5 Hyuk-Su Seo
Queensland 2005-current
From Seongnam Ilwha, South Korea

Success 3
Importance 5
Brand value 3.5
Terrace favour 4
Longevity 5

The South Korean utility man was famously convinced to come to Australia by veteran playmaker Shin Tae-Yong, whom Miron Bleiberg wanted to take a look at. More than 60 A-League appearances later, Seo is still winning tackles with his oversized calves and spotting the simple ball through his mop of hair.

His power and stamina have made him a permanent fixture in the Roar since the A-League’s inception, whether it be at full-back or in midfield. “Harry” has also proved extremely popular in the Roar sheds, and his no-nonsense approach has endeared him to the Brisbane faithful.

Josh McCloughan has been at the Roar alongside Seo since the start. “The game suits him here, he’s very physical,” McCloughan says. “He works pretty hard on the pitch, and I think that’s the kind of game that’s suited him. That more physical side where he might have got pinned [penalised] a lot in his home country, it’s let by a lot in Australia. He doesn’t mind throwing himself about, which is quite different to what the normal style of a Korean player is.

“He’s probably more Aussie than he is Korean,” adds McCloughan.

4 Reinaldo
Queensland 2005-2008,
2008-current
From Busan I’Park, South Korea

Success 3.5
Importance 5
Brand value 4
Terrace favour 3.5
Longevity 4

Like Seo, Reinaldo is another established Roar player who breaks the stereotype of his home nation. A tall, powerful striker with exceptional stamina, the Brazilian swagger you might expect is what is lacking most in Reinaldo’s game.

Yet Reinaldo, despite only streaky goalscoring form, has lead the line at Queensland for two seasons now, hounding opposition defenders and bringing in the Roar’s all-action midfield into play. While he will often look ungainly and brutish, that is part of his charm. Every once in a while he will display
a piece of magic of which only he is capable.

Most notably it happened in the second leg of the semi-final against Sydney last season. With the Roar at home and the aggregate score still locked at 0-0, Reinaldo got the ball on the wing, beat two Sydney defenders and smashed the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle.

McCloughan is grateful for Reinaldo’s presence. “I’m not saying the South Americans won’t work hard, but generally they’re all about technical ability and just floating in and out of games at the right times. If Reinaldo’s playing up front he busts his arse for 90 minutes week-in, week-out on his own. He makes sure when defenders are playing against him he’s an awkward package”.

3 Terry McFlynn
Sydney 2005-current
From Morecambe, England

Success 4.5
Importance 3
Brand value 2.5
Terrace favour 3
Longevity 5

“I was playing in the English Conference for a club called Morecambe,” McFlynn remembers. “My wife decided she wanted to come back to Australia to live and it was a turning point. I had to decide whether to come to Australia and give football another go or stay in England. I sent my CV and a letter asking for a trial basically to all the A-League clubs. Sydney was the only club that replied to me and offered me a trial.”

That is how Terry McFlynn’s fairytale Sydney story began, but that is not why he is at number three. Here is a man who has long been appreciated as a rough and tumble midfielder, but little more. After his form dipped in 2006-07 as injury and club instability took their toll, he appeared on his way out.

A lone A-League championship seemed fair reward for a player who was derided even by his own fans for his technical limitations and questionable decision-making.

Even as Sydney signed Stuart Musialik this season to upgrade the anchor role, McFlynn has again found a way to contribute, bustling around and busying himself with passing, tackling and generally being effective.

2 Fred
Melbourne 2006-07
From Guarani, Brazil

Success 4
Importance 4
Brand value 4
Terrace favour 4
Longevity 2

Fred was an all-action attacking midfielder who was integral to the high-octane, direct, incisive style of Melbourne’s all-conquering Championship team. After just one season he left for MLS club DC United, where he has had an excellent first and a fair second season.

Despite his success, here is another player whose impact is hotly contested. Ernie Merrick himself believes that Fred’s reputation benefited from him leaving at the right time. He rightly points out that Fred’s first full-game – despite what is said about his stamina – was Melbourne first loss that season.

The Brazilian also missed two matches in that unbeaten opening seven
round period completely. Still, Merrick remembers him fondly.

“Fred was a good player who had great endurance,” he says. “He was one of these players who is prepared to do the work to win the ball back again. His service to Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp was first class and that was his greatest strength.”

This service most dramatically saw him scythe open the Adelaide defence time and again in that Grand Final performance. He laid on Archie’s first, second, fourth and fifth goals in flowing moves that saw him displaying tremendous all-round ability: overlapping, dribbling at pace, sliding through balls and hitting crosses.

It was his obvious love for the game that made him the player he was. With Fred alongside Archie, that Victory side had an air of shameless exuberance about it..... they put on a 90-minute party every weekend.

Since then, albeit a brief guest appearance cut short by family tragedy, he turned around Wellington Phoenix's season with a talismanic performance at the club.