Star Weekly has looked back at our editions and picked out a selection of our favourite stories from 2022, including…
In just three short years, Western United
has become the kings of the A-League men’s
competition.
Often criticised both on and off the park,
United has continued to build and prove their
critics wrong.
They did exactly that on Saturday night in
the A-League grand final. Under first year
coach John Aloisi, United beat Melbourne
City 2-0.
Aleksandar Prijovic was the key man as
he flicked on a header that ended in a Nuno
Reis own goal in the first two minutes before
scoring a second goal on the half hour mark.
Neither team would score in the second
half, with United able to celebrate a significant
achievement that not many people predicted.
There were heroes all around the ground.
Prijovic would win the Joe Marston Medal,
but Neil Kilkenny in the midfield and captain
on the day Josh Risdon coming up big when
needed.
Chants of John Aloisi rang out around the
ground and even by players gate crashing the
after game press conference. as the former
Socceroo star’s return to coaching was capped
off with his first A-League title as a coach.
“The club is only three years old, so to be
able to do that, what we did, not only tonight,
from the beginning of the season is amazing,”
he said.
“It’s an amazing feeling, amazing night so
happy for the football club as a whole.”
All season Aloisi and the playing group
spoke about belief and the feeling that they
could create something special.
While they believed it, not many others did,
as they went in as the underdog against both
other Melbourne teams in the finals.
Aloisi said for them they just focused on
what they could control.
“We never spoke about nobody believing us,
we spoke about us believing in ourselves more
and about us working towards something,” he
said.
“Mindset, process, preparation. We didn’t
care what others were saying, if we did I don’t
think we would be in that position now.
“We just worried about ourselves, worked
hard everyday and we get the reward.”
Having opened the scoring with the
quickest goal in grand final history, Aloisi was
weary of how the game would play out.
He need not worry, with his side doing as
they had so many times this season after
scoring early.
Aloisi said they looked dangerous going
forward, while also limiting City’s chances.
Prijovic, who signed with the club on a
multi-season deal, said there was a real belief
in the squad right from the start.
“I would say individual awards are always
important as they are achieved as a team,” he
said.
“The team has been amazing from the
coaching staff to everyone to the fans.
“Everything went our way, we believed in
it from the very beginning. As soon as we
reached the final it’s going to be tough but we
have to take it. Not many believed in us.
“But this is life we believed and it has been
a very long way a long year, the game went in
our favour
“We did a fantastic job today and I think
everyone today in the stadium agrees we fully
deserve this victory.”
Kilkenny got to share the victory with his
family. He had only seen them three weeks in
the last six months.
“It’s been a hard slog,” he said on the
broadcast. “A lot of sacrifice but we are glad to
be here now and to win it,
“To share it with your family it’s one of
those things.
“The club wants to improve, they’re a club
that wants to invest … it’s one of the best clubs
I’ve been at.”
For Aloisi, there was a sense of joy and relief
at getting the victory. He admitted that he had
his doubts it would ever happen.
“I was sitting in my hospital bed nearly
three years ago saying I want to coach, I need
to coach, I have a lot more in me,” he said.
“I believed that. I was waiting for the right
opportunity and someone giving me that
opportunity to coach.
“Once you’re in a job then it’s not about you,
it’s about the team, the club and where we are
going as a club
“It’s more satisfying when I see all the hard
work that goes into a new club. It’s not easy.”
While the celebrations will last for a few
weeks, Aloisi said a win like this will only help
in the journey of the club.
“What I loved about the players we signed
this year, it wasn’t just because they didn’t
have anywhere else to go, it’s because they
wanted to create history. They wanted to come and felt that we were going to build something special and we were going challenge and create history and they are their reason we were ableto do that.
“Now it might be easier, people will see that we mean business we don’t want to be here just to make up numbers.”
