Liberty’s Ninja A-League Team of the Week: Four Mariners Shine After Points Bonanza

Stay updated with the Ninja A-League Team of the Week, brought to you by Opta.

The Ninja A-League delivered an action-packed round as the 2025-26 season nears its climax, with plenty of goals and surprising results.

Round 21 showcased some outstanding individual performances, but it was Central Coast Mariners defender Lorena Baumann who shone the brightest, excelling due to her team playing two matches within four days.

This year, Opta will power the Ninja A-League Team of the Week utilising Opta Points – a detailed metric that assesses a player’s overall impact on the match. Each Monday, the Ninja A-League Team of the Week will be presented in a 4-3-3 formation, showcasing the standout performers.

*Editor’s Note: The Team of the Week comprises matches played from Monday to Sunday, so some teams may have participated in multiple matches within that timeframe.

Alongside Baumann in this week’s Team of the Week is Elizabeth Barwick-Grey in defence, with Canberra United’s Hayley Taylor-Young and Brisbane Roar’s Aimee Medwin also making the cut.

The midfield is brimming with Mariners, as both Isabel Gomez and Greta Kraszula played pivotal roles in helping the Mariners secure a win against Wellington and a draw with Canberra. Brisbane Roar’s livewire Momo Haysahi, who netted twice in the 5-2 triumph over Perth Glory, rounds out the midfield.

The forward line is a goal fest, with Newcastle Jets striker Kelli Brown earning her spot after scoring a brace in the 3-1 victory against Adelaide United. She is joined by Sydney FC’s Riley Tanner and Wanderers forward Yuan Cong, both of whom propelled their teams to crucial wins.

This week’s goalkeeper is Central Coast Mariners shot-stopper Annalee Grove, instrumental in securing four points across just four days.

What is the Opta Points system?

Opta Points is a system where players earn points based on specific actions during the match. Generally, players who complete the entire match accumulate between 10 to 40 points. (See the full Opta Points breakdown below).

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Explained: Opta’s Team of the Week through Opta Points

This scoring system differentiates between field players and goalkeepers, assigning the same points for similar actions across all field players. A unique aspect of this system is its exclusive emphasis on in-game activities, not factoring in post-game achievements like winning or bonus points for clean sheets.

Positive contributions (goals, successful passes, tackles, etc.) boost a player’s score, while negative actions (cards, own goals, conceded goals) detract from it. In theory, a player’s score can be infinite; some might even finish a game with negative points. However, players who play the full match typically finish with scores between 10 and 40 points.

Opta Points account for goals, shots on target, off-target attempts, blocked shots, own goals, assists, passes, crosses, tackles, interceptions, fouls won, fouls conceded, offsides, yellow cards, red cards, goals conceded, penalties won, saves, and penalties saved.