Catch up on the Isuzu UTE A-League Team of the Week, powered by Opta.
The Isuzu UTE A-League returned following the international break and there was plenty of excitement and goals.
Sydney FC talisman Joe Lolley leads the way this week after a match-winning performance against rivals Melbourne Victory in the Big Blue.
This season, Opta will power the Isuzu UTE 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 Isuzu UTE 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).
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There is no surprise after the weekend, with Lolley (42.6) the highest-scoring player following his second-half brace against Victory at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
The English star is Opta’s standout performer through five rounds in 2025-26 with an average rating of 34.5 and a total return of 172.6.
Lolley is not the only Sky Blues player in the Team of the Week. He is joined by goalscoring defender Alex Grant (32.2) and goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares (25) as Sydney celebrated a fourth straight win to climb to the top of the table.
Not to be outdone over the weekend was Western Sydney Wanderers forward and A-Leagues great Kosta Barbarouses (40.2), whose first-half double lead the team past Central Coast Mariners 3-2 and their first win of the campaign.
Completing the Team of the Week are Mariners midfielder Alfie McCalmont (33.4), Newcastle Jets captain Kosta Grozos (32.2), Victory star Denis Genreau, Auckland FC’s Lachlan Brook (26.2) after his stunning free-kick, Central Coast full-back Lucas Mauragis (27) and Jets defenders Aleksandar Susnjar (23.6) and Max Cooper (24.8).
Isuzu UTE A-League Team of the Week
Goalkeeper: Harrison Devenish-Meares (Sydney FC, 25)
Defenders: Lucas Mauragis (Central Coast Mariners, 27), Alex Grant (Sydney FC, 32.2), Aleksandar Susnjar (Newcastle Jets, 23.6), Max Cooper (Newcastle Jets, 24.8)
Midfielders: Alfie McCalmont (Central Coast Mariners, 33.4), Denis Genreau (Melbourne Victory, 30.2), Kosta Grozos (Newcastle Jets, 32.2)
Forwards: Lachlan Brook (Auckland FC, 26.2), Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers, 40.2), Joe Lolley (Sydney FC, 42.6)
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.
