#a-league

#a-league

Brisbane had cemented their spot as one of Australia's ultimate surprise packages. However, despite getting 2026 underway at the heart of a genuine play-off scrap, the Lions have come crashing back down to earth in an infamous fashion and they are suddenly once again battling it out at the foot of the table.

Last seen putting in a nightmare performance at the Campbelltown Stadium as they slumped to a woeful 4-0 drumming at home against Western Sydney, the Bulls have recorded just a single victory from any of their previous 10 consecutive appearances across all competitions - a run that stems all the way back to New Year's Day.

Four players have been banned from all football-related activity for several years for their part in match-fixing offences in Australia's A-League. Kearyn Baccus and ex-New Zealand international Clayton Lewis were paid A$10,000 (4,940) each to get themselves booked during Macarthur FC's game against Sydney FC in December 2023. Both were sentenced to a two-year conditional release order, external in September and have now been banned for five years by Football Australia, effective from May 2024.

Macarthur's strong recent performances, including a 5-1 victory against Brisbane, have them in contention for a play-off spot, contrasting Central Coast's struggles at the bottom.