1. Mulvey right for Roar
You need to be at your absolute best to overcome Central Coast Mariners - even when the Mariners aren’t at theirs. Brisbane weren’t on Friday night, so a draw it was. And with a pair of winnable matches in the next two rounds ahead of Round 22’s blockbuster, a point, all things considered, will do fine for Graham Arnold’s benchmark side. As will the performance for Brisbane, which confirmed something about Mike Mulvey that his first seven matches in charge had failed to do. His Friday night half-time team-talk obviously worked. His faith in Matt Jurman over James Donachie didn’t, though it was really only a single, albeit key, error that saw the former Sydney defender dragged. Mulvey corrected it nonetheless, tweaking towards a more mobile Brisbane backline that assist in greater potency after the break. Luke Brattan, trusted with a consistent starting position in the wake of Erik Paartalu’s departure, not only survived, but thrived against the rugged squeeze of a Mariners midfield. Just watch his pass for Mitch Nichols shortly after Brisbane’s equaliser again, if you can. Thomas Broich, having achieved all of a premiership, twin championships, a Johnny Warren Medal and status amongst the country’s finest imports, has thrived under the fresh challenge of captaincy. Stef Nijland, too, seems set for an impact. It is for these reasons, members of the jury, and for his unencumbered decision-making and affirming media conduct, that Mike Mulvey is the right man for Brisbane. The way forward.

2. Football wounded
Chances are, given this is an Australian website, you’ve heard about the beginnings of The Ashes cricketing contest. Refresher: Australia wins series in England, local newspaper humorously dubs it the death of cricket in the country, everybody has a few laughs, Don Bradman saves Planet Earth from cosmic forces and winning both the figurative and the literal Ashes becomes a major objective. A similar sequence of events began in Auckland on Saturday, only football was the sport in question. The teams, Wellington and Perth, were both antagonists in this story. Two sides painfully desperate not to inflict misery upon themselves came close to doing it through sheer caution; thankfully, Jeremy Brockie applied the defibrillator with a winning goal. It worked, just. Football was left in a critical condition. Three points has Wellington Phoenix up and walking, but gingerly for now. Perth Glory? Well, the most their fans can look forward to is harnessing the same black humour as that newspaper many years ago by pondering a new moniker for the Distance Derby. 

3. Football revived
At the final whistle of Saturday’s second fixture, between Newcastle and Sydney FC, we came to the conclusion that both sets of players had watched the previous match during the lead-in to their own game. Bravely, they soldiered groggily on to the Hunter Stadium battlefield knowing it was their duty to save football. Heroes were made during the next 90 minutes not through skill, but through sacrifices. Sacrifices such as carelessness in possession – badges worn by Connor Chapman and Ruben Zadkovich. Sacrifices such as foolish penalty box challenges – such as that performed by Rhyan Grant. And, of course, through self-sacrifice – of which Terry McFlynn led the way. “Side before self, every time” is a mantra attributed to a great man, and, despite quicker thinking perhaps allowing the ball to pass by, was one engendered by McFlynn for the good of football. Assisted by the clinical finishing of Ryan Griffiths and Alessandro Del Piero, it was these sacrifices for entertainment that moved the game off life support and into a state of faint hope ahead of the derby. There was still work to be done.

4. Football alive
Nobody likes seeing youngsters loitering around a shop front, on their lawn, or being obnoxious on public transport. A Current Affair will tell you that five nights a week. All football supporters, however, enjoy seeing them on the pitch for their team. If you’re playing poorly: revitalisation! If you’re playing well: ensuring longevity! Young players are a universal fountain of hope in football as the potential rewards ungauged potential rests with supporter imagination. For Melbourne Victory, the latter applies. Saturday night was an extension on the theme of opportunity implemented at the club under Ange Postecoglou, and since the beginning of his A-League career. The winner is both youth and, as their derby win over Melbourne Heart proved, club. Postecoglou’s protocol sees local products form the National Youth League side, of which Victory’s won 7-0 over Peth the following day, to be prepped in Postecoglou’s system. Some, such as Nick Ansell and Connor Pain, will grasp it. Some won’t. Icing the coach’s award-winning cake is the recruitment of talented youngsters from elsewhere – the likes of Scott Galloway, Jesse Makarounas and Francesco Stella – extracted from settings of limited opportunity and implanted into the first team. Some will thrive, others might not. But they are all suitably prepared and trusted. It was this more than any result that breathed life into Saturday. Youth: #saviouroffootball.

5. Sin (hopefully) to be met with Youssouf’s Mercy
So Western Sydney can play tikka-takka now too. Good luck, A-League coaches. With renewed health, football made its way to Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday to host two top four teams. What it got was one deservedly entrenched member and one squatter. A notable exchange of passes between Wanderers players on the edge of Adelaide’s penalty area midway through the first half was exactly not what the Reds needed: a relentless opposition. That’s what they got, though, as Youssouf Hersi was the man to ensure that execution was not prolonged. So good was the Ethiopian-born Dutchman yet again that the time has come for an apology from this author, who claimed shortly into the season that the winger had been as lifeless someone transported by a similarly-named vehicle. The opener and an assist in the Wanderers’ two-goal combustion just prior to half-time, followed by another goal after the break, was just the latest in a number of outings worthy of his Youssouf Van Hersi billing. Indeed, it was another delicious Hersi bar of a performance. As fine as expensive pair of matching His and Hersi bath robes … yeah, you can take it from here.