The A-Leagues are back for 2026-27! Each week, ESPN's experts will take you through the weekend's action across the A-League Men and the A-League Women to give you the lowdown on whose stocks are up, whose stocks are down, and what has the people talking coming out of the weekend.
Here's what you need to know about the A-League Women's opening round.
Stock Up - Marking a new era with a win
The Central Coast Mariners could have been forgiven if, after the offseason they had, it took a couple of rounds for things to click on the pitch. After all, an existential threat to the team is never really a conducive environment in which to build a squad.
The Holman Barnes Group swooped in to pick up the reins of the women's teams, retained some really exciting players, brought in some reinforcements from other clubs, and placed Dean Heffernan in the head coaching role.
And while one round does not make a season, the Mariners' 4-2 win over the Brisbane Roar was worth sitting up and taking notice of, especially after the offseason they had.
The game saw four different Mariners find the back of the net. Peta Trimis' determination and acute finish got things started. Talia Kapetanellis put her laces through it to give the Central Coast a 2-1 lead. Skye Halmarick was able to poach a goal, albeit unmarked by the Brisbane defence, to make it three after a great run down the flank from Kapetanellis. And Morgan Witz was all over the fourth goal from the spin in the buildup to the neat finish.
Brisbane's defence didn't always offer the sternest test, but you can only play the opponent in front of you. And after an offseason full of turmoil, watching a young, exciting team attack with flair and a clinical edge, there would have been many happy fans on the coast.
Stock down - The worst ligament of them all
One season, we might be able to enjoy an entire campaign without the anterior cruciate ligament ruining things. Season 2026-27 is seemingly not that season.
After a highly anticipated move back home to Western Sydney, Rhianna Pollicina's season may well be done. The 29-year-old had been tasked with leading the Wanderers, literally as captain and figuratively as a force in the midfield, hoping to turn the club's fortunes around on the pitch.
But 11 minutes into the game against her former side, Melbourne Victory, Pollicina was substituted with a knee injury.
While the extent of the injury has yet to be confirmed, the postmatch scenes of Pollicina being comforted by teammates old and new suggested it was a worst-case scenario.
The Wanderers will now likely need to battle through the rest of the season without an important leader and an even better player.
Moment of the Weekend - Ladies and gentlemen, Olimpico No.1
Just pure Breier brilliance right here #SYDvADL | 🔵 2-2 ❤️ https://t.co/QSdMbqOYvr
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) October 18, 2026
Were there several outstanding goals from the opening round of play? Yes. From Momo Hayashi's bullet free kick to Alana Jancevski's banger set piece, there was no shortage of bangers.
But India Breier's Olimpico to ensure her Adelaide United side came away with a share of the points was simply magnificent, curling beyond the reach of the Sydney FC goalkeeper and the head of the leaping Sky Blues defender. How good!
The Week Ahead - Contenders clash
The pick of the games from Round 2 is Wellington Phoenix's clash with Melbourne Victory. Last year's runners-up will take on the team that fell to the eventual champions in the semifinals. Both teams will want to knock Melbourne City off their perch, and sussing the competition, even at this early stage in the season, will be an important test.
Victory will head into the clash with a win under their belt after defeating the Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 thanks to a fabulous Alana Jancevski set piece. Meanwhile, the Phoenix will be looking to claim their first points of the season after falling to City in the Grand Final rematch 2-1.
Wellington will feel good about their performance but disappointed with the result, after Makala Woods' opener was cancelled out by Melina Ayres' penalty and superseded by Hayashi's incredible free kick.
"Football is cruel sometimes," Phoenix coach Bev Priestman said after the match.
"It took them a penalty and a direct free kick to hurt us and we outshot them."
It extends City's winning streak over the Phoenix to 10 games. Victory will be sweating on the fitness of Claudia Bunge after the defender was subbed off in their win against the Wanderers. Victory's defence has long been one of its strongest areas but can it handle the firepower of the Nix without a key piece of the puzzle? We'll find out on Sunday.
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