A-League Team of the Week: The Mariners have found a good'un!

[image alt="A-League Round 23 Team of the Week" id="c643d6cb-5ef5-4e60-b7a4-f11a4f424f46" credit-line="Flashscore / Enetpulse" guid="18526680-a34e-4263-8e10-882e55f230dc" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][h2]GK: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/devenish-meares-harrison/Ot6dzeGD/"]Harrison Devenish-Meares[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sydney-fc/6JsBlXVI/"]Sydney FC[/a] (8.3)[/h2][p]The 29-year-old was hanging around with the Socceroos squad during the international window and could be a bolter for a World Cup call-up after yet another Team of the Week appearance. He saved all four shots that came his way in Sydney's 0-0 draw away to Brisbane. [/p][embed guid="327d8fcd-58b4-40d3-b512-81255db616ec" url="https://x.com/brisbaneroar/status/2039668041215352947" social-type="twitter" /][h2]LB: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/talbot-callum/hhqtQ7mE/"]Callum Talbot[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/adelaide-utd/4AZ2ueHm/"]Adelaide United[/a] (8.7)[/h2][p]Talbot is another regular in this feature and is establishing himself as the most consistent yet underrated leftback in the competition. [/p][p]His rating of 8.7 came from a game-high 84 touches, three accurate crosses, winning all three attempted tackles, five key passes and his fifth assist of the season.[/p][embed guid="2d6542e4-c4b8-49b0-a722-e516ad7684ce" url="https://x.com/PastizziP/status/2039677107064750526" social-type="twitter" /][h2]CB: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ferreyra-german/j3oOcz3L/"]German Ferreyra[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/melbourne-city/OKfoGJBe/"]Melbourne City[/a] (7.5)[/h2][p]Ferreyra has been running immensely hot and cold over the past month or so but his rating of 7.5 was just enough to squeeze him into the second central defensive position. He passed with 96% accuracy and made a game-high nine clearances to keep City's sheet clean.[/p][embed guid="575c7c2f-3ee7-4636-be29-ea420c3c0d9f" url="https://x.com/ALeagueHQ/status/2039607002113228891" social-type="twitter" /][h2]CB: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vriends-bart/lnsUgwHl/"]Bart Vriends[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/adelaide-utd/4AZ2ueHm/"]Adelaide United[/a] (7.6)[/h2][p]The 34-year-old Dutchman was just behind Auckland goalkeeper James Hilton for our Player of the Match after a 7.6 rating that came from [/p][embed guid="75ea7ea1-4381-470c-82e6-106025c06284" url="https://x.com/AdelaideUnited/status/2039246082690212342" social-type="twitter" /][h2]RB: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grant-rhyan/0ljLrCei/"]Rhyan Grant[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sydney-fc/6JsBlXVI/"]Sydney FC[/a] (7.5)[/h2][p]There were several right-backs who came close to taking out this week's position such as Matt Sheridan (7.4), Nathaniel Atkinson (7.5) and Callan Elliot (7.5), but the Sydney FC veteran ultimately won out on the basis of not being booked like a couple of the others were.[/p][p]Grant won eight of his ten individual duels, drew four fouls and made 43 accurate passes during a busy shift. [/p][h2]LM: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brandtman-bailey/CpcWLpHT/"]Bailey Brandtman[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/central-coast/Wzp1wFWg/"]Central Coast Mariners[/a] (9.0)[/h2][p]There were also a raft of honourable mentions for the left midfield position when including front third wingers Elbasan Rashani (9.0) as well as traditional midfielders such as Xavier Bertoncello (7.9) and Rafael Duran (7.7), so only a special performance was going to win the LM slot for this week. [/p][p]Enter 20-year-old Bailey Brandtman who absolutely deserves the starting position, because he so often makes a meaningful contribution when he gets the minutes. [/p][p]Five of his last eight appearances of more than one hour produced a goal and/or assist, and his performances are beginning to deliver Warren Moon's wish for a braver and more accountable Mariners.[/p][embed guid="24d2c405-f4e4-467e-bd2d-faf621fc35c5" url="https://x.com/ParamountPlusAU/status/2040330906452336927" social-type="twitter" /][h2]CM: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grozos-kosta/SlSp4V6K/"]Kosta Grozos[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-jets/EaZ5xZo0/"]Newcastle Jets[/a] (7.6)[/h2][p]Grozos' first 90-minute shift since his return from a lengthy injury layoff produced just his second assist of the season in his 15th appearance, albeit without team success. [/p][p]He passed at 91% accuracy throughout the game, whilst winning a game-high 75% of his ground duels (six of eight) whilst also contributing three clearances and three interceptions. [/p][embed guid="f6be48ec-6aa5-46f2-adbf-0c3af8fde7e4" url="https://x.com/NewcastleJetsFC/status/2039627028497068143" social-type="twitter" /][h2]CM: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/donnell-chris/xKWwCKRL/"]Chris Donnell[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/central-coast/Wzp1wFWg/"]Central Coast Mariners[/a] (7.6)[/h2][p]22-year-old Perth Glory Academy product Donnell earned his first Team of the Week selection in Mariners colours when, in his tenth appearance for the club, he registered his maiden A-League assist by setting up the Mariners' equaliser against his former club at the weekend.[/p][embed guid="eca519e8-5be4-43bc-b8bb-112aaa23eff8" url="https://x.com/BlayneTreadgold/status/2027628783843611120" social-type="twitter" /][h2]RM: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kucharski-jayden/fX7QGcSK/"]Jaiden Kucharski[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/perth-glory/hjY9yg16/"]Perth Glory[/a] (7.5)[/h2][p]Kucharski created an assist off the bench prior to the international break and was promoted to starting midfielder, this time setting up Despotovski's match opener in Gosford. [/p][p]He registered three total shots, 14 accurate passes and two successful dribbles as part of his 7.5 rating. [/p][embed guid="ab4e7f14-5bfa-47fc-aa13-0a74f8395291" url="https://x.com/PerthGloryFC/status/2040313700494782587" social-type="twitter" /][h2]FW: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duke-mitchell/zDFlzabo/"]Mitch Duke[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/macarthur-fc/bL3ChiWQ/"]Macarthur FC[/a] (9.4*)[/h2][p]Duke perhaps hasn't quite been able to make the impact he or Macarthur would have liked since joining in the January transfer window, but he showed us at the weekend what he can do at his best with a brace and an assist to be the Player of the Round. [/p][p]With his 11 touches in the opposition box, Duke had five total shots at goal and was instrumental in the Bulls' crucial win over league leaders Newcastle. [/p][embed guid="24a09a3d-ffec-4d06-8647-77114a9effa2" url="https://x.com/aleaguemen/status/2039833004026245179" social-type="twitter" /][h2]FW: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/taggart-adam/lju8c2nj/"]Adam Taggart[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/perth-glory/hjY9yg16/"]Perth Glory[/a] (8.5)[/h2][p]It's a star-studded final third this weekend with Taggart following up his club record-breaking goal prior to the international break with another as the Glory drew 2-2 with the Mariners.[/p][p]Taggart was second in the player ratings behind Brandtman with six shots and ten touches in the opposition box.[/p][embed guid="9472544a-264e-4ffe-9423-3cc18c466e3a" url="https://x.com/aleaguemen/status/2040316603175452742" social-type="twitter" /]