The Australian Championship 🇦🇺🏆

[HappyGuus]

That South Hobart was one of the first clubs to officially congratulate SMFC, to me reinforces the belief that this comp is something uniquely special to both fans and clubs! Well done South Hobart we want you back here again as a permanent member from next season!

Interesting fact about South Hobart that I saw posted, they are the only team to have played three of the four semi-finalists this year.

Heidelberg and Marconi in the Championship, and South Melbourne in the Australia Cup.

 

[Glenardo]

Swibel was absolutely useless too but he is a good striker

Maya again didn’t play well aswell. Also what’s he doing first couple of minutes risking a penalty, put your hands down in the box ffs, the brain snaps on this guy. Busek should have retained his position in the team in hindsight.

Akio I feel he was still carrying that ankle injury for the whole second half of the comp so probably didn’t end up showing what he’s capable of

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Interesting fact about South Hobart that I saw posted, they are the only team to have played three of the four semi-finalists this year.

Heidelberg and Marconi in the Championship, and South Melbourne in the Australia Cup.

They tick the boxes, they have loong history, fan loyalty, good crowds for a second tier, hungry.... the on field improvement will come eventually..done a great job without any support from tas fed or local it seems!

If all clubs had their desire and resolve there would be more successful applicants and add another level to this comp!

 

[Sutherlandbear]

Swibel was absolutely useless too but he is a good striker

Failed miserably in the A league.

 

[Glenardo]

They tick the boxes, they have loong history, fan loyalty, good crowds for a second tier, hungry.... the on field improvement will come eventually..done a great job without any support from tas fed or local it seems!

If all clubs had their desire and resolve there would be more successful applicants and add another level to this comp!

Imo south Hobart and Adelaide city would probably be the best non nsw/vic applicants from what I can see off the top of my head right now

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Imo south Hobart and Adelaide city would probably be the best non nsw/vic applicants from what I can see off the top of my head right now

I think you are right on the money... sunshine coast would be my other suggestion knowing how passionate they were about getting in but had their own fed ussies as we learnt, on the park they sound competitive.......... along with perhaps Brisbane, not to take anything from moreton kind you who had an unexpected stellar run!

 

[Glenardo]

I think you are right on the money... sunshine coast would be my other suggestion knowing how passionate they were about getting in but had their own fed ussies as we learnt, on the park they sound competitive.......... along with perhaps Brisbane, not to take anything from moreton kind you who had an unexpected stellar run!

I think the teams are quite decent in qld, but I can’t see a clear specific club who has all the elements ready to go. Although Sunshine Coast did seem keen and like they have a plan based on that podcast a few months back

 

[SMFC1959]

Imo south Hobart and Adelaide city would probably be the best non nsw/vic applicants from what I can see off the top of my head right now

With State Government support, South Hobart would be a great addition to a proper home and away competition.

Tasmanian Government should invest in upgrading the facilities at the D’Arcy Street ground, and drop some sponsorship dollars as their major sponsor promoting Tasmanian tourism. And it would for a fraction of what is being spent on the new AFL team.

 

[Glenardo]

With State Government support, South Hobart would be a great addition to a proper home and away competition.

Tasmanian Government should invest in upgrading the facilities at the D’Arcy Street ground, and drop some sponsorship dollars as their major sponsor promoting Tasmanian tourism. And it would for a fraction of what is being spent on the new AFL team.

So obvious that they could be built up into a great little club. As we say a rare historic club without any particular tie to any ethnic group if that’s something the suits care about, great little historic facility with lots of character

 

[Glenardo]

I think the teams are quite decent in qld, but I can’t see a clear specific club who has all the elements ready to go. Although Sunshine Coast did seem keen and like they have a plan based on that podcast a few months back

On this btw, now that things are slowly changing certain clubs might be able to turn things around, but it feels like the aus championship might have come too late for some clubs, Brisbane strikers for example are one who come to mind. There probably would have been more clubs who were in a stronger position if this opportunity had been afforded to them 10-15 years ago or immediately after the nsl/a league transition. It’s amazing so many clubs are still in the position they are today after that 20 years in the wilderness with no hope of return tbh

 

[Glenardo]

Have had a chance to rewatch the game start to finish now with no distractions..I know tsekenis has had results to back it up, but really was an example of one of those games which I’ve spoken about under him in the past few years at times where if they’re not playing well or things aren’t going Marconi’s way..have this tendency to just revert to a horrible and incredibly frustrating aimless hit and hope style of play, which again, worked better when you had a talented individual like a temelkoski up front who could pull something out of his backside etc..get the ball down and play ffs

 

[LFC]

Have had a chance to rewatch the game start to finish now with no distractions..I know tsekenis has had results to back it up, but really was an example of one of those games which I’ve spoken about under him in the past few years at times where if they’re not playing well or things aren’t going Marconi’s way..have this tendency to just revert to a horrible and incredibly frustrating aimless hit and hope style of play, which again, worked better when you had a talented individual like a temelkoski up front who could pull something out of his backside etc..get the ball down and play ffs

I think thats what you lack period despite Tsekenis style of play.
You lack creativity skill general middle of the park let alone a decent 6 with vision - hence your hope style of play by the players besides what Tsekenis tells them.
I think you really punched above your weight the Championship all due repect.

 

[Son of Sam]

I think thats what you lack period despite Tsekenis style of play.
You lack creativity skill general middle of the park let alone a decent 6 with vision - hence your hope style of play by the players besides what Tsekenis tells them.
I think you really punched above your weight the Championship all due repect.

The best other teams appeared to be Heidelberg, APIA, and Avondale, But for various reasons they did not make it to the final.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

"Battle of the bluebloods" is the most accurate term coined imo! Yes Marconi wasnt quite the same class as SMFC this time round, but it was the opponent from a purists perspective that most of us 'traditionalists' wanted, all due respect to the others! The history of these 2 has so many chapters that its hard to script a better story line for this comp! This year we wanted it more than anyone with good reason but that takes nothing away from the stature of the other giant that is Marconi...

Others may argue that the only way this GF couldve been bigger is if it was SMFC vs Preston onbviously regarding the crowd jump undoubtedly, but not from an ️historical perspective though, this is traditional football as it should be! 2 heaviest badges having lined up on its biggest day!

 

[Glenardo]

I think thats what you lack period despite Tsekenis style of play.
You lack creativity skill general middle of the park let alone a decent 6 with vision - hence your hope style of play by the players besides what Tsekenis tells them.
I think you really punched above your weight the Championship all due repect.

No arguments for me, APIA are the better team on the field no doubt. Much easier on the eye too, have said multiple times over the last few years. You take costanzo and temelkovski out of last years line up and that’s what you’re left with unfortunately

 

[southmelb]

The 4 best teams were South, Heidelberg, Avondale and Apia.

Avondale played themselves out of contention by risking players in a dead rubber game against Preston, already battling injuries before hand they basically knocked themselves out.

Apia were the best of the nsw teams but probably not at the level of the vic teams, they were poor at home to metrostars (lucky to get late draw) and ordinary in Perth against Bayswater, could have easily missed the knockouts.

The 2 strongest teams were South and Heidelberg, that semi final could have gone either way, if any side was gonna knock us off it was going to be them.

Overall i think we played at an intensity that was on another level from the rest of the teams. Inidividually we probably had the best players as well.

 

[Glenardo]

The 4 best teams were South, Heidelberg, Avondale and Apia.

Avondale played themselves out of contention by risking players in a dead rubber game against Preston, already battling injuries before hand they basically knocked themselves out.

Apia were the best of the nsw teams but probably not at the level of the vic teams, they were poor at home to metrostars (lucky to get late draw) and ordinary in Perth against Bayswater, could have easily missed the knockouts.

The 2 strongest teams were South and Heidelberg, that semi final could have gone either way, if any side was gonna knock us off it was going to be them.

Overall i think we played at an intensity that was on another level from the rest of the teams. Inidividually we probably had the best players as well.

APIA under performed in this comp imo given the players at their disposal

 

[SMFC1959]

From my subjective perspective, I must say that South, Heidelberg, APIA, Avondale, and Marconi were the best of the 16 teams that competed in the 2025 Australian Championship.

I must say I was most disappointed in Preston as I had expected they would reach at least the quarterfinal stage.

This South Melbourne team was probably the best South side we’ve seen in the last 10-15 years. The intensity and pressure they applied on opposing teams was extraordinary. Interesting to see if we lose any players for next season.

 

[LFC]

APIA under performed in this comp imo given the players at their disposal

Agreed
I think we glided through and not played our typical game enough.
Mind you a lot of chances went begging and that’s the ball game more than anything against us.
If we played more of our league form we would have given SMH a real hot go but yer blew it.

 

[mikes27091]

will there be anymore permanent clubs brought into the comp in 2026 ?