With three teams having confirmed entry into the Quarter-Finals, there are five spots wide open as the final round of the Group Stage is upon us. Round 6 gives us some key matchups to decide which teams will occupy those remaining 5 places.
Here are the players to keep an eye on heading into a very important Round 6 of the Australian Championship.
Moreton City Excelsior vs South Melbourne
Player to watch: Joseph Scott - Moreton City Excelsior
Joseph Scott is one of those players who’s quietly gone about his business in this year’s Australian Championship but has been absolutely vital in getting Moreton City Excelsior within touching distance of the knockout stages.
He’s got four goals in four games for Excelsior, only failing to score in the return leg of this fixture, and his consistency in front of goal has been one of the driving forces behind their campaign.
He's played a full 90 minutes in each of their last two games, scoring Moreton City's first goal in their 3-3 draw against Sydney Olympic, and it wouldn't surprise me if they snap up a result against an already qualified and, what we assume, rotated South Melbourne.
Avondale vs Preston Lions
Player to watch: Luca Tevere - Avondale FC
After Bruno Fornaroli scored again last week, we’re going for a less obvious pick this time at Avondale, but my Round 6 player to watch for this NPL Victoria clash is Luca Tevere.
Once again, there’s speculation out of NPL Victoria suggesting that Luca Tevere could be on the move away from Avenger Park and to their opponents following the Australian Championship.
Despite that, Preston Lions need all three points to ensure a place in the Quarter-Finals, and I think that pressure will work against them.
Tevere can exploit that desperation, using his pace and timing to find gaps when Preston pushes forward, fighting for a goal.
He’s got 19 goal contributions in 34 games across all competitions this season, and his consistency in the final third continues to make him one of Avondale’s most effective and reliable outlets.
Wollongong Wolves vs Marconi Stallions
Player to watch: Marko Jesic - Marconi Stallions
I think it’s time we start talking about 36-year-old Marko Jesic.
He’s played over 200 games for Marconi, earned youth caps for Australia, and yet somehow continues to perform at an elite level.
As captain of the Stallions, Jesic has been the heartbeat of the side this year.
He’s played 36 matches across all competitions this calendar year, missing just one all the way back in March.
In the Australian Championship, he’s featured in all five of Marconi’s games and already has four assists to his name, topping the charts for that metric, consistently pulling the strings in the final third.
Against Wollongong, expect him to once again lead by example and set the tone for a side that’s looking to finish the group stage on top.
Broadmeadow Magic vs Sydney Olympic
Player to watch: Ryan Feutz - Sydney Olympic
I’ve been really impressed by Ryan Feutz in the two games I’ve seen live, both against South Melbourne, and it’s clear he’s one of Sydney Olympic’s most consistent performers in this tournament.
Feutz has played every minute of Olympic’s Australian Championship campaign so far, registering two goal contributions and working tirelessly in attack.
While Ali Auglah has rightly taken the spotlight with his scoring form, Feutz has quietly been just as important to Olympic’s forward play, linking attacks and creating opportunities.
The former Edgeworth Eagles striker won the 2024 NPL Men’s NNSW Golden Boot and carried that form straight into the 2025 NPL NSW season, scoring eight goals in just nine games.
Olympic don’t struggle to find the net, but they need a miracle in Gameweek 6 to qualify for the knockout rounds, needing to overturn a four-goal deficit. If there’s any chance of that happening, both Auglah and Feutz will be at the heart of it.
South Hobart vs Heidelberg United
Player to watch: Musashi Kokubo - South Hobart
Probably a shock to people reading this that I’m not selecting a Heidelberg player in this fixture, but they’re already qualified.
So we’ll take a look at one of South Hobart’s heartbeats in Musashi Kokubo.
While the team from Tasmania can’t qualify for the knockouts, I think that takes all the pressure off them.
Since Max Clarke stepped aside for Peter Edwards to take charge after Round 3, they’ve looked like a side playing with a point to prove.
Kokubo rises above the rest in this Championship campaign. He’s been confident, composed, and fearless on the ball, and under Edwards, he’s playing with a freedom at the back that suits him perfectly.
I don’t think they’ve got the quality to overcome the firepower in this Heidelberg side, but if South Hobart are going to make any noise in their final match of the tournament, Kokubo will be the one dragging them forward.
MetroStars vs Sydney United
Player to watch: Christian Sotira - MetroStars
After MetroStars beat Bayswater City last week and left Leichhardt Oval with a point in Round 4, the math is simple. They need APIA to do them a favour against Bayswater, and they need to take care of business themselves.
In that 2-0 win over Bayswater, Christian Sotira produced a goal of the tournament contender to seal all three points at TK Shutter — his second of the Australian Championship.
It was a moment that summed up what he brings: confidence, quality, and a willingness to step up when the game needs someone to take charge.
Like many on this list, he’s played a full 90 minutes in each of their last three games, and the Metrostars are undefeated when he’s at his best.
Canberra Croatia vs NWS Spirit
Player to watch: Riley Zsuzsa - Canberra Croatia
Riley Zsuzsa was the seventh youngest player to step foot on the pitch when he made his Australian Championship debut in Round 1 against Avondale.
A consistent performer, he started 21 of 26 available matches for Croatia last season, demonstrating reliability and composure beyond his years.
He's started three games in Canberra's campaign so far, including a very solid 90-minute stint against Preston Lions to hold them to a draw last gameweek.
The winner of this game makes it to the knockouts if Avondale beats Preston Lions and it'll be interesting to see the impact Zsuzsa will have when they face NWS Spirit at home on Sunday.
Wests APIA vs Bayswater City
Player to watch: Dredon Kelly - Wests APIA
Centre-back, Dredon Kelly, has three goals to his name already this campaign and they've all come at times when APIA really needed it.
He scored their second goal in their 4-0 win over Sydney United in Round 2, a 93rd-minute equaliser against Metrostars and the winner again in their 2-1 win over United again in Round 5.
He's also got 1.7 million TikTok followers and 300k followers on Instagram!
While APIA aren't completely guaranteed a Quarter-Final spot, they're 99% through.
It's that 1% chance that'll fall onto Kelly again to make the difference.