So you are confirming that he dived to balance the ledger. Thank you for that.

Personally I would have been happy to see any legitimate fouls pulled up. I thought there were a lot of dodgy calls and non-calls throughout the game which I mentioned in an earlier post. Both sides got away with some nasty ankle shots, attempted hacks and barges and the ref did not protect players very well at all.

Good to see we agree.

Yeah Jake Hollman looks like a good player. Great skills to stand up Hingert & deliver that ball into Genreau to score. Another passage of play when he was surrounded by 4 or so Brisbane players & somehow got out the other side. Slatter was talking him up big time. SFC are doing a great job with their Academy - Teague, Peupion, Nieuwenhof, Tillio, Wood, Hollman etc etc

Hollman was a standout with his dribbling - carved us up big time. We used to be vulnerable to that in our heyday so it sends chills up my spine when I see anyone strolling through our midfield as skillfully as he did.

Like Tilio who also is a technical player, that play more through their skill than their speed or power.

Both have that Arzani-esque quality to beat past players too.

Sydney FC's academy is starting to deliver with some of the quality youngsters coming through.

What I am disappointed with is the two incidents highlighted, the elbow by Mulligan and the coathanger ploy by Genreau is that the referee didn't have any game sense/nous as to what happened in front of him. I guess that also is confirmed by the inconsistency throughout the game, blowing some things up that shouldn't, and letting others go that were obvious fouls.

Like Paul Reiffel in cricket, I would like to see a pathway for some professional players turn their hand to refereeing in some capacity when their careers are over so that their "inside" knowledge can be bought to the table.

Agreed pretty much on that foul, though I wondered why O'Shea left his right arm out dragging over Genreau's upper body eventually over his face, I agree about the play acting as well BUT thats todays professional fouls that are getting OTT, wish the refs would act more on these over actors for its becoming a shit show.
I'd say the ref looked at it as a disruptive action whilst WU being in attack motion.

Hollman is a fine up and comer and skills showed them up big time, yes the in experience showed not going down for a pen BUT isn't great seeing the exuberance of youth instictively looking to play on and look what it delivered, rippa build up and finish.
That play from their mid half cutting through 3-4 players was great pity his pass wasn't as good in the end but thats what he's got to learn yet.

I really expected a BR home win as I mentioned earlier BUT WU's shape in defense was smothering also helped by BR lack of decent shots away from class Federici, he's a class keeper even by how he punts the ball with that side body angle, love that style.
He will keep them competitve as long as they don't get many defense injuries to main players.
Derbyshire's read for his clutch goal was very well taken first time.

Stats are puzzling to a degree, watching it it looked BR had a bucket load of possesion yet I see BR 43% to WU's 57%.
BR 415 pass's to WU's 574.

I think Roars possession rate has been low every game, we’re just more effective with the ball these days. 

Have to agree.  He got away with a lot last night.  If he continues this way, he should be seeing a bit of red in the season ahead.

paulc, vsing MV BR 51 to 49.
the previous 3 games very close but in favour of opponent, the highest is 11% more to MC 1st game FYI :)

Another point not mentioned for those interested, as we know BR started with an unchanged line up, WU had 7 changes and their 1st AL comp game across a border.
Thats pretty good coaching and the call bringing those subs on.

Our possession rate playing the “Roar Way” is normally a lot higher. This year is an aberration. At least that’s what it feels like. WU played quite neatly. This was our main test so far and our performance was what I was fearing so was not surprised. No reason to panic though. It was a good lesson we had to have.