So next season's entrants from Australia in the 3 tiers of AFC Club football now are:
Elite (Champions League) - 2023/24 Premiers [Currently CCM]
CL2 (AFC Cup) - 2023 Australia Cup Winners [Sydney FC]

The 23-24 AFC Cup Winner is only guaranteed the final playoff spot. My assumption is that should CCM win that AND win the league, that the AFC Cup Winner spot will go to 2nd place in the league. Can't find anything concrete on what happens to the AFC Cup winner slot should the winner qualify regularly (other than that they qualify regularly)

EDIT - Just did a Copilot search, and that confirms the AFC Cup spot (in the event CCM win both that and the A-League Premiership) will go to the next best team in the domestic league. Which, realistically is 2nd (or 3rd if second is Wellington) - but someone might make a case to give it to the Grand Final winner (or loser if that is also CCM)

That was a epl quality goal from Nestor 

Fucks sake I'd never have given that in a million years. If that's not natural what is? He had no idea even where the ball was.

To answer you question. From the armpit down, that can count as handball. Armpit up = not handball.

Did that picture drop in? Otherwise go to here. 12.1. https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/fouls-and-misconduct/#direct-free-kick

Shit penalty so justice served.

Thanks Muz - picture dropped in correctly. Another wrong understanding of mine gorn :)

Kurto would be disappointed with his effort though. He was not balanced properly - all his weight was on his left foot. This meant he dived a spit second too late. If he was well balanced he may well have parried it wide. Great strike though!!

No dramas.

Had to edit my post above but I'm sure you understood it anyway. I should have said

'Armpit up = not handball'.

Tough win to the Mariners against a determined and well set up WU.They disrupted the Mariners passing game and caused lots of turnovers.However lacking Penha they were wanting for creativity in their attacking play.

In the second half their pressing game became ragged and Mariners were able to dominate.Well taken goal by Balard with a good assist from Nisbet and then a cracking goal from Theoharous who had just come on as a sub.

The Tarneit facility looks very grassroots which I don't mind.Obviously this looks like a big growth area and if WU survive as an entity they should engage a local following.

CCM win secures Club Championship and direct entry to ACL Elite competition (as highest Australian team).

I’ve watched women’s football before. I’m an advocate for women’s football. I tuned in to watch this SF. Trash. I’m playing FIFA until the derby. I do try. Honestly. 

We were quite simply lacking.

60 minutes of controlled and effective passing through the midfield, with some scrambling at the back and no sharp edge at the front saw us dominate the play, building up unstoppable attacking waves, and leading to nothing time and again. Highlighting once again that opportunity without conversion is meaningless.

Two hideously weak attempts to stop two good attacks, and a lucky last man save to avoid the third. Freke stood and watched a ball go past him that he appeared to expect was going wide - only it was nowhere near wide. I can't understand his lack of reaction unless he just wasn't concentrating or he anticipated a ball back across his goal and had his weight all the wrong way - but his face suggested he just left the ball and it went in. The defenders in the meantime were just jogging around and watching too without putting any numbers on the player with the ball. The second goal - an excellent header by Stamatelopolous on the end of a really good free kick - saw one Jets player against 5 Roar players and we could not put any pressure on him and nothing on the ball at all.

Newcastle have always been a hard team for us to breakdown and score against, but this was not that. Tonight we strolled quite comfortably upfield whenever we wanted to and had nothing to finish it off. It is not necessarily that we needed a finisher - we just did not have any focus on the end despite several players being in proximity each time. Some games you could call it unlucky, but it was too consistent tonight to be anything other than a lack of scoring ability across the team against a packed and resolute defence. Have we been practicing passing and combinations to get the ball forward without also tying it in to a shot? Looked like it.

It felt like a pre-season game with little intensity or urgency and more an expectation that we could play the ball into the net at 90% effort. I have said before that our system of rotation on the pitch means no-one knows where anyone else is going and we often play like we are new to each other. I think there is a strong element of that in tonight's performance. Great ability to pass and run the ball through the middle third, some desperate defending at times with obvious weaknesses, and players who would have liked to score at the front end rather than players driving onto goals with intent.

Jets took their chances well and created a few more, but we failed to compete in the critical game for our season if we wanted a chance at finals.

Good games and bad games - sums up our season unfortunately and lands us most likely further down the table yet. Our heads were not in the game - more like we were playing a system and structure that we had learned without also adding the element of personal drive.

Both Brown and Hingert had good games. Our midfield held up well when Jets did try and press us, and we had no trouble getting the ball forward against both pressing and when they sat back in structure. We also held them well when Jets drove at us. The rest was just a confusion of bodies with good and bad moments and no apparent focus.

This team should play better than that.

Wow what an ending to the derby. Great cross tby Simmons. Good to see two young locals scoring. 

Looks like Sydney FC's famed academy have found another gem in centre back Hayden Matthews, the kid has got it all with he's defending to he's ball playing ability a very good talent maybe the Olyroos picked the wrong Sydney centre back.

An incredible ending, Sapsford whom seems loves to play in a Sydney derby stepped up but until Kuckarski who missed an open goal in the first derby of the season to get he's way this time around the drama and cycle of football! 

Great to see young Aussie talent making an impact from both teams.

It now gets even more confusing. 

CCM have qualified for the Elite (Champions League) - 2023/24 as Premiers (no Australian team can catch them)
WEL also cannot be caught so if CCM win the AFC Cup there spot will go to the next best Australian team in the league (currently Melbourne).
If however MVC drop one of their last two games they will finish on 44 points and 11 wins.
SFC already have got their spot in  CL2 (AFC Cup) - 2023 Australia Cup Winners [Sydney FC]. If they win their last 2 games they will be on 44 points and 13 wins and if CCM win the AFC Cup will become they will get CCMs qualifying spot for the ACL Champions League elite and the next best Australian team in the league will take their Champions League 2 spot. 

What a finish to the derby last night. Great entertainment. Lolley has been great for Sydney and was brilliant again last night.

That certainly was a dramatic finish.Was a very good game to watch as a neutral-lots of skilful play and fast paced.Sydney's ability to press hard until deep in the game is impressive.Lolley is a real footballer-pace ,skill,determination and shooting power.Some good young players on view-Sapsford,Simmons,Matthews.Holman,Priestman and Kucharski.

You can forget the ALM grand final winner getting a place in The AFC competitions, they only consider league table positions and the national cup winner .
 They would count the finals series as another cup competition, I’d imagine.

any comments to this? 

https://twitter.com/JovBlago21/status/1779114814104883354

I am sooo sick of the off the pitch stuff overshadowing the on field game 

Not unexpected from that lot.

really?
they are a pretty "socialist" terrace. 

You’re an advocate for women’s football but you can’t stand watching it . Have I got that right?

Or alternatively if Sydney FC jump into AFC CLE qualifying, it will be Brisbane Roar that gets the CL2 spot, as runners up of the Australia Cup final that Sydney won...


Yes, that's how it used to work back in the day, before the Australia Cup officially became our avenue into the AFC competitions. By all realistic expectations though, the Grand Final winner will come from the top 4 anyway that already have their foot in the door.

Any reason you're asking me in particular?

Looks to me like a bloke being a complete flog. You're thoughts?

because you were very vocal about it before when it related to an NPL club. 

Maybe"national socialist".

Well it's fucked wherever it occurs. 

Happy?

Looking at the possibilities over the next two weeks:

Guaranteed top 2:

• CCM - Highest 1st / Lowest 2nd
  I reckon CCM will finish 2nd. Nix just have an easier run.

• NIX - Highest 1st / Lowest 2nd
  I reckon Nix will be premiers. Easier run home than CCM.

Guaranteed to make finals:

• MV - Highest 3rd / Lowest 5th
  MV have an interesting two games. Not only will the results decide whether they get a home final, it could also decide who makes finals or not.

Three of these will make the finals:

• SFC - Highest 3rd / Lowest 7th
  SFC should make the finals, and i'd say will probably get a home final.

• MAC - Highest 3rd / Lowest 7th
  MAC have a tough two games (SFC and Nix away). Can't seeing them coming away with 6 points from those games.

• WSW - Highest 4th / lowest 9th
  WSW also have a tough two games (MC home and MV away). Borrello potentially out injured doesn't make things any easier.

• MC - Highest 4th / lowest 9th
  MC will be full of confidence after yesterday and could make things very difficult for WSW. With WU to close the season, finals is a very real possibility for MC.

• BR - Highest 6th / lowest 10th
  BR are fairly unlikely to make finals. Neither MV or AU will be easy. Plus they will rely on multiple teams directly above dropping all 6 points.

• AU - Highest 6th / lowest 11th
  AU are equally unlikely to make finals. However they could have a big impact on the premiership race if they pick up points against CCM.

Season is over, one of these will get the wooden spoon:

• NJ - Highest 8th / lowest 12th
  Jets play both CCM and NIX to close the season. One might assume they would lose both games but I bet they win or at least draw one of them.

• WU - Highest 8th / lowest 12th
  Playing PG and MC won't be easy. MC fighting for a finals spot and PG want to avoid the spoon.

• PG - Highest 8th / lowest 12th
  Likewise, playing SFC and WU won't be easy. SFC want the home finals spot and WU want to avoid the spoon.

Good to read this.

Only watched highlights of all games this round with so many U23 games in the Asian Olympic qualifiers.