Jake Brimmer? 

Teague should have been one of the first picked for the u23's squad, but somehow was overlooked

Is that the case? Would be stoked if so, but every online source I can find point to him only having started 13 games in the Portuguese 2nd Division, and being subbed on in 11 additional games.

Would absolutely love for him to kick on though. He was our best at Joeys level back in the day. 

till we have a 2nd division and a get transfer fees to an acceptable level the league and the Socceroos will continue to be sub-par - as too many potential talents leave for rubbish leagues in west Asia or give up to easily in top European leagues for easy money in Asia or in the MLS 

the AL has improved but so has a number of leagues around the world from 'smaller' footballing nations have come up it is more competitive now then ever and we still have a 'sub-par' format after almost 2 decades of a professional league. 

Watched my first AL game  for some time a few weeks ago, between Western United and Melb Vic.

From 2009 I started compiling stats for a while on  AL and ACL games, and Socceroo fixtures. At the  time I spent weeks in an advanced  coaching course. All the new methodology they applied in analysing  our style of game, was that Aussie teams struggled to keep the ball,  having to  work too hard to keep the ball - and - the  play was in the transitions all the time.

Transitions, Defensive and Attacking, means the  phases of play between Possession and Ball Possession Opposition. In  2008 and until about 5 years later, Aussie teams, even the national team, struggled to pass the ball more than 180 times in a game.

In the game I watched a few weeks ago, Melb Vic had accrued 380 odd passes by half time. Western United accrued 199 by half time. This equates to circa 770 and 400 passes for an entire game! 

Football technique - first touch, passing the ball, body shape, both footedness, handling speed, movement off the ball, etc, has improved immeasurably for both teams to be able to maintain possession so much more easily than 10 -15 years ago. So the A L has improved decidedly in technical terms.

We are playing a more technical short passing game - but - it is a question of the rate we've improved compared to our Asian opponents.  

We have definitely improved our depth. The question is whether the guys at the very top are any better than previous generations.

Correct. Too many talented players fade away as the reality of a pathway/destination dries up.

Hit the nail on the head, great post

Lots of variables at play, firstly COVID allowed for more opportunity for younger players. The churn of an older generation of recycled players is coming to an end.
Disappointed for Tulio and Colakovski, both in my opinion should have received more game time.

Personally I think the quality was mostly there abouts, opportunity is a problem along with brave coaches who believe in youth.

Got any xG stats? cant find any, every league in world has them except a-league. Even though the people that invented them a partners with victory haha