2015–16 A-League

The 2015–16 A-League was the 39th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the 11th since the establishment of the A-League in 2004. Melbourne Victory were both the defending A-League Premiers and Champions. The regular season schedule was released on 29 June 2015. The season commenced on 8 October 2015 and concluded on 10 April 2016. The finals series commenced on 15 April 2016 and concluded with the 2016 Grand Final, held on 1 May 2016.

The 2016 Grand Final took place on 1 May 2016, with Adelaide United claiming their first Championship with a 3–1 win against Western Sydney Wanderers.

Clubs

Team City Home Ground Capacity Adelaide United Adelaide Coopers Stadium 17,000 Brisbane Roar Brisbane Suncorp Stadium 52,500 Central Coast Mariners Gosford Central Coast Stadium 20,119 Melbourne City Melbourne AAMI Park 30,050 Melbourne Victory Melbourne Etihad StadiumAAMI Park 56,34730,050 Newcastle Jets Newcastle Hunter Stadium 33,000 Perth Glory Perth nib Stadium 20,500 Sydney FC Sydney Allianz Stadium 45,500 Wellington Phoenix Wellington Westpac Stadium 34,500 Western Sydney Wanderers Sydney Pirtek Stadium 21,487

Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Kit partner Adelaide United Guillermo Amor Eugene Galekovic Kappa Veolia Brisbane Roar John Aloisi Matt McKay Umbro Steadfast Central Coast Mariners Tony Walmsley Nick Montgomery Kappa Masterfoods Melbourne City John van 't Schip Patrick Kisnorbo Nike Etihad Melbourne Victory Kevin Muscat Carl Valeri Adidas Community Training Initiatives (h)Oliana Foods (a) Newcastle Jets Scott Miller Nigel Boogaard BLK Beechwood Homes (h)Inspirations Paints (a) Perth Glory Kenny Lowe Richard Garcia Macron QBE Insurance Sydney FC Graham Arnold Alex Brosque Puma The Star Wellington Phoenix Ernie Merrick Andrew Durante Adidas Huawei Western Sydney Wanderers Tony Popovic Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nike NRMA Insurance

Additionally, referee kits are made by Umbro.

Transfers

Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Table Incoming manager Date of appointment Brisbane Roar Resigned 26 May 2015Pre-season 26 May 2015 Newcastle Jets Sacked 26 May 2015 18 June 2015 Adelaide United Resigned 24 July 2015 24 July 2015

Foreign players Club Visa 1 Visa 2 Visa 3 Visa 4 Visa 5 Non-Visa foreigner(s) Former player(s) Adelaide United Marcelo Carrusca Iacopo La Rocca Sergio Cirio Isaías Pablo Sánchez Brisbane Roar Jean Carlos Solórzano Thomas Broich Jérome Polenz Corona Javier Hervás Henrique1 Jamie Young2 Jack Hingert2 Central Coast Mariners Daniel Heffernan Roy O'Donovan Fábio Ferreira Nick Montgomery Luis García Mitch Austin1 Storm Roux2 Brad McDonald2 Melbourne City Thomas Sørensen Harry Novillo Aaron Hughes Bruno Fornaroli Wade Dekker2 Robert Koren Melbourne Victory Besart Berisha Guilherme Finkler Matthieu Delpierre Kosta Barbarouses Fahid Ben Khalfallah Daniel Georgievski2 Newcastle Jets Leonardo Mateo Poljak Morten Nordstrand Enver Alivodić Miloš Trifunović Lee Ki-je Perth Glory György Sándor Andy Keogh Nebojša Marinković Diego Castro Krisztián Vadócz3 Sidnei Guyon Fernandez Sydney FC Jacques Faty Mickaël Tavares Miloš Dimitrijević Miloš Ninković Filip Hološko Vedran Janjetović1 Ali Abbas1 Shane Smeltz2 Wellington Phoenix Roly Bonevacia Roy Krishna Albert Riera Alex Rodriguez Manny Muscat2 Jeffrey Sarpong Western Sydney Wanderers Federico Piovaccari Romeo Castelen Alberto Andreu Dimas The following do not fill a Visa position: 1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian citizenship (and New Zealand citizenship, in the case of Wellington Phoenix); 2Australian citizens (and New Zealand citizens, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team; 3Injury Replacement Players, or National Team Replacement Players; 4Guest Players (eligible to play a maximum of fourteen games)

Salary cap exemptions and captains

Club First Marquee Second Marquee Mature Age Rookie Loyalty Players Captain Vice-Captain Adelaide United Eugene Galekovic Marcelo Carrusca None None Eugene Galekovic Bruce Djite Brisbane Roar Matt McKay Thomas Broich None None Matt McKay Shane Stefanutto Central Coast Mariners Luis García None None None Nick Montgomery None Melbourne City Aaron Mooy None Wade Dekker None Patrick Kisnorbo None Melbourne Victory Oliver Bozanic Besart Berisha Jai Ingham Archie Thompson Carl Valeri Leigh Broxham Newcastle Jets None None None None Nigel Boogaard Mateo Poljak Perth Glory Diego Castro Michael Thwaite None None Richard Garcia None Sydney FC Alex Brosque Filip Hološko Alex Mullen None Alex Brosque Shane Smeltz Jacques Faty Wellington Phoenix None None Troy Danaskos None Andrew Durante Ben Sigmund Western Sydney Wanderers Dario Vidošić Federico Piovaccari None None Nikolai Topor-Stanley Mark Bridge

The following concessions to the salary cap were introduced for this season: A Loyalty allowance on a sliding scale for players who have played 5 years at the same club. Maximum $200,000 for 10 years. A Mature Aged Rookie over the age of 21 who has not played in a fully professional league for the last 18 months and last played football in Australia. Each Club can pay three players who started their careers with the club outside the Salary Cap. This season the total has been lifted from $150,000 to $200,000. The two Marquee Players (which sit outside the Salary Cap) can be two foreigners. Salary Cap Banking will allow clubs to carry over money not spent inside the Salary Cap in the previous two seasons to the following season, up to 105% of the Salary Cap in the relevant contract year.

Regular season

League table

Results

Finals series The Grand Final winner (Champion) qualified for the 2017 AFC Champions League group stage

Elimination-finals

Semi-finals

Grand Final

Statistics

Attendances

By club These are the attendance records of each of the teams at the end of the home and away season. The table does not include finals series attendances.

By round

+ 2015–16 A-League Attendance RoundTotalGames Avg. Per Game Round 1 64,580 5 12,916 Round 2 84,448 5 16,890 Round 3 72,865 5 14,573 Round 4 67,074 5 13,415 Round 5 48,233 5 9,647 Round 6 58,681 5 11,736 Round 7 58,931 5 11,786 Round 8 59,295 5 11,859 Round 9 40,586 5 8,117 Round 10 46,988 5 9,398 Round 11 53,104 5 10,621 Round 12 73,423 5 14,685 Round 13 63,085 5 12,617 Round 14 55,954 5 11,191 Round 15 68,565 5 13,713 Round 16 76,749 5 15,350 Round 17 58,838 5 11,768 Round 18 63,419 5 12,684 Round 19 64,364 5 12,873 Round 20 86,207 5 17,241 Round 21 59,582 5 11,916 Round 22 44,628 5 8,926 Round 23 63,679 5 12,736 Round 24 49,476 5 9,895 Round 25 62,727 5 12,545 Round 26 58,268 5 11,654 Round 27 57,681 5 11,536 Elimination Final 31,430 2 15,715 Semi Final 35,573 2 17,787 Grand Final 50,119 1 50,119 Source:

Club membership + 2015–16 A-League membership figures Club Members Adelaide United 8,750 Brisbane Roar 5,347 Central Coast Mariners 6,059 Melbourne City 9,548 Melbourne Victory 27,054 Newcastle Jets 9,266 Perth Glory 7,109 Sydney FC 13,154 Wellington Phoenix 5,062 Western Sydney Wanderers 18,361Total109,710Average 10,971

Player stats Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals1 Bruno FornaroliMelbourne City232 Jamie MaclarenBrisbane Roar183 Besart BerishaMelbourne Victory174 Diego CastroPerth Glory135 Aaron MooyMelbourne City116 Filip HološkoSydney FC10 Andy KeoghPerth Glory Mitch NicholsWestern Sydney Wanderers Harry NovilloMelbourne City Brendon ŠantalabWestern Sydney Wanderers

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date Ref Blake Powell4 Wellington Phoenix Western Sydney Wanderers 5–2 14 February 2016 Bruno Fornaroli Melbourne City Sydney FC 3–0 5 March 2016 Jamie Maclaren Brisbane Roar Melbourne Victory 5–0 12 March 2016 Romeo Castelen Western Sydney Wanderers Brisbane Roar 5–4 24 April 2016

Note 4 Player scored 4 goals

Own goals

PlayerClubAgainstRound Lee Ki-je Newcastle Jets Wellington Phoenix 1 Andreu Western Sydney Wanderers Adelaide United 2 Diogo Ferreira Perth Glory Adelaide United 3 Andrew Durante Wellington Phoenix Melbourne Victory 4 Manny Muscat Wellington Phoenix Adelaide United 12 Jake McGing Central Coast Mariners Sydney FC 12 Patrick Kisnorbo Melbourne City Brisbane Roar 12 Aaron Hughes Melbourne City Western Sydney Wanderers 14 Tarek Elrich Adelaide United Perth Glory 14 Corey Brown Brisbane Roar Adelaide United 16 Daniel Mullen Newcastle Jets Perth Glory 16 Matthew Jurman Sydney FC Melbourne Victory 16 Corona Brisbane Roar Sydney FC 17 Enver Alivodić Newcastle Jets Brisbane Roar 19 Andrew Durante Wellington Phoenix Newcastle Jets 20 Scott Jamieson Western Sydney Wanderers Sydney FC 20

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Eugene GalekovicAdelaide United122 Vedran JanjetovićSydney FC83 Andrew RedmayneWestern Sydney Wanderers7 Danny VukovicMelbourne Victory Jamie YoungBrisbane Roar6 Ante CovicPerth Glory57 Thomas SørensenMelbourne City48 Mark BirighittiNewcastle Jets3 Glen MossWellington Phoenix10 Liam ReddyWestern Sydney Wanderers2

Discipline During the season each club is given fair play points based on the number of cards they received in games. A yellow card is worth 1 point, a second yellow card is worth 2 points, and a red card is worth 3 points. At the annual awards night, the club with the fewest points wins the Fair Play Award.

ClubBrisbane Roar451047Perth Glory564167Adelaide United700070Newcastle Jets575170Sydney FC641272Wellington Phoenix683074Western Sydney Wanderers690275Melbourne City722179Central Coast Mariners586380Melbourne Victory731281League total6322312

End-of-season awards The following end of the season awards were announced at the 2015–16 Dolan Warren Awards night held at the Carriageworks in Sydney on 26 April 2016. Johnny Warren Medal – Diego Castro, Perth Glory NAB Young Footballer of the Year – Jamie Maclaren, Brisbane Roar Nike Golden Boot Award – Bruno Fornaroli, Melbourne City (23 goals) Goalkeeper of the Year – Thomas Sørensen, Melbourne City Coach of the Year – Guillermo Amor, Adelaide United Fair Play Award – Brisbane Roar Referee of the Year – Jarred Gillett Goal of the Year – Roy O'Donovan, Central Coast Mariners (Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners, 27 March 2016)

2015–16 A-League

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