Why A-League’s ‘greatest goal’ missed out on official award

SOME have dubbed it the A-League’s greatest goal – but Riley McGree’s extraordinary scorpion effort in Friday night’s semi-final is certain to be the greatest goal not to win an award.

Riley McGree watches his incredible goal sail into the back of the net.

SOME have dubbed it the A-League’s greatest goal – but Riley McGree’s extraordinary effort in Friday night’s semi-final is certain to be the greatest goal not to win an award.

Thanks to the cut-off for voting in the A-League Awards, which only consider exploits up to the end of the regular season, McGree’s scorpion goal against Melbourne City wasn’t eligible for Goal of the Year.

Riley McGree watches his incredible goal sail into the back of the net.

Instead, that went to McGree’s former teammate at Newcastle, Andrew Nabbout, for the goal against Western Sydney scored with the outside of his boot from distance.

Nabbout was absent from the A-League Awards in Sydney after his move to Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan, though his award added to the lustre around Newcastle’s incredible season.

Sydney FC striker Bobo received the Golden Boot for a record haul of 27 goals, that set a new record not only for the regular season but beat the previous total for a whole campaign including the finals.

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Though the season finished on a bitterly disappointing note, with Sydney’s elimination from the finals on Saturday night, the Golden Boot reflected the most prolific campaign of Bobo’s career.

“I feel pretty happy,” the Brazilian said last week. “I would like to thank my teammates and the coaching staff to help me get this.”

Bobo is expected to re-sign for a third season with Sydney in the next few days.

Originally published as Why A-League’s ‘greatest goal’ missed out on official award