Are you ready for the A-League 2022/23 season?!
The 2022/23 A-League season is just around the corner, and if last season was any indication, the next seven months will produce another fierce competition between 12 teams who will vie for the coveted trophy and the right to have their names etched in the history books.
Last season, we saw Western United claim the club’s maiden A-League title, beating Melbourne City in the grand finals 2-0, so the question is; can John Aloisi’s men defend their crown, or will City reclaim their throne? Perhaps we might even see a new champion.
Melbourne City
Melbourne City enter the 46th A-League season as the main favourites to hoist the trophy and improve the impression they left in May when they suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Western United.
But despite their little slip-up, Melbourne City must be feeling optimistic ahead of this season, as there isn’t much they need to improve on to have a shot at the title. With three straight Grand Finals, City remains the team to beat in Australia, and as long as they can keep Jamie Maclaren firing on all cylinders (62 goals across the last three seasons), there’s little to suggest City won’t be in the mix to clinch the title.
Odds to win: 3.50 at Bet365
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory slipped in the semi-finals last season, and they finished A-League Championships in fourth. Even though those are not the results Tony Popovic had hoped for his squad, the team’s development under the 49-year-old’s guidance has been a joy to watch.
Notably, in 2020/21, Victory recorded their worst A-League campaign last term, finishing the year with a wooden spoon and 17 defeats. Last season, Victory climbed to second place with just four defeats. Of course, there are no guarantees that the improvement will continue, but there’s clear that Popovich is doing something right.
A strong testament to that is Victory’s 15-game winning streak to end the 2021/22 regular season, which included seven victories from their last nine fixtures. They eventually fell against Western United in the semis, but there is no shame in losing against the eventual champions.
Besides the evident improvement, Melbourne VIctory showed the last term, the Boys in Blue also received a major addition this offseason in former Manchester United midfielder Nani. And defence? With the best defensive record of the 2021/22 season, Popovic decided to “don’t fix it if it’s not broken”.
Odds to win: 4.00 at Bet365
Sydney FC
It wasn’t that long ago when Sydney FC were the unstoppable force in A-League, having won three Championships between 2016/17 and 2019/20. They even reached 2020/21 Grand Final but suffered a devastating 1-3 defeat to Melbourne City. Nevertheless, Sydney FC enter the 2022/23 season as the most successful club in the league’s history, with five Championships and four Premiership titles under their belts.
Despite their historical success, Sydney FC had a campaign to forget, winning just eight of 26 fixtures, which was good for an eighth-place finish and missing the playoffs. Following such a display, it’s hard to trust Sydney FC, but it’s also tough to believe Steve Corica’s men will do as poorly in 2022/23.
Odds to win: 7.00 at Bet365
WS Wanderers
Western Sydney Wandered failed to impress last term, but that’s hardly a surprise since they’ve not made the finals series since 2017. Over the last five seasons, WS Wanderers have been settling for a mid-table finish, so it’s fair to assume that they’ll be hungry to bounce back.
But hunger without quality won’t help WS Wanderers reach far, especially if they don’t drastically improve upon what they showed last season, winning just six of 26 outings, with nine draws and 11 losses.
Even more shocking was their performance in the final stretch, winning just one of the final 10 games. Priced at 7.00, WS Wanderers are clear outsiders, and it’s hard to argue with that.
Odds to win: 7.00 at Bet365
Western United
Going back-to-back after claiming the club’s inaugural A-League title would be a dream come true for Aloisi’s men, and we can be sure they’ll fancy their chances to keep ahold of the throne. But according to the outright betting markets, Western United are the fifth-most likely team to win A-League, at 9.00, and that sounds about right.
Aleksandar Prijovic was phenomenal for Western United last season and has proven to be a worthy successor to Besarat Berisha – something many didn’t believe would happen. The Serbian striker netted 13 goals (third most in the league) and added six assists, and WU will need much of the same from him next term.
This reliance on Prijovic is also our main concern about Western United and their chances to defend the crown. If he can’t carry his team to glory, Western United will be hardly more than a mid-table team.
Odds to win: 9.00 at Bet365
Macarthur FC
Macarthur FC made quite a splash in its debut season in the A-League. They finished sixth and made it all the way to the semi-finals, defying all the odds and proving themselves as worthy title contenders.
But the Bulls’ second season was far from impressive, as they missed the playoffs, finishing seventh with a 9-6-11 record and 33 points. Following the poor performance, the club parted ways with Ante Milicic to make room for Dwight Yorke, who many have high hopes for, but it’s tough to expect too much from someone who got put in his first managerial role.
Odds to win: 10.00 at Bet365
Adelaide United
Adelaide United did fine in the 2021/22 season, finishing just six points behind Melbourne City with a 12-7-7 record and 43 points to their name. Moreover, they pushed City in the semi-finals, and while they came out short, Adelaide did enough to earn the fans’ respect.
And considering their success last term, you might feel hopeful about Adelaide as a dark horse who could do some damage. And while the club’s success will heavily rely on captain Craig Goodwin (8 goals, 6 assists), Adelaide United also brought in some reinforcements in Ben Warland and Harry Van der Saag.
Whether that will be enough to help the Reds rise to the top is anyone’s guess. But Adelaide United are arguably one of the best middle-of-the-pack teams.
Odds to win: 13.00 at Bet365
Newcastle Jets
Newcastle Jets did a fine job on the offence last season, scoring 45 goals across 26 outings, mainly thanks to Beka Mikeltadze, Valentino Yuel, and Daniel Penha, who ended the year with 12, 5, and 4 goals, respectively.
However, the Jets also had the fourth-worst defensive record in the league, with 43 conceded goals. If Arthur Papas can improve the Jet’s defensive line, we could start talking about a solid team, but until proven otherwise, Newcastle Jets are clear outsiders to challenge the title.
Odds to win: 17.00 at Bet365
Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast Mariners finished last season in fifth, marking the second season in which they landed inside the top five. It was a solid achievement for the club, but their run to the trophy was cut short in the elimination finals – it happened in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
From what we had seen from the Mariners last season, they likely won’t compete for the title this term. But if Jason Cummings (10 goals, 6 assists) can keep scoring, the Coasties might be able to challenge another strong finish.
Odds to win: 21.00 at Bet365
Wellington Phoenix
With 12 wins, 3 draws and 11 losses, Wellington Phoenix ended last season in sixth, which wasn’t particularly bad, nor was it very good. This season we expect Wellington Phoenix to look more or less the same, mainly due to many big departures that shook up the team’s core.
The Phoenix have filled up the gaps somewhat, but that brings up more questions than it gives answers, mainly how will the new arrivals gel with the core players. On a more positive note, Phoenix will kick off the season with six home matches of the first eight, which should help them get the needed momentum early.
Odds to win: 26.00 at Bet365
Brisbane Roar
The addition of Anton Milnaric, who joined Brisbane Roar permanently from Sydney FC could help Brisbane Roar improve this term, but we wouldn’t expect much from this club. It was fairly evident in 2021/22 that Brisbane Road can’t compete for any meaningful placements, and even though the roster shake-up gives the Roar a chance for a fresh start, the outright odds (34.00) paint a clear picture of what’s ahead.
Odds to win: 34.00 at Bet365
Perth Glory
Perth Glory claimed the 2021/22 A-League wooden spoon with just four wins from 26 outings (4-6-16) and the league’s worst offensive record, scoring just 20 goals.
On a more positive note, things can only go up from here as Perth Glory get ready for the next season in a bid to make amends and take a step in the right direction. It would be about time.
Perth did initiate a minor rebuild this offseason and strengthened its defence, which should be far more stable than last season when Perth Glory managed just five clean sheets. In the midfield, Perth Glory also added a couple of big names, including Aaron McEneff and former FC Zurich player Salim Khelifi.
Even the attack wasn’t forgotten, with the addition of David Williams, who returns to Australia following a short stint in India, and is expected to play a supportive role for Fornaroli – a combination that could do some damage if things fall in place.
All in all, Perth Glory have made enough changes to set up a better season, but we wouldn’t expect a quick turnaround. Glory will undoubtedly be more competitive, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll transform into a top contender anytime soon.
Odds to win: 51.00 at Bet365
A-League 2022/23 Betting Picks
With all A-League teams covered, here is our top pick for the 2022/23 season.
Melbourne City to win Grand Finals
Last season’s runners-up are the current main favourites to win the 2022/23 season, and it’s hard to argue with that. Melbourne City will want to bounce back after a humiliating defeat against Western United, and they certainly have the quality to take care of business.
Bringing back a similar squad that performed admirably well last campaign, Melbourne City have all the tools needed to go all the way. As a benchmark of A-League, City are the team to beat and the strongest team on paper.
Stay tuned for more A-League Betting Picks
Stay tuned for our coverage of A-League throughout the 2022/23 season with weekly round betting previews and breaking news in the Australian top flight.
