The 2024 A-League Men finals series was the 19th annual edition of A-League finals series, the playoffs tournament staged to determine the champion of the 2023–24 A-League Men season. The series was played over four weeks culminating in the 2024 A-League Men Grand Final.
On 18 October 2023, the decision to host the 2023, 2024 and 2025 A-League Men Grand Finals in Sydney was reversed and renegotiated into Unite Round.
Qualification
The top two teams; Central Coast Mariners and Wellington Phoenix, qualify directly for the semi-finals. The teams placed third through to sixth play in the elimination-finals, with the third and fourth placed teams; Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, hosting the matches.
Venues This year would see the first finals match played in New Zealand since 2015.
MelbourneGosfordAAMI ParkIndustree Group StadiumCapacity: 30,050Capacity: 20,059SydneyWellingtonAllianz StadiumSky StadiumCapacity: 42,500Capacity: 34,500
Bracket The system used for the 2024 A-League Men finals series is the modified top-six play-offs by the A-Leagues. The top two teams enter the two-legged semi-finals receiving the bye for the elimination-finals in which the teams from third placed to sixth place enter the elimination-finals with "third against sixth" and "fourth against fifth". Losers for the elimination-finals are eliminated, and winners qualify for the two-legged semi-finals.
First placed team in the semi-finals plays the lowest ranked elimination-final winning team and secon placed team in the semi-finals plays the highest ranked elimination-final winner. Home-state advantage goes to the team with the higher ladder position.
Elimination-finals Sydney FC vs Macarthur FC This was the 11th overall meeting between the two teams and their first in the finals series.
GK 1 Andrew RedmayneRB 23 Rhyan GrantCB 27 Hayden MatthewsCB 6 Jack Rodwell LB 16 Joel KingRM 10 Joe LolleyCM 12 Corey Hollman CM 26 Luke Brattan LM 4 Jordan Courtney-PerkinsRF 11 Róbert Mak LF 17 Anthony CaceresSubstitutions:MF 22 Max Burgess FW 25 Jaiden Kucharski MF 8 Jake Girdwood-Reich FW 9 Fábio Gomes FW 13 Patrick Wood DF 15 Gabriel LacerdaGK 20 Adam PavlesicManager: Ufuk Talay GK 12 Filip KurtoRB 20 Kealey AdamsonCB 6 Tomislav UskokCB 3 Tommy SmithLB 13 Ivan VujicaDM 23 Clayton Lewis DM 15 Kearyn Baccus RM 17 Raphael Borges Rodrigues CM 10 Ulises DávilaLM 37 Jed Drew CF 98 Valère Germain Substitutions:DF 18 Walter Scott MF 7 Daniel De Silva MF 8 Jake Hollman FW 31 Lachlan Rose DF 44 Matthew Millar MF 24 Charles M'MombwaGK 1 Danijel NizicManager: Mile Sterjovski
Assistant referees: Brad Wright Arvin Shanmuganathan Fourth official: Adam Kersey Video assistant referee: Kate Jacewicz Assistant video assistant referees: Kris Griffiths-Jones Richard Naumovski
Melbourne Victory vs Melbourne City
This was the 45th overall meeting between the two teams, their second finals meeting, and the first finals meeting to be played at AAMI Park. The last time a Melbourne Derby was contested in the finals series was in 2015, which Melbourne Victory won 3–0.
GK 20 Paul IzzoRB 2 Jason Geria CB 5 Damien Da SilvaCB 21 Roderick MirandaLB 3 Adama Traoré DM 25 Ryan TeagueDM 22 Jake Brimmer RM 19 Daniel ArzaniCM 8 Zinédine MachachLM 11 Ben Folami CF 10 Bruno FornaroliSubstitutions:MF 27 Jordi Valadon FW 17 Nishan Velupillay MF 7 Chris Ikonomidis MF 23 Salim Khelifi FW 37 Kasey Bos MF 6 Leigh Broxham GK 40 Christian SicilianoManager: Tony Popovic GK 1 Jamie YoungRB 6 Steven UgarkovicCB 22 Curtis GoodCB 26 Samuel SouprayenLB 14 Vicente Fernández DM 7 Mathew Leckie DM 8 Jimmy JeggoRM 44 Marin Jakoliš CM 10 Tolgay Arslan LM 11 Léo NatelCF 9 Jamie MaclarenSubstitutions:MF 17 Terry AntonisFW 37 Max Caputo DF 25 Callum Talbot MF 21 Alessandro Lopane MF 35 Zane Schreiber GK 33 Patrick BeachDF 2 Scott GallowayManager: Aurelio Vidmar
Assistant referees: Kearney Robinson Andrew Lindsay Fourth official: Daniel Elder Video assistant referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones Assistant video assistant referees: Kate Jacewicz Richard Naumovski
Semi-finals
Sydney FC vs Central Coast Mariners
GK 1 Andrew RedmayneRB 16 Joel KingCB 27 Hayden MatthewsCB 6 Jack RodwellCB 8 Jake Girdwood-Reich RB 23 Rhyan GrantRM 12 Corey HollmanCM 26 Luke BrattanLM 4 Jordan Courtney-Perkins RF 17 Anthony CaceresLF 11 Róbert Mak Substitutes:MF 22 Max Burgess FW 9 Fábio Gomes DF 15 Gabriel Lacerda DF 3 Aaron Gurd FW 25 Jaiden KucharskiGK 20 Adam PavlesicFW 13 Patrick WoodManager: Ufuk Talay GK 20 Danny VukovicRB 15 Storm RouxCB 23 Dan HallCB 3 Brian KaltakLB 18 Jacob FarrellRM 2 Mikael DokaCM 26 Brad Tapp CM 6 Max BalardLM 7 Christian Theoharous RF 9 Alou KuolLF 4 Josh NisbetSubstitutes:FW 22 Ronald Barcellos FW 99 Ryan Edmondson MF 37 Bailey Brandtman FW 17 Jing ReecDF 33 Nathan PaullMF 16 Harry SteeleGK 30 Jack WarshawskyManager: Mark Jackson
Assistant referees: Matthew McOrist Andrej Giev Fourth official: Alireza Faghani Video assistant referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones Assistant video assistant referees: Lara Lee Richard Naumovski
Central Coast Mariners vs Sydney FC
GK 20 Danny VukovicRB 15 Storm Roux CB 23 Dan HallCB 3 Brian KaltakLB 18 Jacob Farrell RM 2 Mikael Doka CM 26 Brad Tapp CM 6 Max BalardLM 7 Christian Theoharous RF 9 Alou KuolLF 4 Josh NisbetSubstitutes:FW 22 Ronald Barcellos FW 99 Ryan Edmondson MF 39 Miguel Di Pizio FW 17 Jing ReecDF 33 Nathan PaullMF 16 Harry Steele GK 30 Jack WarshawskyManager: Mark Jackson GK 1 Andrew RedmayneRB 23 Rhyan GrantCB 27 Hayden MatthewsCB 15 Gabriel Lacerda LB 16 Joel KingDM 26 Luke Brattan DM 17 Anthony Caceres RM 22 Max Burgess AM 11 Róbert MakLM 4 Jordan Courtney-Perkins FW 9 Fábio GomesSubstitutes:GK 20 Adam PavlesicDF 3 Aaron GurdDF 8 Jordan Courtney-PerkinsMF 18 Matthew ScarcellaFW 25 Jaiden Kucharski FW 19 Mitchell GlassonFW 13 Patrick Wood Manager: Ufuk Talay
Assistant referees: Kearney Robinson Arvin Shanmuganathan Fourth official: Jonathan Barreiro Video assistant referee: Kate Jacewicz Assistant video assistant referees: Kris Griffiths-Jones Richard Naumovski
Melbourne Victory vs Wellington Phoenix
GK 20 Paul IzzoRB 2 Jason GeriaCB 5 Damien Da SilvaCB 21 Roderick MirandaLB 3 Adama TraoréDM 27 Jordi Valadon DM 25 Ryan TeagueRM 17 Nishan Velupillay CM 28 Roly Bonevacia LM 23 Salim Khelifi CF 10 Bruno Fornaroli Substitutes:FW 19 Daniel ArzaniFW 11 Ben Folami MF 22 Jake Brimmer MF 7 Chris Ikonomidis DF 14 Connor Chapman FW 37 Kasey BosGK 40 Christian SicilianoManager: Tony Popovic GK 40 Alex PaulsenRB 6 Tim PayneCB 3 Finn SurmanCB 4 Scott WoottonLB 19 Sam SuttonRM 15 Nicholas PenningtonCM 14 Alex RuferLM 8 Ben Old AM 11 Bozhidar Kraev AM 10 David BallCF 7 Kosta BarbarousesSubstitutes:FW 24 Oskar van Hattum FW 9 Oskar Zawada MF 17 Youstin Salas MF 12 Mohamed Al-Taay GK 25 Jack DuncanDF 26 Isaac HughesDF 18 Lukas Kelly-HealdManager: Giancarlo Italiano
Assistant referees: Hugh Fenton-White Joey Lee Fourth official: Jonathan Barreiro Video assistant referee: Alex King Assistant video assistant referees: Casey Reibelt Kearney Robinson
Wellington Phoenix vs Melbourne Victory
GK 40 Alex PaulsenRB 6 Tim Payne CB 3 Finn Surman CB 4 Scott WoottonLB 19 Sam Sutton RM 15 Nicholas Pennington CM 14 Alex RuferLM 8 Ben OldAM 11 Bozhidar Kraev AM 10 David Ball CF 7 Kosta BarbarousesSubstitutes:FW 24 Oskar van Hattum FW 9 Oskar Zawada MF 17 Youstin SalasMF 12 Mohamed Al-Taay DF 26 Isaac Hughes DF 18 Lukas Kelly-Heald GK 25 Jack DuncanManager: Giancarlo Italiano GK 20 Paul IzzoRB 2 Jason GeriaCB 5 Damien Da SilvaCB 21 Roderick MirandaLB 3 Adama Traoré DM 27 Jordi Valadon DM 25 Ryan TeagueRM 17 Nishan Velupillay CM 28 Roly Bonevacia LM 19 Daniel ArzaniCF 10 Bruno Fornaroli Substitutes:MF 22 Jake Brimmer FW 11 Ben Folami MF 23 Salim Khelifi DF 14 Connor ChapmanMF 7 Chris Ikonomidis FW 37 Kasey Bos GK 40 Christian SicilianoManager: Tony Popovic
Assistant referees: Andrew Meimarakis Andrew Lindsay Fourth official: Ben Abraham Video assistant referee: Shaun Evans Assistant video assistant referees: Alex King Richard Naumovski
Grand Final
References