DAVID DAVUTOVIC PREVIEWS AN A-LEAGUE FINALS SERIES WHERE HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL FOLLOWING MELBOURNE VICTORY’S 2017-18 SUCCESS
FINALS SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
ELIMINATION FINALS
■ Melbourne Victory (3rd) v Melbourne City/Wellington Phoenix (6th)
AAMI Park, Friday, 7.50pm
■ Adelaide United (4th) v Melbourne City/Wellington Phoenix (5th) Hindmarsh Stadium, Sunday 7pm
WEEK 2
SEMI-FINALS
■ Perth Glory (1) v Lowest ranked Elimination Final winner HBF Park, Friday May 10, 8.30pm
■ Sydney FC (2) v Highest ranked Elimination Final winner Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah, Sunday May 12, 7pm
WEEK 3
GRAND FINAL
■ Highest ranked v Lowest ranked semi-final winners Sunday May 19 (If Sydney FC hosts, it will be May 18)
THE CONTENDERS
PERTH GLORY
■ 18 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses (60 points)
■ Top scorer: Andy Keogh (15)
■ The star: Diego Castro
■ The finals x-factor: Chris Ikonomidis
■ Ladbroke title odds: $2.25 DAVUTOVIC SAYS: A mega fourmonth pre-season triggered an extraordinarily consistent season. Glory will be refreshed now with a week off, and with all games on their parochial home patch, they are clear title favourites.
SYDNEY FC
■ 16 wins, 4 draws, 7 losses (52 points)
■ Top scorer: Adam Le Fondre (16)
■ The star: Milos Ninkovic
■ The finals x-factor: Siem de Jong
■ Ladbrokes title odds: $3 DAVUTOVIC SAYS: Understated rookie coach Steve Corica shrewdly orchestrated a secondplace finish and a welcome week off, as they contend with Champions League duties. Michael Zullo and Alex Brosque will return, while Rhyan Grant (hamstring) is hoping to be fit.
MELBOURNE VICTORY
■ 15 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses (50 points)
■ Top scorer: Kosta Barbarouses (14)
■ The star: Keisuke Honda
■ The finals x-factor: Ola Toivonen
■ Ladbrokes title odds: $5.50 DAVUTOVIC SAYS: The most dangerous team on their day, albeit shown it only sporadically during the season. Toivonen and Honda’s big-game experience will be key, while fellow visas Georg Niedermeier and Raul Baena have timed their run well.
ADELAIDE UNITED
■ 12 wins, 8 draws, 7 losses (44 points)
■ Top scorer: Craig Goodwin (10)
■ The star: Isaias
■ The finals x-factor: Baba Diawara
■ Ladbrokes title odds: $13 DAVUTOVIC SAYS: Beat Victory and Wellington in winning four of last five en route to finals. Suddenly blessed with attacking options after playing without a recognised striker for much of the campaign.
MELBOURNE
■ 11 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses (40 points)
■ Top scorer: Ritchie de Laet, Riley McGree (7)
■ The star: Eugene Galekovic
CITY
■ The finals x-factor: Jamie Maclaren
■ Ladbrokes title odds: $17 DAVUTOVIC SAYS: Timed their run well and competition for spots is red-hot with Maclaren, who’s netted eight goals in five games, among the stars rested in Round 27 Mariners romp.
WELLINGTON PHOENIX
■ 11 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses (40 points)
■ Top scorer: Roy Krishna (18, pictured)
■ The star: Roy Krishna
■ The finals x-factor: David Williams
■ Ladbrokes title odds: $21 DAVUTOVIC SAYS: Phoenix clearly had an eye on finals in their 5-0 mauling from Perth, and will focus on three super displays against Victory which ended in draws, two of them at AAMI Park.