From record-breaking club seasons to players writing their name in the Hyundai A-League history books – 2018/19 had it all.
Let's take a look at some of the league records that were broken last season.
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You shall not pass
A round of applause for the Hyundai A-League goalkeepers.
Fourteen penalty kicks were saved by the shot-stoppers in 2018/19 (not including shoot-outs), the most since Opta began recording that statistic in 2012/13.
Sydney FC 'keeper Andrew Redmayne – his side's hero from the spot in their Grand Final win over Perth Glory – made three spot-kick stops, while Glen Moss (Newcastle Jets), Eugene Galekovic (Melbourne City), Vedran Janjetovic (Western Sydney Wanderers) and Lawrence Thomas (Melbourne Victory) each finished with two to their name.
Paul Izzo (Adelaide United), Jamie Young (Brisbane Roar) and Ben Kennedy (Central Coast Mariners) made one save each from the spot – although the Mariners man will feel hard done by not to count two on his ledger after his dramatic double-denial of Jets striker Roy O'Donovan in March's epic F3 Derby.
Record-breaking Glory
Premiership-winners Perth Glory ended their 14-year wait for Hyundai A-League silverware in 2018/19, breaking a catalogue of club records along the way.
Free-scorers…
With former La Liga star Diego Castro, Irish front man Andy Keogh and Caltex Socceroo starlet Chris Ikonomidis leading the way, the WA club were the competition's best attackers last season.
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Castro, Keogh and Ikonomidis contributed heavily to the 59 goals the club scored, as Glory eclipsed their 2016/17 previous best of 55.
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With 60 points accrued, Tony Popovic’s side comfortably topped 2014/15’s points tally of 50.
- Perth also unleashed 165 shots on target – their most in a Hyundai A-League season, and the third-most by any team in a single season.
... and defensively solid too
Popovic’s side didn’t just barrage their way to Premiership glory. Glory were also the competition's best defensive team, conceding a meagre 23 goals in the regular campaign.
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A watertight defence marshalled by the likes of Shane Lowry, Dino Djulbic and Jason Davidson registered 13 clean sheets, beating the club's 2011/12 record of 10.
- HBF Park was a fortress for the Premiers. Eight of those clean sheets came at home, beating their previous best of seven (2009/10 and 2011/12).
- And while we're talking about home form, Glory won 10 games in WA during the regular season: their highest total ever, beating the eight they racked up in 2009/10.
No more away day pain
Gone are the days of Perth's vulnerability on their travels. With defence, midfield and attack firing on all fronts, the club were able to reverse their traditional fortunes on the road in 2018/19.
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Perth won eight games away from home during the regular season, surpassing 2014/15’s total of six.
- And they kept an impressive five clean sheets on their travels, topping their previous high mark of three (in 2005/06, 2011/12 and 2014/15).
Phoenix reborn
It was not all about Perth, though. Last season was a welcome return to form for Wellington Phoenix, who made the Finals Series for the first time since 2014/15.
And they did it in style.
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Mark Rudan's side unleashed 133 shots on target in 2018/19, one more than their previous highest tally of 132 (2016/17).
- Inspired by 19-goal Golden Boot and Johnny Warren Medal winner Roy Krishna, the Kiwis found the net 47 times, two more than 2014/15's record of 45.
- Krishna - who joined the Indian Super League club ATK on Tuesday – swept all before him in 2018/19, with his 19 goals snapping Jeremy Brockie's club record of 16 (2012/13).
- The Fijian also became the first player in club history to reach the 50-goal milestone, and the 12th player overall to reach that tally in the Hyundai A-League.
- Club legend Andrew Durante – now of Western United – became the first player to play 300 games in the Hyundai A-League, reaching that milestone in a 3-2 win over Central Coast Mariners in Round 13.
- And while it was a stellar campaign from breakout midfield star Alex Rufer, the young Kiwi did manage to get himself booked 11 times – equalling the record for most yellow cards in a single season.
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Defensive improvement required
Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers fans: look away now.
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Brisbane simply could not get their defence in order last season, and it showed. The 71 goals Roar conceded is a competition record for most goals shipped in a season.
- But the Mariners were only one goal better off. The Gosford club conceded 70 goals – equalling the amount they let in during the 2015/16 campaign.
- Western Sydney also endured their shakiest defensive season to date, with 54 goals finding the Red and Black net, six more than their 47 in 2017/18.
Victory on the road
Melbourne Victory's 2018/19 season ended with a 6-1 Semi Final demolition by rivals Sydney FC. However, the four-time Champions did register some impressive statistics on their way to a third-place finish in the regular season.
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Victory won eight games away from home, equalling the number they won on the road in 2006/07.
- Kosta Barbarouses was a big factor in Victory's success on the road. Brisbane were certainly glad to see the back of him. The Kiwi – who signed for Champions Sydney FC earlier this month – scored seven goals in three games against Roar, equalling the record for the most goals against a single opponent in the competition's history.
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