It is a big A-League preview for BetDeluxe this weekend with a Melbourne Derby taking the cake for what should be a cracking weekend of round-ball fever around Australia.
All the best bets and tips from every game this weekend are in.
newcastle jets vs. wellington phoenix
march 18th 7:45pm
Newcastle Jets host Wellington Phoenix to get the A-League weekend rolling.
The Jets will be in desperation mode come Friday night as they look to fight back after losing three in a row, while the Phoenix is also looking to rebound off a loss.
The beauty about this game, though, is that we have a very recent form reference to rule a line under.
March 9 is when these teams last played each other and it was a 3-2 win to Wellington courtesy of a David Ball 88th-minute strike.
Wellington has looked like a team destined for finals and it has at least three games in hand on many teams above it.
The Phoenix have definitely played the better football of the two this season and we fancy their chances as an outsider in this contest.
Prediction: Newcastle Jets 1 Wellington Phoenix 2
Suggested Bet: Wellington head to head at $3.50
central coast mariners vs. macarthur fc
march 19th 5:05pm
Macarthur is on the road for its Saturday evening battle with Central Coast at Glen Willow Stadium.
The Bulls hit this game breathing a sigh of relief after punching their way through a three-game winless run to defeat Western Sydney 3-1 last weekend and lock down fourth spot.
Macarthur has two games in hand on third-place Adelaide, so a win here will be crucial.
But Central Coast will not hand this match to the Bulls and have looked far more composed in their last two outings.
A 2-1 win over Brisbane was followed up by a gritty 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory and will give them home team some sort of confidence heading into this clash against the Bulls.
Macarthur did manage a 1-0 win over Central Coast back in December last year, but it was a lucky victory with an Oliver Bozanic own goal proving the difference.
Going to back the Mariners to get some revenge.
Prediction: Central Coast 2 Macarthur 1
Suggested Bet: Central Coast head to head at $2.20
melbourne city vs. melbourne victory
march 20th 7:45pm
Another installation of the Melbourne Derby comes to fruition when Melbourne City takes on Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
Victory is going to have to deal with international travel back from Japan after going down in 4-3 during extra time in what was a brave effort against the Andreas Iniesta-led Vissel Kobe.
Tony Popovic also has an injury saga to deal with coming into this derby.
Robbie Kruse has suspected ACL injury and Chris Ikonomidis was hauled off early in the loss to Vissel Kobe.
City, meanwhile, is sitting pretty at the top of the table having gone undefeated in its last six fixtures.
Winding back the clock to the most recent Derby, it was a 2-2 draw in what was a contest of epic proportions, but since then, City has bolstered its team.
Acquiring former Arsenal fullback Carl Jenkinson looks a masterstroke from Patrick Kisnorbo.
Jenkinson’s ability to get up and down the pitch is going to trouble what will surely be a jaded Victory team.
Prediction: Melbourne City 3 Melbourne Victory 1
Suggested Bet: Melbourne City head to head at $1.80
sydney fc. vs. western united
march 19th 7:45pm
Sydney FC welcomes Western United to Nestrata Jubilee Stadium for a big domestic clash.
In what has been an inconsistent season for the Sky Blues, a home game here sets up as a real opportunity to set a foundation to attack the back half of the season with some real vigour.
It will not come easy against Western United, though, which has been one of the best defensive units in the league.
John Aloisi’s blueprint has firmly been entrenched on a talented squad and it kept its undefeated run against Melbourne City intact with a 2-2 last weekend.
Aloisi would have been disappointed to let slip a 2-0 lead over City, but there was a lot to like in the performance.
Backing in Aloisi’s men to bank the three points against an untrustworthy Sydney team.
Prediction: Sydney FC 1 Western United 2
Suggested Bet: Western United head to head at $3.80
perth glory vs. brisbane roar
march 19th 10:45pm
Two teams who have lived up to their namesakes fight it out at nib Stadium on Saturday night when Perth Glory faces Brisbane Roar.
There has not been a whole lot of glory for Perth nor a whole lot of roaring for Brisbane this season as both teams hold up the bottom of the A-League table.
Perth has not been able to muster up a win since February 20, but that win was a 2-0 defeat of Brisbane in Tasmania and that would give them confidence coming into this clash.
With Daniel Sturridge set to return form injury, the Glory are poised to find a path to victory here.
Prediction: Perth Glory 3 Brisbane Roar 2
Suggested Bet: Perth Glory head to head at $2.40
western sydney wanderers vs. adelaide united
march 20th 7:05pm
Both Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers meet for the second time in as many fixtures when they go head to head at CommBank Stadium.
It was the Wanderers who found a way to cause the upset in Adelaide on Wednesday after picking up a 2-1 result at Coopers Stadium in a come-from-behind victory.
The Reds will want to be more clinical in this contest than they were on Wednesday after squandering a heap of opportunities.
Wanderers coach Mark Rudan was always going to have a monumental task ahead of him when being appointed in the midst of turmoil, but he seems to have his lads tracking in the right direction.
Tough to split, given Adelaide was down on its best in the mid-week clash, but its best is good enough to win this.
A draw seems the right way to settle ths.
Prediction: Western Sydney Wanderers 1 Adelaide United 1
Suggestd Bet: Draw at $3.50
