2026 Australia Cup final rounds thread

[Glenardo]

Last year they drew the round of 16/quarter final/semi finals all at the same time, any idea if they’re doing that again this year?

 

[melbcityguy]

Is Melb City gonna play there U17 kids again? Wot a joke of a club they should be kicked out if they do. Talk about baiting sports/betting sites with there fixed squads. Easy money if u r betting against them but like I said the fix is already set.

 

[Glenardo]

 

[NoMates]

If the games were played just after the a league season or during it would be a different story, NPL teams are well into there season where the A League have only started training. This myth is busted and based purely on superstition.

 

[HappyGuus]

Not withstanding my thoughts on the draw nonsense.

This is such a cop out by aleague sides. It’s the domestic cup, your season starts now not in October. Plan and act accordingly.

Number of competitions all over the world start just into preseason (Continental qualifiers, Scottish league cup for example) and sides are able to adapt.

Are those competitions not like for like regarding fitness levels though? You can't really compare our situation of two completely different times of seasons playing against each other.

It's like any sport, you peak your fitness level for the peak of the season. E. g. AFL finals, Tour de France etc.

For mine, the A-League clubs ARE taking it seriously (not so in the past). But they can't do anything about enforced player holidays and competition timing. Fitness levels are a totally valid reason for failing this early. That doesn't diminish from member fed teams. It is what it is until the timings change.

Even at local level they haven't got their timing right. E. g. in SA they host their cup final days before their Aus Cup match. Years ago, their final was held earlier in the season and there wasn't a conflict of schedules with Aus Cup. Maybe explains why NPL SA has fallen off a cliff the past three years in the Aus Cup. They were comfortably above Queensland, but now behind them and even WA catching up.

 

[HappyGuus]

Is Melb City gonna play there U17 kids again?

Their world cup players are still on holidays mate. It is what it is.

 

[NR93]

Are those competitions not like for like regarding fitness levels though?

Number of European competitions are in season compared to other countries that are in preseason when we are talking about qualifiers.

MLS clubs have no issues in early rounds of the CONCACAF Champions cup when “lower” teams are in league compared to preseason. Even CPL teams who have a similar offseason length are reasonably competitive against bigger and in season sides even though they are weeks into preseason.

These blokes have 4-6 weeks off, a lot of them go into national youth camps etc and they don’t go spending offseason on the booze 24/7. Their base fitness should be high enough that 3/4 weeks in preseason that shouldn’t be used as an excuse.

 

[HappyGuus]

The two Aus Cup threads are now merged into one, and you can still get to it via either forum

 

[erogenouszone]

The two Aus Cup threads are now merged into one, and you can still get to it via either forum

I preferred the NPL one & tended to post exclusively in that one as the majority of the clubs in the Australia Cup come through the NPL and beyond grassroots system.

 

[HappyGuus]

Great crowds so far, except for APIA for some reason. Special mention to Cumberland and Marlin Coast in the state league and regional!

 

[Beretta]

Great crowds so far, except for APIA for some reason. Special mention to Cumberland and Marlin Coast in the state league and regional!

Our club reported 2,800 against CCM.