Thursday, November 6, 2025

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Football Matters with Cyclops

The Burdekin FC Presentation Night will be held on Saturday 25 October at Populin’s Hall. Get your tickets on-line now, or at the Mad House on Tuesday night.

Night Soccer

The fourth week of competition and with two forfeits, the eighteen games produced sixty two goals, and there were no Sin Bins! Top scorers were Ladies team Body Tune with ten goals. Delta Physio scored four goals and there were six draws with five games being decided by the odd goal. Top individual scorer was Sian Reardon with three goals for Body Tune.

In Men’s Competitive Group, UDS top the table with 10 points ahead of Nutrien Ag and Clare Cutters with 9. In Mens Social 1, DL Lager with 12 points are two points clear of Willy Wackers and in Mens Social 2, Delta Physio with 7 points lead Bennetts Old Grumpies, Jaime’s Boys, Always Fits and Boarin n Scorin all with 6 points. In Ladies Group1, Scoregasms with 10 points lead Young Guns with 7 and in Group 2, 6 TO UR 7 and Rocky Pond Wonders, lead with 9 points each.

Juniors

Burdekin was represented in the first Northern Girls United Carnival in Townsville last weekend by our Under 10/11 girls. Due to some late team withdrawals, the girls were asked to play up in the Under 13 age group. With this we knew the girls would have some hard games, but they played so well both individually and as a team, that they made the semi-finals, finishing fourth out of seven teams. An amazing effort by the girls!

Junior Social Soccer was played on Tuesday afternoon again with plenty of great goals, saves and gameplay.

Our Junior coaches have a 'Foundation of Football' coaching course this Sunday at the clubhouse. If you have not signed up and keen to improve your coaching skills, please contact the club for the details.

Angelo Licciardello's Football Star Academy sessions are also on for Term 4. These are great for players to continue improving their skills in the off season, and also for new players. Angelo's sessions are both fun and informative skill wise. If you would like more info on these contact Angelo or the club.

National and International

The 2025-6 A League season kicked off last Friday and in the first round only three teams had a win. Central Coast, Adelaide, and Brisbane top the table. The other three games were draws. This week, the Roar are away to Wellington Phoenix, Central Coast meet Sydney FC and Adelaide are away to Macarthur.

The Women’s A league starts on Friday with eleven clubs. Brisbane Roar are at home to Melbourne Victory on Saturday and Champions Central Coast, are at home to Adelaide on Sunday.

The Matildas next match is a friendly against Wales, in Cardiff on 25 October, followed by another friendly against England on 29 October.

The Socceroos have played two friendlies, the first friendly was against Canada in Montreal last Saturday and resulted and in a 1-0 victory with a goal from Nestory Irankunda. They then played the USA in Denver, on Wednesday, losing 1-2.

The 2026 World Cup starts on 11 June ( Trump willing) with the Final on 19 July. Forty eight teams will compete in twelve groups of four team in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The top two teams from the groups plus the best eight third placed teams qualifying for the Round of 32. The Group Draw will be made in Washington DC on 5th December. So far twenty five countries, including Cape Verde, population 525k, have qualified plus the three host countries.

The major European leagues resumed last weekend. In the EPL, Liverpool lost at home to ManU and drop to fourth place. Arsenal now tops the table after eight games; three points clear of Manchester City with Bournemouth and Liverpool a further point behind. At the foot of the table, it is looking dire for Wolves who have just two points.

In Germany’s Bundesliga, the old order has not changed. After seven rounds Bayern, with maximum points, are already five points ahead of second placed Leipzig with Stuttgart third and Dortmund fourth. At the bottom of the league Munchen Gladbach are struggling with just three points. In Spain, after nine rounds, Real Madrid and Barcelona have moved ahead of the field. Real has twenty four points and Barca twenty two. Villarreal is third five points behind, and Atletico is in fourth spot.

In Italy’s Serie A it is a lot closer. After seven rounds AC Milan lead by a point from Inter, Napoli and Roma. Juventus without a win in their last four games are in seventh place. At the foot of the table Pisa, Genoa, and Fiorentina, all without a win, are on three points. Finally in France after eight Round, for once PSG do not top the table. Marseille leads PSG by a point with Strasbourg and Lens a further point away. At the bottom of the league Metz already looks doomed.

Quote of the Week is from Ange Postecoglou former Spurs and Nottingham Forrest Manager “Every time I see the light at the end of the tunnel it turns out to be an oncoming train.”

In other news