“We used to play with young players in France,” Melbourne City Head Coach Mombaerts said on youth players last week. “But it’s a little bit different because they start to train earlier.

“So, in France, at 18 you’re able to play professionally. You’re able. If not, you have to leave. You have to leave if you’re not good enough.”

Ultimately, there are both a number of structural and philosophical reasons for the difference between Australia’s development and the rest of the world – why the Australian model can seemingly consider a player such as 22-year-old Josh Hope or 21-year-old Abraham Majok as as ‘young.’

Regardless, though, the best means of developing young players remains exposing them to playing time at the highest level possible, which, in Australia, is playing them in the A-League.

But when it comes to playing teenagers, which players are leading the pack in 2019/20?

For the purpose of this list, any player that was still a teenager when the season commenced on October 11 is eligible for inclusion in this list, meaning that players like Connor Metcalfe – born November 5, 1999 – are included but players like Walter Scott – born October 2, 1999 – are not.

Statistics have been sourced from Ultimate A-League. 

Going by those established rules, 37 teenagers have seen game time in the first 13 rounds of the 2019/20 season – combining for a total of 9,729 minutes.

Individually 19-year-old Liberato Cacace is leading the pack for the next generation - the Kiwi defender playing a total of 891 minutes so far in 2019/20.

For the Australians, the shining light is 18-year-old Louis D’Arrgio.

The Adelaide United midfielder has so far started all 10 games that he’s been in Gertjan Verbeek’s squad on his way to collecting a total of 877 minutes.

Now injured Western Sydney Wanderer Daniel Wilmering (703 minutes), Central Coast Mariners’ Samuel Silvera (610 minutes) and Melbourne City’s Connor Metcalfe (610 minutes) round out the top five.

Spare a thought, though, for Wellington Phoenix’s 18-year-old midfielder Sam Sutton, who has logged a single minute thus far on the season.

Off the back of the sustained playing time given to D’Arrigo and Al Hassan Toure, the Reds have given the most minutes to teens across the league, with the pair combining with Lachlan Brook to play 1524 minutes.

The well-renowned academy of Western Sydney Wanderers has produced 1234 minutes of A-League action followed, thanks to Silvera and defender Lewis Miller, by Central Coast's 1075.

Powered by Cacace, the ‘Nix are next with 999 minutes, followed by Newcastle Jets (907 minutes), Melbourne Victory (830 minutes), Melbourne City (799 minutes), Western United (755 minutes), Brisbane Roar (751 minutes) and Sydney FC (713).

Bringing up the rear is Perth Glory’s 142 minutes that have been derived from the Popovic brothers.

Canberra United vs Newcastle Jets – Postponed

In the face of forecasts of hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) readings, both the Y-League meeting between Canberra and Newcastle and the W-League meeting between United and Sydney FC were postponed until a later date.

In response to the bushfire crisis that has gripped Australia, the A-League and W-League dedicated their last and their coming round to helping to raise funds for those affected by the fires.

Central Coast Mariners 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers

A week after suffering a disappointing 5-3 defeat at the hands of Sydney FC in a top-of-the-table Conference B clash, the Mariners got back to their winning ways on Saturday morning against visiting Wanderers.

Getting out the blocks fast, the Mariners almost took the lead in the third minute of play when senior listed player Majok was played in behind the Wanderers lines and let loose with an effort that crashed off the post and out of play.

Two minutes later, however, the Mariners did grab their lead when the Wanderers failed to clear a corner floated into the area – allowing Ruon Tongyik to pounce on the loose ball and poke home for the opener.

Unfortunately for all present, stifling conditions made the going tough at Pluim Park.

The fixture already moved forward to 8.45 in the morning to beat the heat, numerous drinks break were observed as the contest wore on but, eventually, the conditions presented too great a risk to the safety of the players, and the game was abandoned at the first drinks break of the second half.

“Everyone wanted to finish the 90 minutes but the temperatures soared as we thought they would,” Mariners Head Coach Nick Montgomery told the Mariners club media post-game.

“It was unfortunate that we didn’t play the last 30 minutes, but the result stands and I think we deserved the win.

“We missed a couple of chances in the first half, hit the post, had some that rolled across the line, but it was a low-quality game. The heat ruined the spectacle a little bit, but it was a good experience, certainly a good test for the boys but disappointed we had to finish the game.

“You could see after 20 minutes that the temperature was rising and fatigue was setting in.

“Boys that are normally sharp and make the runs in behind weren’t doing that and we weren’t stretching them, but it’s easy to say that from the sideline.”

Brisbane Roar 2-0 Perth Glory

Looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat at the hands of Conference A title-rivals Melbourne Victory, Brisbane struck quickly against Glory on Saturday morning when Dylan Wenzel-Halls fired the hosts ahead in the ninth minute of play after being fed by Keegan Jelacic.

Though Mason Tatafu fired off a long-range effort for the Glory that went wide in the 37th minute, it was Roar who had the best of play as the half wore on; Izaack Powell and Wenzel-Halls both creating chances of their own to extend the lead.  

Eventually, the hosts were able to extend their lead on the hour mark when, after some neat build-up play from Stefan Mauk, Oscar Woods struck true to make it 2-0.

Though Glory’s Charlie Leech forced a save from Macklin Freke in the 78th minute, the 2-0 margin stuck as Roar closed out their slate of home games with a triumph.

The important win moves Roar back to the top of Conference A and crystalises the importance of the coming week of play.

Set to travel to Adelaide to take on the Reds on Sunday morning, a win by the boys in Orange would send them four points clear of second-placed Melbourne Victory.

With Victory possessing a goal difference significantly inferior to Brisbane, they would be forced to take maximum points from their remaining two fixtures to progress to the Y-League Grand Final.

A draw or a loss by Brisbane, however, would mean that Victory could all but seal their place in the Y-League with a win over Melbourne City on Sunday afternoon or against Adelaide United the following week.

Mathematically, Adelaide also possess a chance of reaching the decider; needing to defeat both  Roar and Victory in back-to-back weeks to progress.

Melbourne City 0-0 Adelaide United

Though it wasn’t a win that would have made things very interesting in Conference A, Adelaide remain a chance to win their way to the Grand Final thanks to Sunday evening’s draw with Melbourne City.

Starting quickly, the Reds forced a number of quickfire reaction saves South Australian-born Joe Gauci in the eighth minute of play, before Sam Morrison – who was making his first start for City since suffering a horrific broken leg during the 2019 NPL Victoria season – put an effort wide in the 22nd minute.

Chances were relatively few and far between as the half progressed, and this profligacy in front of goal, unfortunately for the fans in attendance at CB Smith Reserve, extended into the second half.

Jai King-Byrne put an effort wide of the target in the 57th minute before Binyam Kebede forced a save from Gauci in the 63rd minute.

Attempting to rally late, Harry Politidis put an effort wide in the 80th minute, before Morrison had an 88th minute attempt to win it late saved by Reds’ keeper Cameron Cook.