I expect us to be mid-table for a few games as catch up games are played, then for us to get better again and work up the table. We are close in competitive terms but nowhere near firing yet. Get the last bits to fall into place, with the players that we have got, over the next few games and we are better than mid-table prospects.

Our time to convert chances.

At least the people saying “mid table” have changed their minds from ”near the bottom” lol. 

Who said “near the bottom”?

You’re losing the plot again Waz

Pretty much!

The ones who said the bookies knew what they were talking about when they had us at 10th - but not sure if any Roar fans were in that group.

This is a decent team, well coached, that plays some good football but lacks the striking power to step above the middle of the pack.
Making the finals will be a good result. 

Yes it would be a good result. Being title contenders is as far away as ever without the addition of a real quality player or two.

I quite like the team, better than last season’s, but the club seems to be comfortable with accepting mediocrity.

If we cant beat WU,we may end up 10th.
Teams below us are PG,SFC,WU and WP.All capable of winning two in a row.
For the last five games we are equal worst with MV and WSW..3 points each.
WU have a game tomorrow against SFC and then Roar on sunday.It’s our best chance.

We're saying things are really close....does that mean we think the standard of the league is good?

I really don't think the league standard is that great, and the fact that it is that close shows to me that teams are just not taking that step up. 

I think it does mean the standard of players in teams is improving - if not necessarily the style of play.

In seasons past you could look at the list of teams and pick a few teams that you would consider 'easy games'. This season I do not see many easy games and I think other teams' fans would be stretching the truth a bit if they said they thought there were quite a few easy teams from their perspective.

Our trouble is that we have come off the back of our own worst football - so maybe we have forgotten how much better things used to be across the league because we were just so bad. I don't think that myself though and sit firmly in the 'league is better' group.

We used to look at a team and count the quality players as just one or two in some teams and maybe six or seven with the top quality sides. I now find that most teams have a quality core, a few really good players, and only a few weaker players instead. And teams are still adding quality to their playing squads even now (like Taylor for the Nix).

There are still teams (like us) who punch above their weight with their teamwork and combined skill, and Mariners is a fine example of that.

Not many easy beats, better quality play showing in games, an increasing number of 'star quality' players throughout the league...yes, a good standard.

You’re probably on the money there but if you just spent part of your life living and watching quality football in a football mad country your current low views of the AL may change in time. I know mine did when I returned from overseas in similar circumstances. 

Agree 100%. Sydney FC have regressed significantly from the past few seasons. Had they kept there level, and the teams caught up to them, THEN we can say the standard has improved. 

Really the biggest regression for SFC was losing ALF. their general play and build up is pretty close to previous seasons (maybe a tad slower and a tad less hungry off the ball) but when they get the ball into the final 3rd it is a crap shoot as to whether it will end with a shot on goal let alone a decent shot target. Not having ALF up front ( a 20+ goal a season striker) not only has taken away 20 goals but 4 or 5 decent shots on goal a game, which really upped the pressure on the opposition. 

this is something we are currently missing as well. DWH has scored goals but is only putting 1 or 2 decent shots on target up that to 4 or 5 a game and then the opposition is under much more pressure.

i think generally the technical quality of the league has dipped a little this season (a broich or corona would boss this league just as diamante is), however the tactical quality has improved (and keeps improving) league wide, also because the general competitiveness of the league has improved the entertainment quality of the league has skyrocketed. 

To be clear, I covered the A-league as a journalist for the good part of 6 years before I went to the UK. I only did 2 years in the UK and worked in football there, and have been back for a while. Whilst I haven't worked as a journalist since returning, I've still followed the league. I followed it in the UK too, just not as intensely. So I understand your point, but I'm not speaking with tinted glasses. I've watched the A-league since inception, seen the progression, the Roar dominance, then the Victory take over, then WSW break on the scene and make noise as well as win the ACL...then Sydney had a small period, but no one has really taken the next step. The best player the league has ever seen is still Broich and considering he left in 2017, thats 4 years and no one has come close. 

Agree with all points.

If you put the Brisbane team of the Postecoglou era into this years league, I still think they will dominate which for me means the standard has not increased over the years. But also this is probably the result of the salary cap. IMO, Castro and Diamanti are better than Broich. 

The momentum in the ALeague has dropped, no argument there. And it is also correct it has stagnated but I think, if not hope, this has already flattened out and is in a consolidation period ready to rise again.

OOOH!!! That is a very big call. I don't think the league has seen anyone as skillfully talented or technically good as Broich. That man made the ball stick to his feet. His footballing brain was also amazing. We've had big names, but no one has come close to being as good as Broich season in and season out. 



I've noticed that with the Roar. They definitely have become more insular. I saw that they even changed the supporter group. I remember the Bakries rejecting deals a few years ago to sell the club because none met their evaluation, then shit hit the fan with all the failed payments and issues. Then the club became more insular from what it seems. Everything is behind doors, fans not in the loop and that made put me a bit off the club at the time. 

Dolphin Stadium = 9,000 seats. 

How do you know that to be true ffs??

“A sellout crowd of 9932 turned out to honour the Broncos skipper and Brisbane started on fire, in just the 2nd minute centre”

..... thats Broncos/Cowboys “selling out” the place - and apparently there wasn’t a spare seat in the house, all corporate areas packed, and all standing areas full. 

I saw the documents. I was a football journalist dude

No need for the aggression

Waz is the BR Oracle nowadays - he's ok overall not used to someone knowing more re BR.
Welcome back zimbos good to see you posting again.

I thought Theo was the BR Oracle...

In the courier mail Oct 2017, reported a Russian outfit offered $10 million but Roar wanted double that.

Well there you go, it’s probably not true 

Didnt the Courier Mail also report Aloisi was resigning and joining Adelaide. That didn’t happen. 

does that mean Everything printed is "false" ? :) and zimbos may have seen false docs ??? as well.

It was also quoted on Foxsports and Inside Sport at the same time.

In Jan 2019 SBS World Game quoted there were 3 bids ranging from $12 mill - $18 mill but Roar was holding out for $20 million.

You knew all this because you started a thread on it.

Cheers mate. It seems not everyone shares the sentiment though. 


He has a point. i did break at the time that Paartalu was leaving for China and we all know that that never happened....:ermm:



Hang on, so you started a thread about this very topic, and are now calling me out for talking about it. I can't tell if I should laugh or facepalm. 

No buyer was ever named.