Here’s what we learned from an enthralling round...

1. The Stage Is Set
Two away wins in succession: a fair achievement for most clubs; a monumental accomplishment for Wellington Phoenix. Having edged Gold Coast in the Sunshine State last weekend, Ricki Herbert CNZM (New Zealand Order of Merit … what, you didn’t know?) will be celebrating his side’s back-to-back road victories as if New Zealand had just managed an unbeaten World Cup campaign. Phoenix’s 1-0 win over an exasperatingly poor Newcastle on Friday night has now seen them hurtle into third position and potentially secure two home finals. Their next fixture, entertaining the very side they’ve leapfrogged into third, Melbourne Heart, presents a must-win opportunity to cement a four-point break on their nearest rivals. With home form corrected and away points now plausible, Wellington has set the necessary platform to at least match the highs of 2009/2010.

2. Now We’re Gonna Believe Them
For 56 minutes of Central Coast’s home clash against the rejuvenated Adelaide United, second-placed Brisbane Roar, who travel to Gosford in two weeks, will have sniffed blue and yellow blood. However, just as they did midweek against Melbourne Heart, the Mariners found a way. The winning way. The way of the champions, or, for now at least, the Premiers. The home side’s legs might have felt as wobbly as Marvin the Mariner’s given a taxing recent schedule but, unlike their mascot, they refused to take a tumble and instead proved their grit with two goals in three minutes, stretching their lead at the top to 11 points. Unless Graham Arnold decides a point is to be proven by claiming the Championship from second place, the fat lady has finished her warm-up.

3. No Need for the Beast
Under the watching eye of a defender capped 62 times for the Spanish national team and in the knowledge of Thomas Broich’s starting return, Melbourne Heart’s defence, at an average age of 20.5 years, might have been expected to buckle under pressure in their match with Brisbane Roar on Saturday night. Well, that was far from the case, so quit expecting things in the A-League. We’ve previously praised the influence Adrian Madaschi had on the young Heart defence but, having lost the commanding 29-year-old to K-League outfit Jeju United, coach John van’t Schip has turned to a central pairing of Brendan Hamill – who made one particularly exquisite challenge to deny Broich early – and former AIS captain Curtis Good, a combination which has repaid his faith in a manner which would make even the ‘The Beast’, Miguel Angel Nadal, proud. Instead of looking to secure the 45-year-old former Barcelona and Mallorca star’s signature, van’t Schip will be rightly content in the maturing performances of his four-man backline.

4. Ben Halloran: Star
We’ll be honest here – we’ve kept this lesson concealed since the early weeks of the season, a time when Ben Halloran began to stamp his name as the standout player for Gold Coast United. Perhaps because his team’s eventual 2-1 loss to Sydney was not even his best performance of the season and yet, in a match with few clear-cut chances, he still conspired to score the opener and be the most lethal attacking threat on the pitch, we felt it necessary to dedicate some worthy inches to the 19-year-old’s talent. Having zipped ahead of all other young wide-attackers in the country, Mate Dugandzic included, Halloran is quite possibly the next young Australian ready to test himself in Europe. Think Marco Rojas of last season but with more industrious qualities and you have a basic picture of the Cairns-product’s abilities; a picture enhanced by the image of him skipping away from Sydney stars Nick Carle and Brett Emerton in Sunday’s encounter.

5. It’s Party Time in Perth
Your team is leading 2-0 before half time, you already have two goals to your name and a penalty, one of which you’ve already scored, is awarded in your favour – what do you do? You darn well step up and convert your hat-trick, that’s what. Correct, professional footballers? Evidently not, as we learned from goal-machine Shane Smeltz in Perth Glory’s 4-1 smashing of Melbourne Victory on Sunday. Having already netted twice and being an odds-on favourite to score from the spot for a second time in the match, Smeltz’s acceptance of team policy in stepping aside for Mile Sterjovski elevated his generosity to a previously unforeseen level, on a par with the guy whose first concern is getting everyone else drinks at a party. Fellow Glory teammate Steve Pantelidis, however, finished the match more closely resembling someone who went too hard too early as he just about required an eye patch and a wooden leg by the end of 90 minutes. A middle ground in the midst of the Perfect Perth Party, as the match shall henceforth be known, was found in the revelries of Glory supporters, who seemed to spend the match enjoying a warm rendition of “Let’s go something something,” or words near to that effect.