When Perth Glory sacked David Zdrilic just two games into the season, the club cast its net wide. A host of big-name managers were reportedly sounded out -- John Aloisi, Patrick Kisnorbo, even Graham Arnold.
But the role, often seen as a poisoned chalice after years of instability, back-to-back wooden spoons and off-field turbulence, proved a tough sell. Perth had drifted to the bottom of the table again, weighed down by a fan base that hadn't seen finals football since 2020.
Amid that uncertainty, interim boss Adam Griffiths kept working. Two straight wins, built on a new-found attacking identity, steadied the ship after three early defeats.
But Friday night's 1-0 victory over the Western Sydney Wanderers felt different -- potentially transformational.
Perth had already given The Shed a night to remember when 20-year-old Sebastian Despotovski -- son of club legend Bobby -- rose to head home his first A-League goal, sending the home crowd into cathartic eruption. But what followed mattered more. Reduced to 10 men in the 40th minute, Perth defended with grit yet never abandoned their intent with the ball -- the kind of game they would have crumbled in a month ago.
Then came the moment that may define Griffiths' start to professional coaching.
In the post-match press conference, the two-time Australia international recounted a story about a mountain goat perched on a cliff for 25 years -- knowing every step, embracing risk, surviving where others fall. Then he stopped.
"Forget the mountain goat," he said. "Erase it from your memory ... I am a lion."
The press conference was absurd, but three straight wins for the first time since 2021 isn't.
Belief in the squad is clearly returning. The Perth crowd is buying in. Reports out of Western Australia are suggesting that Griffiths will be given the Glory gig full-time.
Suddenly, the A-League's long-slumbering giant is showing signs of life.
Adelaide United
Stocks Up: Despite conceding a heartbreaking late goal that cost them a point -- and ended their three-game winning run at Coopers Stadium -- Adelaide still produced plenty to excite the home crowd. Yaya Dukuly, 22, was the standout, delivering the moment of the round with an audacious rainbow flick over Youstin Salas, even if it lacked an end product. Earlier, the Reds rattled the crossbar inside three minutes, before Spanish winger Juan Muñiz forced a sharp save from Dean Bouzanis. Adelaide controlled 58% possession and will feel frustrated they couldn't turn their dominance into at least a point.
Stocks Down: Despite controlling possession and making a bright start, Adelaide repeatedly fell short in the final third. Manager Airton Andrioli praised his side's commitment to "playing football" -- a subtle dig at Brisbane's more physical approach -- but style alone didn't translate into chances, with the Reds finishing with just 1.06 expected goals (xG). Switching off in the 95th minute proved costly, as four Adelaide players allowed Chris Long to glide through untouched and score the winner, undoing what had otherwise been a disciplined defensive display.
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Auckland FC
Stocks Up: Auckland's derby dominance rolled on with a 3-1 win over Wellington in front of almost 23,000 fans -- their fifth Kiwi Clásico victory. Lachlan Brook was electric, rifling home the opener inside seven minutes before the Nix briefly hit back. The Black Knights generated 22 shots (13 on target) and finally broke Wellington through Francis de Vries, who scored on the rebound after Josh Oluwayemi's second penalty save. Sam Cosgrove was central to everything good with Auckland, drawing a red card challenge, winning both penalties, and assisting the third goal. After last week's stumble, Steve Corica's side are back on track and one point off league leaders Sydney FC.
Stocks Down: It feels strange to find holes in another dominant derby win and a performance which contributed to a cracking contest -- but Corica would have been frustrated by the missed chances. The hosts generated a massive 4.95 xG yet scored only three, missing two penalties and wasting several gilt-edged chances before finally pulling away late. With sterner tests yet to come for Auckland -- expected to go deep into the finals this season -- that level of wastefulness in tight games could prove costly.
Brisbane Roar
Stocks Up: Brisbane's 1-0 win in Adelaide continued their remarkable rise from last season's easy-beats to an early-season contender for silverware, lifting them to second. Michael Valkanis has transformed a once-leaky defense into the best in the league -- this their fifth clean sheet in seven. Lucas Herrington, 18, was immense again, his distribution and timing further staking his claim as a future Socceroo. Long's outrageous 95th-minute winner capped a performance built on grit, organization and Valkanis' now-iconic army rhetoric -- this week likened to the Battle of the Granicus. Dean Bouzanis was superb, producing key saves and assisting the winner.
Stocks Down: For all Brisbane's resilience, the recurring concern is discipline and gamesmanship -- and Sunday night offered another reminder. The Roar conceded 15 fouls to Adelaide's eight and collected six yellow cards, with three members of the coaching staff -- including Valkanis -- booked during a heated second-half spell. Post-game, the Roar boss stressed that professional football is ultimately about "getting the three points," but this was another match where Brisbane played on the edge. At some point, that ill-discipline may catch up with them and cost valuable points.
Central Coast Mariners
Stocks Up: The Mariners may have fallen 2-1 to Sydney FC, but they pushed the league leaders all the way in an energetic display. They began superbly, with Brad Tapp's crisp volley and Alfie McCalmont's thunderous 25-yard strike off the bar setting the tone. After Sydney equalized, the Mariners responded well, as Miguel Di Pizio and Christian Theoharous both rattled the crossbar in a chaotic double chance that should have restored their lead. For long stretches they matched Sydney's intensity despite a clear talent gap. The fight, structure and sharp first-half spell offered further signs of gradual improvement under Warren Moon.
Stocks Down: For all their encouraging moments, the Mariners' recurring weaknesses resurfaced. Their lack of composure in the box was costly -- while they hit the crossbar three times, two of those were gilt-edged chances for Di Pizio and Theoharous that highlighted just how badly the Mariners need to sign a proven striker. At the other end, defensive sloppiness again hurt them: Sydney's equalizer came directly from a giveaway, one of several loose moments that could easily have caused more damage. Moon's side may be slowly improving, but with just two wins from seven, performances alone aren't enough.
Macarthur FC
Stocks Up: Macarthur offered virtually nothing going forward in their 0-0 draw with Victory, but they did at least collect just their second clean sheet of the season. While the Bulls benefited from a mix of VAR intervention and Victory's wastefulness, goalkeeper Filip Kurto played his part -- commanding his box well and producing a sharp save late to deny Nishan Velupillay.
Stocks Down: Another Macarthur performance devoid of spark only deepens their domestic concerns. The Bulls have scored just four goals in seven league matches and now sit 10th, a stark contrast to their attacking AFC Champions League Two form, where they've struck nine in five. Manager Mile Sterjovski can point to heavy travel, but with Anthony Cáceres and Luke Brattan in midfield, the lack of creativity is alarming. Just 3,046 fans turned up at Campbelltown Stadium -- a reminder of the club's broader challenges and a venue far too big for their current pull, with this season's home crowds hovering above 4,000.
Melbourne City
Stocks Up: City ground out the kind of win title contenders need in their 1-0 victory over Newcastle. In extreme heat, Kavian Rahmani, 18, produced a composed finish for the decisive goal. The real star, however, was goalkeeper Patrick Beach, whose superb saves preserved his fifth clean sheet of the season as City stayed fourth. Considering their injury list and punishing schedule, staying firmly in the title mix is a major tick for Aurelio Vidmar. Nathaniel Atkinson's return from injury off the bench was another welcome boost.
Stocks Down: Despite the clean sheet, City allowed Newcastle chances. The Jets hit the crossbar, forced big saves from Beach and had a goal narrowly ruled out for offside -- the hosts unlucky not to score on the day. Meanwhile, City's attacking composure vanished at key moments, highlighted by a five-on-two break they failed to convert at 1-0. On another day, that wastefulness -- combined with Newcastle's chances, costs them points. With a Melbourne Derby and heavy travel looming, Vidmar will want far more in the final third from a side that has scored just once in their last three league games.
Melbourne Victory
Stocks Up: While the headlines will focus on a fourth straight scoreless outing, Victory were by far the better side in their 0-0 draw with Macarthur. Clarismario Santos thought he'd finally broken the drought with a superb strike from outside the box, only for VAR to rule out the goal after spotting a foul by Juan Mata in the build-up. Velupillay changed the game off the bench, in a lively 34-minute cameo. The returning Socceroo twice went close: first from a tight angle, and later firing straight at Kurto from a better position.
Stocks Down: Victory avoided a fourth straight defeat, but their ongoing goal drought -- now stretching more than six hours -- is defining their season. Manager Arthur Diles said post-match that his side "had enough chances to win," and while it's true they created the better openings, chances don't count unless they're taken. For a club that views itself as the biggest in the league, sitting bottom with one win from seven is untenable. The fundamentals are there, but until Victory find a way to actually score, pressure on Diles and the squad will intensify.
Newcastle Jets
Stocks Up: There were positives for Newcastle in the 1-0 loss to City. Max Burgess, 30, was outstanding in midfield -- in an otherwise inexperienced Jets side, the creative midfielder almost looked like a grandfather organizing the kids around him. He drove attacks, dictated tempo and twice went close early. Newcastle created more than enough to take something from the game: Alex Badolato skied a golden chance at 1-0, while Lachlan Rose had a tidy finish ruled out for a tight offside. Against last season's champions, the Jets showed enough to feel they should have earned at least a point.
Stocks Down: Schoolboy errors and giveaways when playing out from the back are fast becoming Newcastle's Achilles' heel in an inconsistent season. After last week's superb upset win over Auckland, the Jets crashed straight back to earth -- a reminder that there's plenty of work on the training ground required for head coach Mark Milligan. Sloppy build-up gifted City the decisive goal, and similar moments throughout the match kept inviting pressure. Four defeats in five now paints a worrying picture: the effort is there, but the decision-making and composure aren't matching it.
Perth Glory
Stocks Up: Perth's 1-0 win over Wanderers made it three straight victories for the first time since 2021 -- the clearest sign yet of Griffiths' impact. Glory began on the front foot before Despotovski, echoing dad Bobby, rose to head home the winner. Reduced to 10 men in the 40th minute, Perth showcased their new identity: organized, resolute, and fearless. Matt Sutton made several big saves as they clung on against heavy pressure. Griffiths -- who has lifted Perth from last to fifth -- said wins like this "builds confidence" and alluded to "the bond" forming inside the squad.
Stocks Down: It's harsh to criticize Perth -- arguably the form team of the competition -- but it's clear this much-improved side is still far from the finished product. Trent Ostler's reckless second yellow flipped the game and forced Glory to defend for more than 50 minutes -- the kind of self-inflicted pressure they won't survive every week. Western Sydney generated 18 shots and 1.74 xG, and on another night would almost certainly have equalized. At the other end, Perth also squandered early chances, with Adam Taggart and Jaiden Kucharski both failing to convert promising openings.
Sydney FC
Stocks Up: Sydney's 2-1 comeback win over Central Coast returned them to the top of the table -- exactly the response manager Ufuk Talay would have demanded after last week's Sydney Derby defeat. Piero Quispe had his best game in Sky Blue, injecting speed and purpose into transitions and setting up Al Hassan Toure's clinical equalizer. From there, Tiago Quintal, 19, delivered a breakout performance on his first A-League start, ultimately producing the moment of quality that mattered: a perfectly hung cross that Víctor Campuzano buried for the winner. A huge win for Sydney -- and further confirmation they look the real deal this season.
Stocks Down: Joe Lolley's 81st-minute exit with a suspected hamstring injury could cost Sydney far more than the three points they collected. The Englishman has been the league's standout player and Sydney's most consistent threat, and any extended absence risks derailing their season. Defensively, the Sky Blues rode their luck: The Mariners hit the woodwork three times and carved out several high-quality chances. Another selection headache emerged too, with Ben Garuccio producing a quality display at left back in his first start since joining -- a performance that puts real pressure on Joel King, who faces a battle to reclaim his spot.
Wellington Phoenix
Stocks Up: Despite a 3-1 defeat to rivals Auckland, Wellington could still take encouragement from goalkeeper Oluwayemi, who delivered one of the best individual performances of the season. The Englishman, in superb form of late, saved two penalties and produced a string of classic reflex stops that kept the Nix alive long after they went down to 10 men at the start of the second half. Captain Alex Rufer also deserves credit, smashing home a brilliant equalizer to briefly drag his side back into the contest.
Stocks Down: Wellington's defensive frailty and decision-making under pressure were exposed again. Manjrekar James' red card -- just 25 seconds into the second half -- changed the game, yet the Phoenix didn't learn from it. They conceded two near-identical penalties for hauling down Cosgrove in the box, with only Oluwayemi preventing the scoreline from blowing out. Auckland repeatedly exploited the Nix's high line and defensive lapses, and if not for their goalkeeper's heroics, Wellington would have shipped far more. They have now lost all five derby meetings -- an unwelcome trend that points to deeper issues.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Stocks Up: Wanderers' 1-0 defeat to 10-man Perth defied recent momentum, but there were still positives to take. Alen Stajcic's side -- coming off back-to-back wins, including last week's Sydney Derby -- created more than enough chances to get a result, finishing with 18 shots to Perth's 12 and controlling 64% possession. The performance lacked finishing, with Bozhidar Kraev and Kosta Barbarouses both missing clear chances.
Stocks Down: Wanderers' attacking issues resurfaced badly in Perth. They conceded multiple big chances early and were fortunate not to be more than 1-0 down at half-time, before Ostler's reckless red card swung momentum their way. Despite playing against 10 men for more than 50 minutes and generating a series of clear openings, Wanderers couldn't capitalize. Stajcic didn't sugarcoat it, calling the first 30 minutes a "car crash" and admitting his side "deserved to go home with nothing." Now ninth, and with just six goals in seven games, their misfiring attack remains a concern.
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Stocks Up: It was a strong weekend for national team hopefuls playing in Melbourne. City's Patrick Beach continued to justify his recent Socceroos debut, producing several top-class saves to secure three points. On form, the 22-year-old looks every bit worthy of a FIFA World Cup plane ticket. Teammate Aziz Behich delivered another encouraging step forward, completing a third straight 90-minute outing since returning from a hamstring issue. Victory's Nishan Velupillay was lively off the bench, creating two chances and earning increased minutes as he slowly returns from injury.
Stocks Down: Anthony Caceres and Luke Brattan struggled to impose themselves in Macarthur's midfield -- a reflection of the club's broader creative issues, and a reminder that something needs to change if either of the Socceroos' fringe players is to force his way into Tony Popovic's plans. In Adelaide, Socceroos veteran Craig Goodwin continued to look less effective in a central role than his familiar spot on the wing. With just one goal in six, his output remains well below his usual standard.
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