PRE-SEASON ODDS
Melbourne City 3-1
Western Sydney Wanderers 7-2
Sydney FC 4-1
Melbourne Victory 5-1
Adelaide United 12-1

OCTOBER-DECEMBER
The Western Sydney Wanderers started the season without a manager as JP de Marigny’s caretaker's stint had not been programmed into the game. Zvonimir Soldo and Marco Kurz had been leading candidates but it was former Newcastle Jets coach Ernie Merrick who was given the reigns. A decision the media labelled as a surprise and questioned if it was the right one.

In their first game of the season, the christening of the newly built Bankwest Stadium, the red & black succumbed to a shock 3-1 loss to less fancied Central Coast Mariners. Their fall at the first few hurdles would prove to be the theme in the Wanderers opening couple months.

Surprisingly it was Wellington Phoenix who took pole position. Ufuk Talay’s side marched to four straight wins. Western United, Sydney FC, Perth Glory and Melbourne City all fell to their rivals from across the ditch.

Though the first major story of the season was the November meeting and Grand Final rematch between Perth Glory and Sydney FC. Both teams had sent shockwaves throughout the league though their form had been a complete reverse to six months prior.

Horror starts to the campaign had left Tony Popovic and Steve Corica’s jobs hanging by a thread. After four games the Sky Blues had only earned three points, whilst the Glory had two. 

Bruno Fornaroli’s sole goal proved enough to keep Popa’s job afloat whilst Steve Corica was shockingly shown the door after only five games. The club legend opened the season with four losses though had success in the first Sydney derby of the season.

Former Serbia boss Slavoljub Muslin was later named as new manager.


As we fast forward to the end of the year Wellington led the league with a game in hand, three points over nearest rival Western United. Jets, Victory, City and Adelaide United completed the top six.

Phoenix David Ball led with seven goals whilst his teammate Ulises Davila had the most assists with five.

Back on the mainland Erine Merrick faced the sack from the Wanderers with only two wins in 11 games.

Whilst Newcastle Jets also surprised as they were proving to be a genuine threat to the title.

JANUARY
Consecutive losses by F3 rivals saw Tony Popovic out of the job as Glory’s struggles worsened. Tony Sage opted to pull the trigger in the hope of saving their dying season. Aleksandr Stanojevic later being named as Popa’s replacement.

Newcastle Jets made a huge statement by beating Wellington away in a top of the table clash as they took pole position. Though Western United turned a two-horse race into three as only a result separated the leading pack at the end of the month.

Wanderers showed more promise throughout January, including an impressive three points in Wellington. Whilst a Big Blue defeat forced Victory’s management to shockingly show Carlos Salvachua the exit door, even though his side were in the battle for top-six football.

FEBRUARY


The biggest shock so far was the replacement the Big V appointed. After a disastrous stint as Wanderers head coach and constant complaining to German media about the state of Australian football, Markus Babbel left his homeland at the first opportunity to return, snapping up the job in Victoria.

Maybe he covered his Wanderers tattoo with navy blue ink? 

The managerial fiasco continued as Robbie Fowler was given the boot in mid-February by Brisbane Roar. The Liverpool legend struggled in his return to head coaching, being replaced by Socceroos hero Tony Vidmar.

Phoenix’s slump continued as losses to Western United and Melbourne City opened the door for the latter to join the race for the Premiership. Newcastle Jets though kept the good times rolling as they sat pretty in first by the end of the month.

But Western Sydney continued to creep up the table, remaining unbeaten since the turn of the year. Ernie Merrick had collected 17 from a possible 21 points to catapult his side from last to fifth in only two months.

MARCH
Sydney FC’s woes continued as the reigning champions never mustered a respectable defence of their crown. Though as they sat lowly in ninth, they did stay unbeaten in the Sydney derby with two draws and a win. The third and final derby of the season saw youngster Marco Tilio score a late equaliser preventing his cross-city rivals from leaping into third.

Phoenix’s horror run continued as star forward Gary Hooper broke his ribs, forcing the Englishman out for 6-8 weeks. They were later demolished 3-0 by the Jets as their title hopes faced pressuring questions.

Adelaide United boss Gertjan Verbeek was the next manager to be given the flick. A disappointing second half of the campaign proved enough for the Dutchman to fall on his sword, though the Reds only sat one point outside of the six.

APRIL
The final month of the regular season consisted of the tightest race for the premiers plate the league had ever seen. The entire top six of Jets, City, Phoenix, Wanderers, Victory and Western United could have all realistically finished in any position. Though April would also tell us more about each side.


Ernie Merrick continued to create miracles as his side finished the season in second, going all of 2020 unbeaten and unscathed. Though it was a run of draws that killed any premiership aspirations. 

Wellington Phoenix horror show continued as their high flying start to the season had now become a distant memory. Having fallen to lowly Glory, they followed that by easily succumbing to Wanderers 3-0. The Nix ended the season with only earning one point in their last six games. Even worse, that point was to eventual wooden spooners Roar.

Western United had fallen off the pace but still held out to lock in finals football in their debut season. Whilst bigger brothers Victory and City completed the top four as Newcastle Jets won their first premiers plate.

 

MAY - FINALS
Week 1
All three Victorian teams featured in the first week of finals football. AAMI Park hosted both matches as Melbourne Victory’s great form under new boss Markus Babbel continued as a Josh Hope double eliminated the now dire Wellington Phoenix from the competition.

In a local derby and their first-ever postseason match Western United travelled to face Melbourne City in a thrilling encounter. Though locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes of football, Mark Rudan’s side fell 3-1 on penalties as bigger brother City joined Victory in week two.

Week 2
The resurgent and firing Western Sydney Wanderers welcomed Melbourne City to a rocking Bankwest Stadium. Both sides had key players missing through injury, Radoslaw Majewski for the hosts, Craig Noone for the visitors.

Yet it was leading club goalscorer Mitchell Duke who proved to be the hero. A late goal earning his side a 1-0 win and a spot in their fourth grand final.

A Melbourne derby was officially off the cards but a NSW matchup was a real possibility as Melbourne Victory travelled north to Newcastle.

The newly appointed premiers were eager to exact revenge against the side that controversially beat them in the GF only a couple years prior. Without Wes Hoolahan, Carl Robinson had a major concern but Panamanian hero Abdiel Arroyo’s sole goal saw the Novocastrians into the big dance.

Grand Final
It was an all NSW affair as Western Sydney Wanderers made the trip to Newcastle to face the Jets in the 2020 A-League Grand Final.

The red and black were 0-3 in the final match of the season but had gone all of the calendar year undefeated. The Jets, the competition’s most consistent team and league winners were seeking their second title.


With both sides consisting of stats leaders a tight affair was expected though 12 minutes in Dylan McGowan was forced off with an injury and soon later Keannu Baccus also hit the deck which provided the visitors with enormous headaches.

Though it was eventual golden boot winner Abdiel Arroyo who broke Westie hearts as his pair of goals secured his side the double in Carl Robinson’s debut season. The Jets clearly the better side on the day started the season at 60-1 odds, as they left every football expert red-faced.


In a weird and whacky campaign, as last season’s heavyweights completely faulted, new heroes emerged, an incredible unbeaten run and the tightest race for the premiership, the 2019/20 campaign will be remembered as the greatest in the young history of the A-League.

Too bad it wasn’t real.

Team of the 2019-20 season: