Catch up on the Ninja A-League Team of the Week, powered by Opta.
The Ninja A-League 2025-26 season continued with plenty of entertainment and drama over the weekend.
Emma Robers was the pick of the bunch, with her goal helping Canberra United top Perth Glory 3-0 for their first season of the campaign and she was one of three players from the capital club to earn selection this week/
CLICK HERE TO BECOME AN A-LEAGUES CLUB MEMBER TODAY!
This season, Opta will power the Ninja A-League Team of the Week using Opta Points – a comprehensive player metric that evaluates a player’s overall contribution to the game. Each Monday, the Ninja A-League Team of the Week will be displayed in a 4-3-3 formation, highlighting the best-performing players.
Note: The weekly Team of the Week will feature matches played from Monday to Sunday.
What is the Opta Points system?
Opta Points is a system where points are given to players for certain on-field actions. Players who complete the full game duration on the field typically end up with a point total ranging from 10 to 40 points. (View the full breakdown of Opta Points below).
Robers (36.4) was among the goalscorers for Canberra, who claimed their biggest win over Perth Glory since 2017.
Joining her in the Team of the Week are Canberra team-mates Bethany Gordon (36.2) and captain Michelle Heyman (29.4) after scoring scoring against Perth on Saturday.
Newcastle Jets also have three representatives in the Team of the Week – centurion Lauren Allan (22.6), defender Claudia Cicco (20.8) and forward Melina Ayres (19.4) following their 1-0 triumph versus Western Sydney Wanderers, whose goalkeeper Sham Khamis (35) has also been recognised after Round 4.
TALKING POINTS: What they said in the Ninja A-League after Round 4
Making up the Team of the Week are history-making Wellington Phoenix goalscorer Pia Vlok (18.2), Sydney FC midfielder Madeleine Caspers (29.8), Sky Blues young gun Willa Pearson (23.2) and Melbourne Victory’s Alana Jancevski (23.2).
Ninja A-League Team of the Week
Goalkeeper: Sham Khamis (Western Sydney Wanderers, 35)
Defenders: Claudia Cicco (Newcastle Jets, 20.8), Willa Pearson (Sydney FC, 23.2), Alana Jancevski (Melbourne Victory, 23.2), Lauren Allan (Newcastle Jets, 22.6)
Midfielders: Emma Robers (Canberra United, 36.4), Bethany Gordon (Canberra United, 36.2), Madeleine Caspers (Sydney FC, 29.8)
Forwards: Melina Ayres (Newcastle Jets, 19.4), Michelle Heyman (Canberra United, 29.4), Pia Vlok (Wellington Phoenix, 18.2)
Explained: Opta’s Team of the Week using Opta Points
The scoring system distinguishes only between field players and goalkeepers, assigning the same number of points to all field players for corresponding actions. A distinctive feature of this system is its exclusive focus on in-game actions, refraining from awarding points for post-game performances, such as securing a victory or allocating bonus points for maintaining a clean sheet.
Positive actions (goals, passes, tackles, etc…) will add to a player’s score and, conversely, negative actions (cards, own goals, goals conceded) will reduce a player’s points total. Theoretically, a player’s points value is unlimited, and players can conclude a game with negative points. However, players who complete the full game duration on the field typically end up with a point total ranging from 10 to 40 points.
Goals, Shots on target, shots off target, blocked shots, own goal, assists, passes, crosses, tackles, interceptions, fouls won, fouls conceded, offsides, yellow cards, red cards, goals conceded, penalty won, saves, penalty saved are included in Opta Points.
