By Kieran Yap 16/5/25
Above: Melbourne Victory. Photo: A–League
It is a sporting cliche that a great team is better than a team of great players. This season has shown that Melbourne Victory is both at once , and they can prove it on Sunday.
Melbourne Victory are in form. They are undefeated in 15 games, and have only conceded nine times in that streak. During that impressive run, only once did they concede multiple goals.
Impressively, they have done this while rotating the backline dure to injury or departures. Laura Pickett and Rosie Cutis have both deputised for Ellie Wilson while the English fullback was injured, while Alana Jancevski has been a revelation at left back.
This shows that Victory have a game plan that works and the depth and talent to execute it every week.
Only a near perfect season by local rivals Melbourne City denied Victory a top of the table finish, but statistically, they are the best team left in the finals race, with defensive stability, a star studded but hard working midfield and an attack boasting firepower in the starting XI and on the bench.
This is a side that has been unbeatable for more than half the season, and have the experience, discipline and talent to win this Grand Final.
Talent and Grit
Melbourne Victory have big names. There are senior internationals in midfield, attack and defence. They have players capable of changing the game across the pitch and almost every player in the squad is capable of scoring.
Importantly, this is not an all-star team. They may be a team of great players, but they have shown a willingness to sacrifice their own ego’s to win games.
Alex Chidiac has built her reputation as a playmaker with dazzling feet and an eye for goal, but she has played in a much deeper position this season. Often she is found receiving the ball from the defenders or winning it from the opposition.
Jancevski was signed as a wide forward capable of curling crosses and thunderous shots, but has emerged as an uncompromising, and disciplined fullback who still manages to chip in with a few long range goals.
Nikki Flannery has shown a willingness to switch flanks to help make room for Emily Gielnik’s finishing, and Sara D’appolonia is are selfless as she is tireless, running from box to box, retrieving any loose ball and forcing midfielders into hurried passes.
Victory can fight out games, they can grind out results and they can score heavily when they need to. Whether in an arm wrestle or a shootout, they are equally comfortable, and it makes it nearly impossible to deny them their preferred gameplan.
Peaking at the right time
Although they have been winning for most of the season, the semi finals have seen victory at their best. Against one of the league’s most entertaining attacking sides in Adelaide United they looked more dangerous in attack and more stable in defence.
They did concede in both legs, but ended the tie 6-2 ahead on aggregate, with Claudia Bunge and Rachel Lowe both scoring braces in either game.
Victory scored from set pieces, good old fashioned wing play, and precision long balls from the very last line of defence to overcome The Reds and the two wins sent a message that Victory could still improve on their 15 game run with an even stronger performance when it mattered most.
Head to Head History
This season, Victory enjoyes the edge over The Mariners. They have drawn 1-1 away, but won at home 2-0. Interestingly, Victory looked to have the stronger side in the drawn game. Beattie goad had not yet retired and Ellie Wilson was available.
Both first choice fullbacks were missing from the winning result, with Central Coast missing the talismanic Izzy Gomez.
Victory look more settled now than they did on either of those days, and are a far more formidable side than the one that lost to The Mariners on penalties at the end of last season.
Tactically, Victory are unlikely to have the same vulnerabilities that undid City. While Central Coast love a counter attack, Jeff Hopkins prefers a structured and deeper defence, even when his side is attacking. The matchup of a side that likes to score on the break against one specifically set up to avoid that happening will be fascinating to watch and this could be decided by set pieces, which Victory also excels at.
Game Changers:
Kayla Morrison
The Victory captain is a chance to win the Julie Dolan Medal this season. She has been among the best players every week in a campaign that has seen her play every single minute.
Morrison scores goals, marshals the defence and helps start attacks with her impressive passing range.
She has been one of the best players in the league this season and is a centeback that opposition coaches need to plan around at both ends of the pitch.
Holly Furphy
She’s a substitute, but shes often decisive. Furphy has an eye for goal, a deadly shot and impressive speed on the ball.
The wide forward is usually brought on in the second haldf either to break deadlocks or turn momentum back in Melbourne’s favour and she almost always manages to impact the game.
In less than half a season, Furphy has established herself as a star of the competition. A highlight machine who has shown impressive consistency.
Rachel Lowe
Another player forced to sacrifice her natural game for the benefit of the team. Lowe is generally seen as a number 10, or deeper playmaker, but at Victory she has been used at the point of the attack. Often battling with her back to goal or as rhe first to start to defensive press.
Lowe is one of Victory’s real barometers, she might not feature in the player of the week polls, but for Victory to win, she will need to have a good game, or at least execute her part of the plan to perfection.
Wildcard
Ella O’Grady
The former Young Matildas striker has had limited game time this season, but if she is turned to by Hopkins she has the ability to define this contest.
O’Grady can score from almost anywhere inside half way and has phenomenal running power. She can burst clear of defenders or go straight through them. As we saw last season with Shea Connor’s winning foal for Sydney FC, a substitute striker can make the day their own if they take their chance to when it arrives.
O’grady has that ability.
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