Latest news with #grandfinal
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
A-League Men grand final live: Melbourne City faces Victory — scores, stats and commentary
For the first time in A-League Men history, the grand final features a Melbourne derby between City and Victory. Follow live.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
A-League grand final, Melbourne Victory v City live: news, scores, updates
The Melbourne derby will headline the biggest day on the A-League calendar as rivals Melbourne Victory and City face off in the grand final. Follow the decider live here tonight.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Melbourne City's Mathew Leckie keen for an elusive A-League grand final win
Socceroos stalwart Mathew Leckie has put his hand up to start for Melbourne City in Saturday night's A-League decider as he hopes for 'third time lucky' in his quest for grand final glory. However, while Leckie believes he's not only fit enough to start, but also play a major role in the AAMI Park showdown, Melbourne Victory star Nishan Velupillay is doubtful to be involved due to the ankle injury he suffered last Saturday in his side's semi-final second-leg success against Auckland FC. Attacking weapon Velupillay was seen jogging during the early stages of the Victory's Friday morning training session at the grand final venue. But it's unlikely Victory coach Arthur Diles will gamble with the fitness of Velupillay in a match were no passengers can be afforded. While it's likely to be bad news for Velupillay, Leckie has timed his return to fitness and form to perfection. The 34-year-old veteran, now being used in the midfield rather than on a wing, has made just five starting appearances for City this season due to frustrating injury problems. However, he has featured in City's past three games off the bench, found the back of net and gradually built up his game time with each match. Tilio 🆚 Arzani. This is a head-to-head battle you don't want to miss! âš'ï¸� Two of the A-Leagues most creative players are set to face off in the Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final 2025. ðŸ'° Watch it live on Channel 10, Paramount+, 10 Play & 10 Bold (WA only). — Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) May 30, 2025 'It's the most important game of the season and after this there's a break,' Leckie said. 'You work hard all season to get to this point, and I'm sure everyone's going to put their hand up (to start), and I'm one of them. 'I'm willing to go out there and just play until I can. Whether that's to make an impact off the bench or to start a game and see how long I can play, I'm ready for both.' Leckie is desperate for grand final success, having played in City's losses in the 2022 and 2023 deciders. 'I came back (to the A-League from Germany) wanting to be successful,' he said. 'I think I came back at a good age, and the one thing that I haven't been able to do is win a grand final, so third time lucky. 'We've had a really consistent season and if we can play to the best of our ability and put it all together, I think we've got a real strong chance.' Leckie said the fact the decider was also a Melbourne derby would add the occasion and atmosphere in front of a sellout crowd of almost 30,000. 'There's nothing better than a full stadium and the experience of being out there to compete on that stage,' he said. '(To) potentially do something special is all the motivation every player needs to go out there and give everything. 'We understand Victory's strengths and they're a quality side. They've also got the right mentality and the players to give us a hard time, so we've got to be on our game.' Victory left-back Kasey Bos is expected to play after being sidelined last weekend due to a lower leg injury.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos remembers the Swans' 2005 grand final win over West Coast
Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos has spoken of the moments that made a difference in the team's 2005 AFL grand final win, the feelings in the aftermath, and the rivalry with the great West Coast team of the era as the club prepares to celebrate 20 years on. In one of the closest grand finals in history, the Swans and the Eagles fought out a low-scoring epic at the MCG, with Sydney emerging with the win 8.10 (58) to 7.12 (54). The match is remembered for Sydney winning its first premiership in 72 years, dating back to the days of South Melbourne. It's also remembered for the match-winning pack mark taken by Leo Barry in the final seconds. Ahead of the club's 20-year celebration of the flag this weekend, Roos told ABC's AFL Daily podcast Barry's mark, great as it was, tended to overshadow other important elements that contributed to the win. "Amon Buchanan's game – his spoil on the wing, tackle. Nik Fosdike's game was exceptional, Lewis Roberts-Thompson … the ball followed him for the first half, and I think it hit him on the back of the head when he was going up the race it was that attracted to him in the first half," Roos said. "Leo [is remembered] and rightly so, with that mark but probably it takes away a little bit from the great efforts of the team. Barry Hall's goal, it was a big goal, Amon's goal [to put the Swans in front in the final quarter], there were so many moments, key moments that made a difference." Roos recalled the minutes after the game, celebrating with assistant coaches including John Longmire, who would succeed Roos as Swans coach and win the flag in 2012. "We spent some lovely time in the box together. I was really fortunate that we played [the grand final] in 2005, when the coaches box was in the grandstand. So we walked down the grandstand, we didn't go down in the lift. "We walked through the crowd, the Swans people walking on to the ground, all the people who'd put money in, the administrators, the ex-players, Paul Kelly giving me the cup, family members – I still remember it vividly, it was just an amazing time." His speech on the podium after the grand final became a much-quoted moment because of its conclusion as Roos said: "For the people who've waited 72 years for South Melbourne — slash — Sydney Swans to win the premiership ... here it is!". Roos told ABC the speech was a mix of preparation and a bit of off-the-cuff improvisation. "You semi-rehearse your victory speech and [your one] if you lose. You want to be humble, gracious both if you win or lose," he said. "But it was only when I saw the banner [before the game], and I think it was "two cities, one team" or something like that. I realised if we do win this it's sort of a culmination of a lot of hard work that went back to South Melbourne moving to Sydney [in 1982]. "When I got up on the podium that's when it jumped into my head, about the "Here it is!" for those who'd waited 72 years for Sydney/South Melbourne to win the premiership. So yes I'd rehearsed a little bit of it, but not that last part of it, and that came from seeing the banner before the game." Sydney coach Dean Cox famously played against Sydney in that grand final — and took a mark with seconds to go that launched the last desperate attack that was snuffed out by Leo Barry's famous mark. "We [Longmire and I] chatted about his mark, because he marked it to kick it back in to Leo Barry, so he played a significant role. Coxy, if you had have lowered your eyes, mate, instead of bombing it to centre half-forward … but he was a phenomenal player. "He's the only ruckman I think I've ever tagged, Dean Cox as a ruckman … he was just probably one of the most underrated players because he played with [Ben] Cousins and [Daniel] Kerr and [Chris] Judd and all those great players. "He was an incredible player [himself] — it's quite ironic, isn't it, that he's now coaching the Swans! We'll do a lap of honour at half-time [against the Crows] — he's part of the 2006 [Eagles team] and he'll be celebrating next year with his West Coast mates! "It was great times, great memories, great rivalry, great games, it really was … we had a great respect for them and them for us, I suspect. It'll be fun to reminisce on the weekend, and [I'm] looking forward to it".
News.com.au
6 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Nishan Velupillay to be given until ‘11th hour' to prove his fitness for A-League decider
Socceroos star Nishan Velupillay is a '50-50' prospect for Saturday night's A-League grand final, while his Melbourne Victory teammate Mitch Langerak is making a late push for selection in the derby decider against Melbourne City. Attacking weapon Velupillay injured his right ankle in the Victory's semi-final success in Auckland last Saturday, and seemed little chance to of playing this weekend at AAMI Park. However, Victory coach Arthur Diles is set to give one of his prized assets as much time as possible to prove his fitness. 'We'll give him to the 11th hour … but at this stage, it's probably 50-50,' Diles said on Wednesday. 'He's walking better, but one thing is to walk, and one thing is to be up for a final. '(It is) still way too early to have a clear indication.' Former Socceroos goalkeeper Langerak has missed the Victory's past five matches with a foot injury, with Jack Duncan deputising for the 36-year-old gloveman. 'He did a little bit (on Tuesday), he did a little bit more (on Wednesday)' Diles said of Langerak. 'We'll see (on Thursday) how he pulls up, because it'll be first time he's done two days back-to-back, so it'll be a big test for him.' Left-back Kasey Bos, who missed last Saturday's 2-0 semi-final second-leg win over Auckland FC with a heel injury, is expected to be available for the final. A full house of close to 30,000 is expected at AAMI Park, with the Victory set to have the majority of the support. However, City coach Aurelio Vidmar urged his side to 'embrace' the occasion and a pro-Victory atmosphere. 'You can't run away from it,' Vidmar said. 'You know what the derby is always like. They're always intense. There's always something happening that can be explosive, so we just have to try to prepare for anything and everything. 'Whatever happens on the night, we'll be ready. They'll have the majority share of the crowd but our fans have fans have been there from the very first day … and we expect them to support us right to the end.' Despite the Victory's heroics in Auckland, where they defied the odds to end the Black Knights' hopes of a premiership-championship double, Vidmar's men are full of confidence heading into the decider. City finished second on the ladder, five points clear of their Melbourne rivals. 'There's no question they're a very strong outfit but we're also a very strong outfit and we deserve to be where we are today, and we deserve to be fighting it out in that last game on Saturday night,' Vidmar said. 'There are always going to be moments in games, and you have to try to manage those moments as best you can. 'We want to be the aggressor. That's the way we play, that's the team's identity and we'll continue to do that.'
