A-League, W-League previews: The round’s match ups across the men’s and women’s draws

Melbourne teams have flipped the title script on their NSW rivals as the premiership race heats up. Check out the full preview for each match in the A-League Men and Women.

Melbourne Victory celebrate winning the 2021 FFA Cup. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty

It’s been dubbed the pendulum effect of Australian football - the battle for dominance which has produced the last five A-League men’s champions.

After teams from NSW filled out half of the finals positions last year – with only Melbourne City making the cut from Victoria, before going on to win the Grand Final – Victoria has fought back with a vengeance in the current campaign.

Despite Melbourne Victory’s surprise defeat to Wellington on Wednesday night – just days after they lifted the FFA Cup – Victory remain in fourth place on the league table, with Western United leading the pack in first place and City in second as they look to defend their title.

Of the five NSW teams, only Sydney FC and Macarthur are currently in the top six – while Adelaide are the only team from neither NSW or Victoria to be in the finals positions.

Scroll down for a full preview of the A-League Men and Women rounds this weekend.

Melbourne Victory celebrate winning the 2021 FFA Cup. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty

A-LEAGUE MEN

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11

Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne City

CommBank Stadium

Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+

RADIO: SEN Fanatic, SEN 1170

ODDS: Wanderers $4.00, Draw $3.60, City $1.87

Is the Melbourne City attacking juggernaut about to take over in the A-League Men’s?

Mathew Leckie’s first league goal in City colours came in a 4-2 win over Newcastle Jets last time out, with fellow Socceroos striker Jamie Maclaren bagging a brace to take his tally to eight goals scored in his last seven games for both club and country.

Combining with Andrew Nabbout in the final third, City’s strike trio as a combined force has failed to live up to its billing to date this season. They may have finally clicked at the least convenient time for a Western Sydney outfit looking to garner confidence under new boss Mark Rudan.

SATURDAY

Wellington Phoenix v Adelaide United

Netstrata Jubilee Stadium

Kick-off: 4.50pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+

RADIO: SEN NZ, SEN SA, SEN Mt Gambier

ODDS: Phoenix $2.95, Draw $3.60, Adelaide $2.30

Wellington Phoenix are riding high after notching a third-consecutive win on Wednesday night. Defeating fourth-placed Melbourne Victory gave Ufuk Talay’s side the confidence to set their sights on Adelaide United in fifth, with a three-point display on Saturday night capable of catapulting the ‘Nix into the top four.

Adelaide welcome new recruit Zach Clough to the mix, with the English creative midfielder formerly of Nottingham Forest arriving to bolster his new side’s attacking stocks.

Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets

AAMI Park

Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT

TV: Network 10, Paramount+

RADIO: SEN Fanatic, SEN 1116, SEN Bendigo, SEN Geelong, SEN Hobart, SEN SA, SEN Mt Gambier, SEN Top End, SEN WA, SEN Peel

ODDS: Victory $2.02, Draw $3.50, Jets $3.50

Victory’s return to A-League Men’s action after tasting FFA Cup glory was far from convincing, as Tony Popovic’s side lost 1-0 to Wellington on Wednesday night.

That’s three winless games on the bounce for Victory in the league - a run they’ll be eager to put an end to against Newcastle Jets on Saturday night.

The Jets are bruised from a 4-2 defeat at home to Melbourne City on Tuesday evening; Beka Mikeltadze found the back of the net for Newcastle to keep the pace in the Golden Boot race with star City striker Jamie Maclaren, who he now trails by one goal on the league’s top-scorers chart.

Sydney FC v Western United

Netstrata Jubilee Stadium

Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT

TV: Network 10, Paramount+

ODDS: Sydney $1.94, Draw $3.50, Western $3.80

To keep the faith in youth, or return to the tried and tested? That’s the conundrum presented to Sydney FC boss Steve Corica as two Socceroos return to the mix to face Western United.

Thomas Heward-Belle’s spot in goal is up for grabs with the return of Andrew Redmayne, after the former’s penalty saving heroics earned his side victory against Adelaide last weekend.

At fullback it’s Rhyan Grant pushing for a recall in place of 20-year-old Callum Talbot who has also impressed in his absence.

Sydney face a Western outfit who only know one way to win. All six of their victories thus far have come by one goal to nil. A continuation of that trend will see Western end the weekend the way they started it: on top of the table.

SUNDAY

Central Coast Mariners v Perth Glory

Central Coast Stadium

Kick-off: 5.45pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+

ODDS: Mariners $2.20, Draw $3.45, Glory $3.15

Perth Glory’s disrupted season gets going once more after their most recent batch of postponed fixtures with a trip to Gosford to face the Mariners.With the taste of FFA Cup final defeat to Victory still strong on the tongue for the Mariners, Nick Montgomery’s side have turned attention to climbing up the A-League Men’s table. It’s an ambition shared by the Glory, who have played the least amount of games (seven) of any team to date this season, sitting dead last heading into the weekend but faced with the opportunity of shooting into finals contention with a run of positive results in catch-up fixtures.

Brisbane Roar v Macarthur FC

Moreton Daily Stadium

Kick-off: 6.45pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+

ODDS: Brisbane $2.25, Draw $3.40, Macarthur $3.05

Brisbane are frustrating their fans with an up and down form line proving hard to read into this season. Warren Moon’s side won, lost, won then lost again through their last four league outings to sit well outside of the finals reckoning.The Queenslanders welcome Macarthur FC to Moreton Daily Stadium with Jack Hingert preparing for his 200th A-League Men’s fixture for the club. Japanese import Ryo Wada signed on loan for the Roar on February 4, and could make his debut for the club as the Bulls come to town.

A-LEAGUE WOMEN

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11

Canberra United v Wellington Phoenix

Viking Park

Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+

Back-to-back 3-3 draws have made Canberra United the hottest ticket in town - despite their winless start to the season after eight games.

United have drawn 3-3 on three occasions this season, with five of their eight games featuring four goals or more scored between the two sides on show.

The Phoenix travel to Viking Park also looking to notch a first win of their own - and a season-ending injury to first-choice Canberra keeper Keeley Richards could help their cause. Backup goalkeeper Beth Mason Jones was also sidelined in late 2021, leaving 17-year-old Chloe Linton as Canberra’s best goalkeeping option moving forward, with Cristina Esposito signing on as an injury replacement player.

SATURDAY

Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers

AAMI Park

Kick-off: 4.50pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+, SEN Fanatic

It was the Alex Chidiac show for Melbourne Victory last time out, with the fringe Matilda putting everything but a goal into a complete attacking display in her side’s slender win over the Jets.

Her combination with fellow attacking midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross was an impressive aspect of the reigning champions’ display - and could be what breaks the Wanderers open in this Saturday-night clash.

Watch out for the continued impact of Victory’s United States import Brooke Hendrix, who scored the winning goal on debut whilst notching a clean sheet - the third on the trot accrued by Victory along the way into the top four.

SUNDAY

Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United

Moreton Daily Stadium

Kick-off: 4.05pm AEDT

TV: Network 10, Paramount+

The Reds keep rising in the A-League Women’s, with a maiden top-four finish in the club’s sights. Adelaide travel to Queensland to face an underperforming Brisbane swept aside by league-leaders Sydney FC in their last outing.

Katrina Gorry will be honoured at Moreton Daily Stadium after notching her 100th league appearance in January; the Matildas midfielder recently sealed a transfer to Swedish club Vittsjo GIK, but before she departs she’ll look to sprinkle a bit more of her magic on the A-League Women’s.

Perth Glory v Melbourne City

Central Coast Stadium

Kick-off: 3.05pm AEDT

TV: Paramount+

With Sydney FC out of action this weekend, Melbourne City can close the gap to just one point at the top of the table with a win over Perth Glory.

The Sky Blues will have a game in hand over City after Rado Vidosic’s side clash with Perth - but the psychological impact of removing the points buffer could have its impact on the league-leaders as the regular season nears its conclusion.

City will hope to make the most of the personnel at their disposal on Sunday as New Zealand internationals prepare Rebekah Stott and Golden Boot leader Hannah Wilkinson prepare to depart on international duty later this month.