PODCAST: "Formidable" Auckland finally champions + Best on ground @ after party? 🕺 | Download Ep 29

Auckland FC are A-League champions! Jake Barker-Daish is joined by Archie Thompson and Naum Sekulovski to break down Auckland's historic 1-0 Grand Final victory over Sydney FC at Go Media Stadium. We review Cam Howieson's match-winning goal and Joe Marston Medal performance, Dan Hall's defensive masterclass, Steve Corica's third championship as a coach, and Patrick Kisnorbo's incredible transformation of Sydney FC - earning him a three-year deal. Plus: Auckland's suffocating defensive structure, set-piece dominance, Rhyan Grant's ageless performance at 35, Sydney's visa player struggles - and what this means for both clubs moving forward. The celebrations, the atmosphere, the 28,000 fans—it was an unforgettable night in Auckland. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Intro 1:02 Atmosphere in Auckland 2:06 Auckland’s "super powerful statement" in the grand final 4:28 Auckland won with only 38% possession 7:58 The very similar goal Auckland scored against Sydney in round 26 9:00 Joe Marston Medallist Cam Howieson’s incredible story 12:15 Dan Hall’s dominant defensive display 13:42 Hall’s stuffed trophy cabinet 14:04 Best on ground in the after party 15:34 Steve Corica becomes the first coach to win 3x A-League championships 21:25 Auckland players crash Corica’s presser to party 23:10 Corica’s professional response 24:04 Patrick Kisnorbo’s impact on Sydney FC 26:20 Sydney season review 29:15 Rhyan Grant’s evergreen performance 32:55 Audience questions 33:13 Who was the surprise player of the finals? 34:11 Who was your overall player of the season (hard mode: can’t say Juan Mata) 35:26 What was the best game of the season? 36:16 Thanks for the season 37:40 Outro Subscribe for more A-Leagues coverage and analysis as we head towards the FIFA World Cup in June!