The numbers that matter
The big winners of Round 16 were...
The obvious selection would be the Newcastle Jets after they became the first team in Australian top-flight history - yes, including decades of the NSL - to record six consecutive away wins.
Mark Milligan's side is packed with youthful, homegrown players who are not only tremendously exciting to watch but are growing in belief by the week.
They're currently on track for a 62-goal season, which would be just two short of the all-time record set by Sydney FC in 2017/18, but the most important thing is that they're now two points clear at the top of the standings, even if Sydney FC's game in hand is converted into three points.
But the crown this week goes to Warren Moon's Central Coast Mariners after they followed up a pair of draws with back-to-back wins to not only lift themselves off the bottom of the table but work their way back into contention for the play-offs.
The Mariners are still four points outside the six, but it's worth noting that the three clubs immediately above them - Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne City, have combined for just six of a possible 27 points in the last three rounds. On that form alone, it might take only a couple more weeks for Moon's side to be within striking distance of if not within the top-six again.
It's an incredible turnaround given what the Mariners have been through recently, losing Championship-winning head coach Mark Jackson in October as well as Brian Kaltak, Ryan Edmonson and Mikael Doka among others. Moon's insistence that a bit of transfer market action was going to see the club come in leaps and bounds on the pitch appears to be coming true.
The big losers of Round 16 were...
Brisbane Roar, who are in freefall down the table and in danger of imploding, at least from the top down following Michael Valkanis' outrageous post-game outburst at the refereeing and the league in general.
Valkanis was sent off for the second time this season, this time after the full-time whistle at Redcliffe Stadium, for what we can only assume was dissent directed at his initial booking.
There were some heated words from Valkanis directed at Mariners manager Warren Moon - not for the first time in 2025/26 - and Valkanis took great umbrage at having initially been booked.
It's not known what he had said to the refereeing team after the whistle to earn the red card or the manner of his conduct, but all that matters is that assistant manager Borja Lema will likely again take charge of the team for their Saturday evening game at Melbourne Victory, having done so during Valkanis' first suspension and his recent bereavement leave.
Noah Maieroni will also miss next weekend after picking up his fifth yellow card, whilst Sam Klein and Justin Vidic are also on thin ice.
The Roar have lost six of their last seven matches, with the once formidable back third conceding nine times in three games, a formline which will make Valkanis' personal conduct a lot less forgivable from his bosses. It'll be interesting to see for how long they and his players back him in for.
Team of the Week
Read more about our Team of the Week here.
Goal of the Week
It was slim pickings this week as far as goals that would go viral are concerned, but we've landed on Mitch Duke's second goal of the season - firstly, for his lead-up positioning to create a header opportunity, and then for negotiating the difficult angle to find the net.
What the managers said
Michael Valkanis (Brisbane Roar): "I am really frustrated that I was sent off after the game for no reason whatsoever. I asked him 'why did I get the yellow card?' and he told me to move away. If it's just going to be against me, just tell Brisbane Roar they don't want me coaching. It's really wrong. We ask questions on the sidelines (of the fourth official) and we don't get answers. It's like we're playing against everyone every single week. We have been 100% pre-judged from pre-season games onwards."
Mile Sterjovski (Macarthur FC): "It's hard to take. I really feel for our players because they deserved a lot more out of that game for the effort they put in, especially in the second half. (Filip Kurto) has been our saviour in many games, so we'll let him have this one tonight. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. We had the chance tonight to go second and in the end it was a matter of centimetres."
Airton Andrioli (Adelaide United): "If anyone wants to put a petition up to get rid of VAR, I'll sign it. It's destroying the game. We're going to come to the point where we score a goal and nobody is going say anything in the stadium, because we'll have to wait and review. We're killing the most important moment of a football match which is the goal. I'm not talking about today's result but in general. For me it's taking away the moment of the goal. Everybody comes here to see a goal being scored."
Read about how all 12 managers reflected on their team's weekend performances here.
Next week's fixtures
The continental commitments of Melbourne City and Macarthur FC, both of whom are playing two-legged midweek Asian Champions League Elite 2 games over the next fortnight, has forced a rescheduling of their Round 17 matches. The Bulls played theirs in early January and Melbourne City will catch up in April.
