Brisbane Roar's Michael Valkanis era will begin next week, when the Queensland club take on Wellington Phoenix in the Hahn Australia Cup Final Rounds Playoffs in Darwin.
The Roar finished the season in good form. They were undefeated in their last four games – with three of those being wins – and saw youngsters like Jacob Brazete begin to make a name for themselves.
Read our profile of perhaps the most unpredictable side in this year’s Hahn Australia Cup Final Rounds Playoffs.
A-League Men 2024/25 Season Recap
The 2024/25 season was one that Brisbane Roar will be keen to put behind them.
Things were particularly bleak during the first half of the season, when they broke a number of unwanted records for poor starts. Their first three points did not come until January in a wild 4-3 victory over Sydney FC.
However, there were enough green shoots towards the end of the season to provide cause for optimism for both the Hahn Australia Cup and the upcoming Isuzu UTE A-League season.
If they maintain their form from the second half of the season throughout the entirety of the next, they would be a comfortable mid-table team – and if they maintain their form from their last four games in particular, they could even challenge for higher honours.
One to Watch
Samuel Klein finished as the Roar’s top goalscorer during the Isuzu UTE A-League season. On one hand, five goals isn’t usually enough to top your team’s goalscorers – on the other hand, to do it from holding midfield at the age of 21 is nothing to scoff at.
The youngster from Gympie will be hoping to impress the new boss during the Hahn Australia Cup and show why he can be one of the positives to come out of the Roar’s season.
The Boss
Michael Valkanis arrives at the Roar with a reputation to uphold and an immense challenge on his hands.
The one-time Subway Socceroo previously managed in the competition at Melbourne City before touching down in Europe in 2018. There, he worked as an assistant at various clubs, including Dutch giants Ajax.
He was later recruited to the role of Head Coach at Adana Demispor in Turkey before returning to the Roar this week.
At his first press conference with the Roar, he said that he intends to add intensity to the team on the pitch and connect with the community off it to help bring back the good times to Brisbane.
Hahn Australia Cup Record
Brisbane Roar have never won the Hahn Australia Cup. Their only appearance in a final came in 2023, when they were defeated 3-1 by Sydney FC.
Perhaps the most memorable match on that run to the final was their first, when Alex Parsons scored a 118th minute goal to deliver them a dramatic extra-time victory over the Newcastle Jets.
Less fondly remembered by Roar fans, but a game that went down in Hahn Australia Cup history, was the semi-final in 2022 against National Premier Leagues (NPL) NSW team Sydney United. Glenn Trifiro’s extra time goal secured an unlikely victory for United and saw them become the first NPL team to make the final of the Cup.
They’ll be hoping that they can start their new era with a win and enter the Round of 32 of the Cup.
Match Information
Wellington Phoenix v Brisbane Roar
Date: Wednesday, 14 May
Kickoff: 7.30pm AEST (7pm local)
Venue: Larrakia Park, Darwin
Broadcast: 10Play and Football Australia's YouTube channel
Tickets: Ticketebo
