a treat!

Easily my game of the round, both these sides are on two game win streaks and CCM are only short outsiders at $2.75 compared to City’s $2.25.

Melbourne City has won eight of its last nine A-League matches against Central Coast and the Mariners have lost each of its last 10 A-League day matches as a home underdog.

Despite being quite short compared to other sides, it’s hard to bet against City so I’m taking them H2H here.

Back Melbourne City @ $2.25

$2.15 for the 4th placed WSW at some seems like value against the last placed Melbourne Victory doesn’t it?

What am I missing? Surely the Wanderers run up the score here.

The ‘Over 3.5 Goals’ market has hit in four of Western Sydney’s last five A-League night matches and I wouldn’t be surprised if WSW score all 3.5 of them.

I’m with the Western Sydney boys here in a big way.

Back WSW H2H @ $2.15

The Roar won a game last week!

I’m just as shocked as you are that they got it done last week but it certainly won’t be as easy at Eden Park against the Nix.

Wellington are $2.20 favourites to the Roar’s $3.05 and despite the Roar rocketing up to 8th, I don’t think that accurately reflects how they’ve played this season.

The home team has won each of Brisbane’s last six A-League matches and if you weren’t keen on the Phoenix before that stat, surely you are now.

Back Wellington H2H @ $2.10

They’re two incredibly different sides home and away this year the Glory.

It’s pretty easy to predict how they’ll fare based on if they’re playing in WA or anywhere else.

Surely they have stayed on this side of the country during the week, I can’t imagine travelling back and forth would do anything positive to prepare them for this game.

The Glory are the biggest outsiders this week, paying $4.40 to beat the Sky Blues who are $1.70.

Perth has lost seven of its last eight A-League away matches following a draw.

It’s boring, it’s a short price but I’m taking Sydney, a wise man once told me “all you can do is back the winner”.

Back Sydney FC @ $1.70

The Reds will wrap up the second last round of the regular season for us when they host Western United at Coopers Stadium (which is the greatest stadium name in Australia if you ask me) on Sunday afternoon.

The Adelaide split points last week but I’m backing them to make light work of Western United here.

Adelaide has won each of its last seven A-League day matches at Coopers Stadium following a draw and ‘Over 2.5 Goals’ market has hit in seven of Western United FC’s last eight A-League matches.

Back Adelaide United @ $1.68

2021/2022

After a huge Easter long weekend of football, the A-League comes back around again with a heap of action on the pitch to keep you busy over the ANZAC Day long weekend.

We are set for a huge finish to the regular season with many finals spots still up for grabs.

Here are our tips for Round 24 of the 2021/2022 A-League

What Western United did to the Perth Glory over the weekend was just plain cruel and it could’ve been even worse if Prijovic didn’t miss his first penalty.

It’s fair to say that they shook off their 4-1 loss to the Phoenix and will look to put together another strong performance when they take on Macarthur FC on Tuesday night.

Macarthur’s victory over the Roar saw them knock Sydney FC out of the sixth spot on the table and are currently in finals contention.

I think it might be too big of a task for Macarthur to get it done in this mid week game however.

Western United have the opportunity here to pinch another three points and close the gap on the absent Melbourne City in the race for the minor premiership.

Back Western United to Win @ $2.05

Ninth plays tenth on Wednesday night and it could be a great matchup for those that love a draw.

Newcastle has won two of their last five and Western Sydney have won none of their last five combining for a huge two wins from ten matches.

Western Sydney come into this one as favourites but only because they are the home team.

Both teams are running out of opportunities to make the finals and I can’t find a lot of reasons to get excited about this one.

I told you to back the draw in the Wanderers game over the weekend and if you’d listened to me, you’d be a bit richer.

I’m going the draw again.

Back the Draw @ $3.40

The long weekend starts gets started with Macarthur hosting The Victory at Campbelltown. Macarthur’s midweek visit to Launceston did not go to plan, going down 2-0 against Western United.

They will also be without Jamaican international Adrian Mariappa who scored himself a pair of yellows on Tuesday night.

The Victory look to continue their unbeaten streak heading into finals and I can’t find a reason not to think they will.

With the exciting football the Victory are playing at the moment, I think they will be too good for Macarthur.

Back Melbourne Victory to win @ $2.02

Another team that had a less than ideal midweek matchup.

Newcastle forgot they were playing a midweek fixture until 20 minutes into the match and WSW had already put three through them.

The Mariners are starting to come into their own at the back end of this season and a win here could nearly put them into the top 6.

It is a great opportunity for Montgomery’s men against a team who have only won one game from their last five.

I’m backing the Mariners to make a statement here and there is a fair bit of value for them as well.

Back The Mariners to Win @ $3.05

The Phoenix are the most confusing team in the top 6.

Despite currently sitting in 5th but have let in a whopping 16 goals in their last five games, to put that into perspective, that’s only five less than The Victory have allowed all season.

They are taking on another head scratcher of a team in Western Sydney.

WSW won their midweek fixture thanks to three early goals but there wasn’t much to write home about after that and they almost let the match slip away when they let Newie back into it with the match finishing 3-2 .

I’d like to think that the Phoenix get it done this weekend but they’re coming off a 4-0 thrashing from the Mariners, their New Zealand homecoming party was greatly ruined.

That being said, they’re playing at Eden Park this weekend which has notoriously been a hard ground for Australians to win on and I think for me, that’s the only thing I see that can split these two teams.

Back The Phoenix to Win @ $2.10

Sunday afternoon takes us to Adelaide where United look to lock in their finals spot when they take on a very sad Perth Glory contingent.

I’m running out of jokes to make about Perth, it’s just not funny anymore and it’s clear that they don’t want to play anymore games this season.

Western United put six past them last weekend and the bookies have them at $7.75 to snap their losing streak.

Let’s get a bit cheeky with this one, I’m liking Adelaide -2. Perth are conceding on average 1.7 goals this year and 3.2 in their last 5 games. I’m going back Adelaide at -2 and hoping my only regret will be not going -3.

Back Adelaide -2 @ $3.60

Redcliffe will host our Anzac Day fixture this season as the Brisbane Roar take on The Victory.

It’s a pretty hectic long weekend for the Victory, they are going to be backing up their Friday night game with this clash against Brisbane on Monday.

Keep in mind I am writing this before the Victory’s Friday night clash but I just get the sense that it might be a little too much football for one weekend if you’re Melbourne.

That being said though, Victory are the form team in the comp and you never know what version of the Roar you’re going to get.

I’m not tipping a team here but I will take the overs on 2.5 goals, put it in a multi with my Adelaide tip and shout me a beer when it gets up.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.88

2021

The final round of the 2021 A-League season is upon us and five of the six places in the A-League Finals have been decided.

Last season’s grand finalists Melbourne City and Sydney FC will occupy first and second spot respectively ensuring a bye in the first round of the finals.

Brisbane, Central Coast and Macarthur are in the finals but the final order is yet to be decided.

Adelaide is currently in prime position to secure sixth spot needing a point against the Wanderers to keep Wellington out and could still finish as high as third depending on other results.

Read on for our previews and predictions for the last weekend of the A-League regular season.

It is a fairly simple equation for Adelaide, take a point (or three) from this fixture or face a very nervous 24 hour wait.

At times this season the Reds have looked like the best team in the A-League, at others they have played like a team on FIFA with the controller unplugged.

That inconsistency is perhaps best summed up with their last five results which have alternated between defeat and victory, so after being on the wrong end of a 4-1 demolition by Sydney on the weekend, they must be due for a win here right?

Western Sydney has stumbled to the finish line and is playing for nothing but pride, but a win here would result in them avoiding a playoff for a spot in the 2021 FFA Cup.

As much as I would love to see Wellington make the A-League Finals this season, I also can’t see the Reds slipping up and blowing this opportunity.

Back Adelaide to Win @ $1.96

Do not be surprised if the odds for this fixture swing massively in favour of Macarthur should this turn into a dead rubber for the Nix.

The Bulls are in the finals and could finish anywhere between third and sixth in their debut season.

Wellington has found some form, but it was too little too late as they are on the wrong end of the divide.

It does involve a little bit of speculation however I’ll back Macarthur under the assumption that come kickoff, this fixture will only matter for one team and the odds by then will reflect that.

Back Macarthur to Win @ $2.25

Brisbane’s hectic run of fixtures comes to a close with its 11^th match in 38 days and the club in prime position to secure third place and a home final.

Over their last 10 matches they have taken 17 points and they will need all three against a Sydney side that has secured second place thanks to four straight wins.

For that reason, this fixture may be decided by just how seriously Sydney wants to take it knowing they will have the first round of the finals off.

In a match between two of the A-League’s best defensive teams, there is a bit of value to be found in the total goals market and that is where I will be backing.

The Roar have conceded 26 goals on the season, Sydney just 23, don’t be surprised if 1-1 is a high estimate of the final score.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.94

It’s party time in Gosford with the Mariners returning to the A-League Finals for the first time in seven seasons.

Admittedly they have limped to the finish line but after four wooden spoons in the previous five years, nobody will mind how they got there.

Western United should provide them with the perfect tune up opportunity with the club not picking up a single point in the month of May, a streak of seven matches.

Even with Central Coast’s somewhat lethargic effort in the M3 Derby, I’m still happy to continue to take on Mark Rudan’s side.

They have given up at least two goals in six of those seven defeats and the Mariners may need to boost their goal difference to secure a home final.

Back Central Coast to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ $1.87

While neither team will play finals football, this dead rubber might actually offer the best value of the entire weekend.

Perth’s end of season road trip concludes in the Hunter region having officially seen their finals hopes killed off in Brisbane on Wednesday night.

The Glory looked borderline disinterested in that midweek match despite having their season in the balance and it’s hard to imagine them being overly motivated for this one.

Newcastle have been largely miserable to watch this season (understandably so given their off-field situation) but at least they gave some hope for optimism with their 2-0 win over the Mariners on Tuesday night.

For that reason, I’ll take the Jets as underdogs to finish the season on a high note and give themselves a chance of avoiding the wooden spoon.

Back Newcastle to Win @ $2.95

There is no real way to dress this one up, it’s possibly the least important Melbourne Derby to ever be played.

City have secured the Premiership and will be more concerned with a home Semi Final, while Victory will bring to an end the worst season in their club’s history.

Generally speaking, in a match like this it would be worth taking a Victory upset because City will rotate its squad, however there is still something on the line for Patrick Kisnorbo’s side.

With some of its key players in the Middle East for Australia’s World Cup Qualifiers, the replacement players will need to find some form before the A-League Finals.

The two derbies this season have produced an aggregate score of 13-0 so even with a few changes, City should still take care of business.

Back Melbourne City to Win @ $1.80

It turns out this match will actually get played following its postponement a fortnight ago.

There is something on the line for Newcastle as they try to avoid their first wooden spoon in four years and a trip to Perth for the FFA Cup Playoffs next weekend.

As for Melbourne City this is a simple case of getting through the match in one piece in preparation for their Semi Final in eight days time.

Not to mention if they happen to drop this match, they will hand local rivals Melbourne Victory the wooden spoon.

Seems like good enough motivation for the NPL side to play here under the guise of “resting players”.

The Jets might not have been all that good over the course of the season but they have shown fight when they needed to and this side has too much pride to not get something from this match.

SGM: Newcastle to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $7.24

2019/2020

It’s time for possibly the most bizarre round in A-League history and that is quite a high bar to clear given some of the highlights this competition has brought us in the last 15 years.

Just three matches will take place over Friday and Saturday nights with Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory both in self-isolation, forcing the postponement of their matches with Newcastle and Brisbane respectively.

That has allowed the Jets and Roar to face off in a rescheduled Round 27 match on Friday night.

With the rest of the A-League set to take place behind closed doors, there will be some bizarre sights, but we’ll do our best to make the most of it. After all, we have a Sydney Derby Saturday evening!

Anyway, here’s who we are backing in the A-League Round 24 matches that are still going ahead.

*MATCHES POSTPONED*

One thing that has not changed in the last week is the fact the Mariners are still a struggling football team and a worthwhile play to keep backing against.

City will be very disappointed after dropping two points at home to the Wanderers but there’s no way you can back anything in this match other than a win for the visitors.

Central Coast’s last win came in mid-January and while they were able to avoid another embarrassment in Brisbane last Friday night, they just don’t look like they will be able to do a whole lot of anything against City here.

There’s almost enough value in City outright but I’ll back them in a halftime/fulltime double as that has hit in the Mariners last four matches.

Back Melbourne City Halftime/Fulltime @ $2.50

*RESCHEDULED MATCH FROM ROUND 27*

This should be an interesting match if for no other reason than the sides will have had about 48 hours to prepare.

Since new coach Carl Robinson took over the Jets are unbeaten including an impressive 3-0 win in Adelaide on Sunday and should be a big test for the Roar, who have managed to climb all the way up to fourth place.

With the Jets facing a very short turnaround to their next match on Monday and the quick build up for this match, it’s hard to see either side reaching top gear.

A draw is a play that stands out, but Under 2.5 goals looks to be way over the odds considering the Roar’s strong backline and the fact they have not given up more than two goals in a game since January 11.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.50

They couldn’t do it again could they?

Sydney FC has lost two matches this season, both against the Wanderers while taking 47 of a possible 51 points against the rest of the league.

There’s a really good case to be made for the Wanderers as outsiders here, but instead you might be better off backing a low-scoring game.

Both derbies this season have finished 1-0 to the Wanderers and you can get two or fewer goals at over even money.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.10

*RESCHEDULED MATCH FROM ROUND 26*

The A-League rolls on with a Monday double header starting with the Jets hosting City.

With both sides coming back from matches Friday night, this probably won’t be an end to end battle for 90 minutes but with the way both sides have looked lately it should still have its moments.

City has the edge in this match in terms of squad quality but under these circumstances it might be worth steering clear of this match.

NO BET

2018/2019

Just four rounds remain in the A-League season and the top six is close to set.

Of course when you thought the order was going to be decided last weekend, a couple of upsets gave us reason to still be interested as the season wraps up.

There’s still plenty of value plays on offer for the A-League over the final four rounds as we make our weekly previews and predictions.

City is not playing overly pretty football but it’s good enough to just about secure a top six finish with a win over the struggling Roar.

It was downright ugly when they went down to Western Sydney but they have a great record against a Brisbane side that doesn’t seem to be able to score away to City.

Brisbane’s last three trips to AAMI Park against City have all ended in losses to nil, which in and of itself is a good value play, but there’s more to possibly be had.

Each of the last four meetings between these sides has been very low scoring and City appears to be the only side that is struggling to score against Brisbane this season.

With just one goal in two A-League games against Brisbane (even Central Coast have five in three), you can also back under 2.5 goals for a value play.

Back Melbourne City to Win and Under 2.5 Goals @ $4.00

It was all set up for Newcastle to make a miraculous finals run but two straight losses has them behind the eight ball.

Western Sydney is suddenly breathing down their necks for seventh spot after beating Melbourne City last weekend.

Last time these teams met it was a comprehensive 5-1 thumping from the Jets but they just haven’t been able to recapture that magic from last season.

A draw in this game doesn’t help either side but that is the most likely result and as such, the play for this game.

Back the Draw @ $3.60

A Big Blue at the SCG with second spot on the line between two sides with plenty of classic matches between the two of them.

The Victory have had the edge in this matchup winning each of the last three including last season’s memorable semi-final.

For Sydney, a win would be huge as it would give them a four point buffer over their rivals and some confidence they can actually beat the Victory heading into the finals.

With both sides facing midweek Champions League action after this game, this could turn into the first draw between them since the 2017 Grand Final (which Sydney won on penalties).

Back the Draw @ $3.30

Adelaide collected a much needed three points against Central Coast last weekend, scoring their first goal in 351 minutes to get by the wooden spooners-elect.

It’s hard to take too much confidence from that game considering the opponent and the general struggles of Adelaide to score.

Wellington on the other hand is in great form, scoring for fun in convincing wins over the Mariners, Wanderers and Jets to move up to fourth spot.

As it stands this matchup will be repeated in the first round of the finals and a Wellington win would almost ensure that game is in New Zealand.

The market appears to be very confident in Adelaide but with their recent form it’s hard to mirror that confidence.

Back Wellington to Win @ $3.60

Both of these sides lost last weekend, one was expected, Perth going down was a bit of a shock.

Perth will get a chance to return to winning ways and take one step closer to the Premiers Plate with the two sides chasing them playing one another.

As you would expect with first against last, Perth is heavily favoured for this game so you will have to go searching for a good value play.

The question surrounding this game is whether or not you have confidence in the Mariners to score and with both teams to score hitting in four of the Mariners last five and each of the last three between these sides.

Back Perth to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.65

2017/2018

For the first time since Round 7, all A-League clubs are level on matches played and the race for the finals is on.

Sydney have a lead in the Premiership race but have been faltering with two straight league losses, opening the door slightly for a late Newcastle run.

Both Melbourne clubs are competing for third place while four teams are in the mix for the final two places.

Read on for our preview of this weekend’s matches and recommended plays.

It might not have been overly pretty, but the Jets were able to maintain their winning ways despite a host of changes to their team.

Adelaide ended their losing streak but are yet to take a point off this weekend’s opponents in their previous two meetings this season.

Wellington showed how to go after the Jets creating several chances but spurning every single one of them and it is hard to see Adelaide being so wasteful.

Newcastle should have enough goals in them to match whatever Adelaide can put on the board and consign them to their third straight home draw.

Back the Draw @ $3.65

There is one club that Sydney FC are yet to defeat in the 2017/2018 A-League season and that is the ninth placed Mariners.

Central Coast handed Sydney the first of their three losses this season in November stunning the champions 2-0 and held them to a 1-1 draw in January.

With the Mariners struggling for results, coach Paul Okon has stepped down from his post so it will be interesting to see what impact the change in management has on their form.

However with the Mariners leaking eight goals in their last two outings, and despite the coaching change Sydney should have the firepower to get home in this one.

Back Sydney FC to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.25

Both sides are coming into this game desperately needing a win here as City need to end a poor run of form while the Wanderers need to keep a dogged chasing pack off their tail.

Melbourne have taken just one point from their last three home games which does not bode well for a side that has been quite strong outside of Sydney in 2018.

With Bruno Fornaroli finding his feet after a long injury layoff this is a real prove it game for City in what could be a preview of the first round of finals.

Back Both Teams to Score and Melbourne City to Win @ $3.50

With their loss to Newcastle last weekend, Wellington became the first club to be eliminated from finals contention.

With just one win in their last seven matches, their form is not overly encouraging, particularly when you consider that Brisbane have won five of their last seven.

Both matches between these sides this season have ended in draws with a frantic 3-3 when they met at Westpac in October.

With their recent uptick, Brisbane are now once again a side that should be expected to win a game such as this and will need three points to keep their finals run alive.

Back Brisbane Roar to Win @ $2.20

After a less than ideal January which ended their Premiership hopes, they have bounced back nicely recording three straight wins including a resounding 5-2 hammering of Central Coast in their last outing.

While the chances of reaching second spot could be officially gone by the time this game kicks off, Victory do need to worry about their neighbours stealing third place over the final month of the season.

Perth cannot jump back into the top six off this result but their margin for error has been reduced significantly with three losses from their last five.

They are riding a three match winning streak at home however and do look much more composed when playing in front of their home fans.

Overall they have been far too inconsistent to back with any sort of confidence however and with Victory looking strong at the moment, ride the form team.

Back Melbourne Victory to Win @ $1.83

2016/2017

There is now less than a month to the start of the A-League Finals and every game this weekend is set to have finals consequences.

The rounds gets underway on Friday night when Western Sydney host Melbourne City before the Central Coast Mariners take on Adelaide United on Saturday afternoon.

Wellington Phoenix face Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon, while the round concludes when the Perth Glory host Sydney FC.

The Western Sydney Wanderers produced one of their best performances of the season to date to beat the Wellington Phoenix and they will go into this clash with Melbourne City as narrow favourites.

Winning at home has proven to be easier said than done for the Wanderers this season and they have still only won three of their past 11 games as home favourites.

Melbourne City were dominant against the Newcastle Jets and they may finally be starting to find their best form at the business end of the season.

They have won only one game as away underdogs this season and they continue to be a tough team to trust from a betting perspective.

There really is not a great deal between these two sides and the $3.60 available for this game to finish as a stalemate is genuine value.

Back The Draw @ $3.60

There is very little between these two sides in betting, but it is Adelaide United that will go into this clash as narrow favourites.

Adelaide United were excellent against the Brisbane Roar last weekend, but that level of performance has been few and far between this season.

They have won only two games away from home over the past 12 months and I couldn’t possibly back them in this scenario.

The Central Coast Mariners have not won a game for over a month, but there was actually plenty to like about their performance against Sydney FC.

Central Coast have actually been a profitable betting play as away underdogs this season and they are outstanding value to return to winning form in front of their home fans.

Back Central Coast To Win @ $2.63

The Brisbane Roar have hit somewhat of a form slump, but they will still go into this clash as favourites.

The Roar have won just one of their past six games and it is fair to say that they were very poor against the Melbourne Victory last weekend.

Suncorp Stadium does remain a happy hunting ground – especially against the Victory – and they have won seven of their past 11 games as home favourites for a clear profit.

Melbourne were rampant against Perth before a week off and their recent form has been strong.

The Victory have won two of their past six games as away underdogs, but it is their record at Suncorp Stadium that is the biggest concern.

They have won just one of their past 14 games at the venue and it remains one of the biggest hoodoos in the A-League.

This is a must-win game for Brisbane after a controversial week and they really should be able to return to winning form.

Back Brisbane To Win @ $2.25

This is another game where the market is struggling to separate the two teams.

The Newcastle Jets have not won a game for almost two months, but they will still go into this clash with the Wellington Phoenix as narrow favourites.

Newcastle have started just one game as away favourites over the past 12 months and they did get the job done, but they have won only three of their past 13 games away from home.

Wellington’s form in front of their home fans this season has been particularly poor and they are a very tough side to trust from a betting perspective.

The Phoenix have won just one of their past eight games as home underdogs and have been a losing betting play across just about every metric.

Both these teams are impossible to trust from a betting standpoint and I am happy to stay out of this clash.

No Bet

Sydney FC have all but secured the Premier’s Plate and they will start this clash with Perth as clear favourites.

They have only suffered a single defeat this season and winning at home or away has not been an issue.

Sydney FC have now won eight of their past 11 games as home favourites for a clear profit and they are clearly the team to beat heading into the A-League Finals.

Perth had their unbeaten run halted by by a rampant Melbourne Victory last weekend and defence continues to be an issue for this side.

The one positive for the Glory this season is the fact that they have turned NIB Stadium into something of a fortress and they have won seven of their past 12 games at the venue – including two as underdogs.

Scoring goals has not been an issue for Perth and they should score again this weekend, but whether that will be good enough to get the job done is the big question mark.

Back Both Teams To Score And Sydney FC To Win @ $3.25