The numbers that matter
The big winners of Round 9 were...
Auckland FC, who returned to the top of the standings with a third consecutive win despite having to go to Gosford and to Western Sydney in the first two of three straight away trips in 16 days.
They were up against it in the first half as the Wanderers came out firing with four early shots on target but were able to wrestle the game in their favour with a very dominant second half as their closers such as Hiroki Sakai and Guillermo May showed their class.
The Black Knights remain undefeated on the road and are already almost halfway to the seven wins they earned from 13 away games last season, which was a big part of their Premiers Plate success.
They're no strangers to winning streaks and are in the perfect form to face Corica's former club Sydney FC, a game that Corica and his staff had already earmarked as their three sternest tests of the regular season.
The big losers of Round 9 were...
Central Coast Mariners suddenly lost their Championship-winning manager early in the season and have since lost their ability to defend, losing three consecutive games despite scoring in each.
Losing 2-1 to both Sydney FC and Auckland is no reason for panic, but their bottom-of-the-table trip to Wellington went horribly after the 45-minute mark.
They had reason to be displeased with the handball call that led to the second of Wellington's three goals, but the first and third were inexcusable from a defensive perspective.
Their last three home games have all ranked in the top-ten lowest attendances of the season, led by a crowd of less than 2,000 to see the Auckland FC game, and things won't get any better if these results continue.
Team of the Week
Read more about our Team of the Week here.
Goal of the Week
It doesn't get much better than a stoppage time winner from outside the box, playing in a derby for a club you supported as a child. Well played, Matt Grimaldi.
What the managers said
"Today I believe we could have very had a penalty that was not checked, and it's like VAR is unplugged for Brisbane. I'm asking for some accountability." - Michael Valkanis
"We've dominated the three best teams in the league now. There are a lot of good things in our game and we need to find that final piece, which is the hardest part of the game." - Alen Stajcic
"I'm really confused right now about what the handball rule is right now." - Warren Moon
Click here for a full summary of post-game comments from each head coach.
Next round's fixtures
Melbourne City and Macarthur FC have a rescheduled game to make up on Tuesday evening at AAMI Park which could see either team head into next weekend in the top-six.
It's a very busy period for the Bulls who open up next round in Newcastle on Friday night, which will be highlighted by a top-of-the-table battle between Sydney and Auckland on Saturday evening in delightful twilight conditions.
Tuesday: Melbourne City v Macarthur
Friday: Newcastle v Macarthur
Saturday: Sydney v Auckland, Adelaide v Western Sydney
Sunday: Melbourne City v Perth
Monday: Melbourne Victory v Wellington
Wednesday: Central Coast v Brisbane
