The first round of Finals football in the inaugural Australian Championship delivered some of the best games we have seen yet. There were upsets, red cards, penalties, and plenty of tension as four teams advanced, still in the hunt for national glory.
After six Group Stage Team of the Weeks, the last squad for the 2025 edition of the Australian Championship has now been selected by our team of broadcast commentators.
There are plenty of returning names in this week's squad, plus the addition of new stars who shone when their team needed them most. Wests APIA's Dredon Kelly, although on the wrong side of Friday night's Derby d’Italia, is selected for a record fifth time. Semi-Finalist Seita Murai is picked for his third squad, while a handful of players make their second appearance, including Marconi pair, James Hilton and Anton Mlinaric.
Here is the Australian Championship Team of the Week from the Quarter Finals.
Australian Championship Team of the Week for the Quarter Finals
Goalkeeper: James Hilton (Marconi Stallions)
Marconi’s penalty shoot-out hero. Hilton not only stood tall in net during the shoot-out but also provided the final punch in a marathon night at Leichhardt Oval. Hilton made three saves and scored the winning goal as Marconi prevailed against their Sydney Italian rivals, Wests APIA, 8-7 on penalties to advance through to the Semi Finals.
Defender: Anton Mlinaric (Marconi Stallions)
Awarded his second Team of the Week honour, Mlinaric played 105 minutes of Friday’s Derby d’Italia. The 23-year-old centre-back displayed his physical dominance throughout the Quarter Final clash, preventing one of the best attacks in the competition for 97 minutes.
Defender: Marco Jankovic (South Melbourne)
The South Melbourne centre-back was influential at both ends of the field as he captained his side to a famous win over NWS Spirit at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday. Using his height to cause disruptions at the attacking end of the half and highlighting his defensive abilities at the other end helped record South’s fourth clean sheet of the tournament.
Defender: Dredon Kelly (Wests APIA)
Dredon Kelly was superb once again for Wests APIA. Though unable to get his side over the line in their home Quarter Final, the Canadian centre-back has easily been one of, if not the most dominant, defenders of the Championship. This is his fifth Team of the Week selection, the most by any player in the inaugural season.
Midfielder: Keitatsu Kojima (Moreton City Excelsior)
One half of Moreton City’s Japanese duo that tore the NPL Victoria premiers (Avondale) apart on Saturday afternoon. Kojima opened the scoring at Avenger Park with his third goal of the Championship. After his first attempt was saved by Thomas Manos, the midfielder volleyed home his second effort, giving Moreton a crucial lead in their Quarter Final clash.
Midfielder: Marcus Humbert (Heidelberg United)
Humbert bagged a brace in his side's emphatic 6-1 quarter-final win against MetroStars at Olympic Park. Scoring the Berger’s third and fifth goals and assisting their second, Humbert led the way for the NPL Victoria Champions to their fourth Semi Final this season in all competitions. “Marcus Humbert may well be in the A-League again very quickly if he continues this sort of form,” Australian Championship Commentator Alex Molchanoff said.
Midfielder: Anthony Lesiotis (Heidelberg United)
Lesiotis capped off Heidelberg’s second 6-1 win of the Championship, scoring his side's sixth at Olympic Park. Pressing high, Lesiotis won the ball off a Metro goal kick, rounded the goalkeeper, and fired home from close range. “Anthony Lesiotis has, in my opinion, been the best Midfielder of the Championship,” Molchanoff told us.
Midfielder: Eddie Caspers (Wests APIA)
“A big compliment as well to Eddie Caspers, who almost single-handedly reefed APIA back into the contest on Friday Night in what I think was his best performance for the Maronazzuri since joining the club," Molchanoff told us. Caspers played all 120 minutes against Marconi and converted a crucial penalty in the shoot-out.
Midfielder: Maximillian Mikkola (South Melbourne)
One of the architects of South Melbourne’s trademark long throws. The long throw-in came to fruition with Mikkola assisting the opening goal before securing South’s passage to the semi-final with a goal 20 minutes from time. “Mikkola saved his best performance of the tournament for Sunday Afternoon,” Molchanoff told us.
Forward: Seita Murai (Moreton City Excelsior)
The second half of Moreton City’s Japanese duo, Murai, helped Moreton pull away from Avondale on Saturday, scoring two goals in the space of three minutes. Capping off a blistering eight minutes of attack, which saw the Queensland Premiers go 3-0 up away from home.
Forward: Bul Juach (Heidelberg United)
“Juach was central to an attacking outburst for Heidelberg, giving him the nod upfront,” Molchanoff told us. Scoring his third and fourth goals of the Championship, Juach was influential once again for Heidelberg, as he has been all season. These goals not only placed the Bergers in the Semi Final but also marked Juach's 30th goal contribution in all competitions this season.