The Ninja A-League is back this weekend and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of Round 18 of the 2024-25 season.
*Brisbane Roar’s Ninja A-League Women clash with Melbourne City scheduled for Sunday, March 9 has been postponed due to the extreme weather conditions in south east Queensland.
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Perth Glory v Western United
Friday, March 7 – Sam Kerr Football Centre – 10pm AEDT
Perth Glory host Western United in the first game of Round 18, as the travelling Western look to recharge their push for a top-four finish after a two-game winless run.
Western are yet to record two-consecutive wins this season but, despite their inconsistency, Kat Smith’s side are fourth on 26 points with seven wins and five draws on the board. They do, however, sit just one point above Brisbane Roar and two points ahead of Central Coast Mariners and Canberra United in sixth and seventh respectively, having played one more game than all three sides directly below them on the table.
Western travel to face a Perth Glory outfit struggling to string together results in the backend of the regular season. Having won just one of their last three games, Perth have dropped out of finals contention and sit 10th on 15 points, nine points behind the Mariners in sixth.
These two sides last met on January 21 when Western won 4-1 at Ironbark Fields. This weekend will be Western’s first game without star forward Kahli Johnson following her transfer to Calgary Wild.
Newcastle Jets v Sydney FC
Saturday, March 8 – No.2 Sportsground – 4.30pm AEDT
Newcastle Jets host Sydney FC in the battle between the bottom-two sides on the Ninja A-League table.
The Jets broke a three-game losing streak last time out with a 2-1 win over Perth Glory but will be without star midfielder Libby Copus-Brown for Saturday’s meeting with Sydney after collecting a straight red card in Round 17.
Despite sitting 11th and 12th on the table Sydney and Newcastle are two of only five sides heading into Round 18 off the back of a victory, following the Jets’ triumph over Perth and Sydney’s drought-snapping win against Brisbane Roar.
Sydney, the reigning Champions, have won just three games this season in an uncharacteristically poor title defence from the powerhouse Ninja A-League club.
When these two sides met in Round 6, a dramatic comeback from Newcastle saw the Jets claim a 2-1 win after trailing 1-0 up until the 86th minute.
Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday, March 8 – Coopers Stadium – 7.45pm AEDT
Adelaide United are on a club-record unbeaten streak of 10 games – will they make it 11 against an out-of-form Central Coast Mariners outfit at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night?
The Reds finished last season as wooden spooners but have surged into title contention this season off the back of seven wins and three draws in their last 10 games. The Reds are third but have a game in hand over first-placed Melbourne City and can close to within four points of the league leaders with a win over the Mariners on Saturday.
Central Coast, meanwhile, are at risk of dropping out of the top six if they fail to arrest a sudden form slump. Back-to-back losses to Victory and Western Sydney followed a 1-1 draw with Canberra – the Mariners’ closest rivals on the table.
Canberra and Central Coast are level on 24 points with the Mariners’ superior goal difference the only thing keeping Emily Husband’s side in the top six. With Canberra set to face second-placed Victory away from home in Round 17, this weekend could be pivotal to the Mariners’ hopes of finishing inside the finals places and a result against Adelaide on the road could have a huge say in the final layout of the table.
Wellington Phoenix v Western Sydney Wanderers
Sunday, March 9 – Porirua Park – 2pm AEDT
Western Sydney Wanderers are officially the form side of the Ninja A-League after three-consecutive wins leading into Round 18.
The Wanderers were dead last after 14 rounds but have shot up to ninth on the table thanks to wins over Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets and Central Coast; Holly Caspers’ return from injury has helped the Wanderers turn momentum – as has the blistering form of Young Matildas star Sienna Saveska.
The Wanderers travel across the ditch to face a Wellington Phoenix outfit eager to respond after a 3-1 loss to Adelaide United at home in Round 17. The ‘Nix were previously unbeaten in five games at Porirua Park before tasting defeat against the Reds but don’t have to wait long for a chance at redemption with their second game at the Wellington venue in the space of seven days this weekend.
The Phoenix beat Western Sydney 3-0 away from home the last time these two sides met in Round 9.
Melbourne Victory v Canberra United
Sunday, March 9 – Home of the Matildas – 5pm AEDT
The final game of the weekend promises to be an entertaining affair as Melbourne Victory look to close the gap to league leaders Melbourne City while Canberra attempt to break into the top six.
Victory have been near-perfect this season, losing just two of their 17 games to date – but near-perfect hasn’t been good enough thanks to City’s 18-game unbeaten stretch – an equal Ninja A-League record achieved after a 1-1 draw with Canberra last weekend.
The Premiership race is far from over, however. Should Victory beat Canberra this weekend – as they did in Round 7 – Jeff Hopkins’ side would move to within two points of City at the top of the table, with both sides level on 18 games played.
But Canberra will be no easy beats on Sunday evening. After losing four of their first seven games Canberra have now lost just one in 10; despite sitting seventh on the table, Canberra trail fourth-placed Western United by just two points and could jump as high as fourth with a win over Victory should Western and Central Coast both lose in Round 18.
