After season of challenge, A-League hopes for strong finish

MELBOURNE : The A-League is hoping to finish on a high note with a vibrant finals series after a season that began with promise descended into a grind due to COVID-19.

With the previous two seasons blighted by the pandemic, organisers had hoped the worst was over when Australia's top flight of soccer launched under new management in late-2021 with a new TV deal.

Instead, an outbreak of the Omicron variant peaked in the country just as the league was warming up over summer, causing cases to pile up at clubs and forcing dozens of games to be postponed.

The disruptions turned fans away, continuing a decline in A-League crowds in train since 2013/14.

Still, the games were rescheduled and the teams slogged through to complete a season that appeared on the brink of collapse at times.

"I think we handled it as best we could," Australian Professional Leagues (APL) boss Danny Townsend told Reuters on Thursday.

"It was a challenging situation, not just for administrators or the league, but for our players and coaches, our fans and our members' ability to connect with their season tickets.

"I think the resilience that we've shown to get through the season will stand us in good stead for the future."

The immediate future is an intriguing post-season anchored by dominant Melbourne teams.

It starts with knockout playoffs between Western United and gritty New Zealanders Wellington Phoenix at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Saturday, with Adelaide United to host Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.

The winners move onto two-legged semi-finals against reigning champions Melbourne City and their arch-rivals Melbourne Victory.

Though the A-League is swamped by the popularity of Australian Rules football in Melbourne, where nine professional AFL