The big clubs (VUC, Melb City, SFC & WSW), didn't hugely under perform though.
VUC finished 3rd, and were tough to beat all season obviously for the Nix. Into the Grand Final. Not sure I see them getting much stronger next season. It's rumoured they want Poppa to take a $300K paycut for starters. And they still have a sizeable loan with the APL the fudgeers should be made to repay.
Uffy similar with SFC (4th, only a pt behind VUC). Again tough to beat all season for us, and very unlucky not to take their 2nd leg game in Gosford to ET. The Mariners had the rub of the green last night.
But in the new pauper ALM environment VUC, SFC & Melb City (6th), may not be that much richer than the smaller clubs. MC yes did under perform, but Maclaren if in decline is still a big loss. He still got 10 goals this campaign. Many of their big names like Leckie & Nabbout barely played. That previously dominant team is aging & being unwound
MAC (5th) are likely to start next season a bit of a mess.
WSW (7th) a bigger club, and sans the half crazy Rudan - could finally get themselves back up the table.
The Mariners boosted by their $2M plus AFC Cup winnings, will be right up there again. But they will also like us be selling a few players. Farrell, Nisbet etc. Torres & his 13 goals are already gone.
Yipe it will be very hard to repeat this season, but there is a reason that other clubs are looking at the model of Mariners and Nix. And fans should be proud of that. Imitation the sincerest form of flattery.
Oh & should mention AFC I guess. They will likely be a playoff a contender from the get go. Be very interesting to see what marquees they sign. Would rather Zawada went to them than across the ditch. If they are consistently winning and taking points off the Aussie teams I'll be happy. Two NZ teams in the playoffs would be great.
VUC finished 3rd, and were tough to beat all season obviously for the Nix. Into the Grand Final. Not sure I see them getting much stronger next season. It's rumoured they want Poppa to take a $300K paycut for starters. And they still have a sizeable loan with the APL the fudgeers should be made to repay.
Uffy similar with SFC (4th, only a pt behind VUC). Again tough to beat all season for us, and very unlucky not to take their 2nd leg game in Gosford to ET. The Mariners had the rub of the green last night.
But in the new pauper ALM environment VUC, SFC & Melb City (6th), may not be that much richer than the smaller clubs. MC yes did under perform, but Maclaren if in decline is still a big loss. He still got 10 goals this campaign. Many of their big names like Leckie & Nabbout barely played. That previously dominant team is aging & being unwound
MAC (5th) are likely to start next season a bit of a mess.
WSW (7th) a bigger club, and sans the half crazy Rudan - could finally get themselves back up the table.
The Mariners boosted by their $2M plus AFC Cup winnings, will be right up there again. But they will also like us be selling a few players. Farrell, Nisbet etc. Torres & his 13 goals are already gone.
Yipe it will be very hard to repeat this season, but there is a reason that other clubs are looking at the model of Mariners and Nix. And fans should be proud of that. Imitation the sincerest form of flattery.
Oh & should mention AFC I guess. They will likely be a playoff a contender from the get go. Be very interesting to see what marquees they sign. Would rather Zawada went to them than across the ditch. If they are consistently winning and taking points off the Aussie teams I'll be happy. Two NZ teams in the playoffs would be great.