[2026 A-League Australia] Brisbane Roar vs Perth Glory preview and analysis Kick-off: October 23, 09:00 UTC
Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory meet at Suncorp Stadium on October 23 at 09:00 UTC in Round 2 of the 2026-27 A-League season. It will be Brisbane Roar’s first league match of the season after their opener was postponed. Perth Glory are looking to respond after a late collapse against Macarthur FC. The home side’s new-look squad will be tested, while the visitors need to show they can hold on to a lead.
1. Match overview and team form
Brisbane Roar finished 11th last season and managed just 1 win, 5 draws and 10 defeats in 16 league matches played in 2026. They went winless in their final 12 games. They had not played a league match since visiting Perth Glory on April 25, and in the meantime featured only twice in the Australia Cup. With their Round 1 match against Adelaide United postponed, this will be their first league game of the new season and the first time the new squad plays together in the league.
Brisbane Roar’s home struggles last season were closely tied to goals conceded. They scored 11 goals but conceded 22 across their last 10 home matches in all competitions, going 3 draws and 7 defeats. In their last 8 league matches, the first-half scoreline was 5-5, while the second-half scoreline was 4-8. They repeatedly reached the break level or ahead, then dropped points after half-time. Those numbers cannot simply be applied to this season’s defence. Coach Michael Valkanis has reshaped the back line, with Tom Aldred returning and Joel King and Tate Russell joining. We have yet to see in a competitive match whether the new combination can change last season’s pattern of goals conceded.
The attack has also changed. Tyrese Francois can drop deep to receive the ball and build play, while Nam Tae-hee is expected to create chances. Marko Ilic and James Ngor have joined on the wings. If Virgilio Postolachi plays, Brisbane will also have a target man up front to compete for aerial balls. Postolachi is in the extended squad, but his availability is not confirmed. Defender Dimitrios Valkanis, who scored an equaliser from a corner against Perth Glory in April, is out injured.
Perth Glory finished 10th last season and went unbeaten in their final 5 league matches, with 2 wins and 3 draws. They created further chances in their season opener away to Macarthur FC after Tom Lawrence put them ahead in the 59th minute. Perth Glory put 6 of their 9 shots on target but scored only once, then conceded a penalty in the 86th minute and a free-kick in the 89th to lose 1-2. Whatever the disagreement over the decisions, their failure to see out a lead remains an issue to address on this trip.
Teams Brisbane Roar: Key changes for this match: Tom Aldred, Joel King and Tate Russell have joined, reshaping the defence. Availability: Dimitrios Valkanis is out; Virgilio Postolachi is a doubt. Perth Glory: Key changes for this match: 10 of the 11 starters from the season opener remain in the squad. Availability: Calem Nieuwenhof, Matthew Dench, Awni Shamoon Charbel and Brian Kaltack are out; Henry Hore is a doubt.
Perth Glory can keep the back four of Lachlan Jackson, Cher Deng, Andriano Lebib and Tadiwanashe Kuzamba from the opener. But with defenders Matthew Dench, Awni Shamoon Charbel and Brian Kaltack unavailable, if all four start, Sam Sutton will be the only specialist defender on the bench. Midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof’s absence also leaves fewer options for changes in the middle of the park. If Henry Hore misses out with a hamstring problem, Jaiden Kucharski, who replaced him in the 52nd minute of the opener, could take on a larger role up front from earlier in the match.
The last 7 meetings are evenly split, with 3 wins apiece and 1 draw, and all 3 matches last season were decided by a single goal or less. Many of the scorers from those games are no longer in either squad. Of the goalscorers in Perth Glory’s 2-1 win in April, only Sebastian Despotovski is available for this match. The close past meetings show how these sides have matched up, but they do not determine the margin with their new squads.
The conditions are different from a typical away trip, too. Perth Glory travelled straight from Macarthur FC to Brisbane and spent the week there. Heavy rain is forecast for Brisbane during the day, with light drizzle expected around kick-off. A wet pitch could affect passing and aerial duels for both sides. We will have to see which team adapts better.
2. Match-up analysis
One area Brisbane Roar can target is Perth Glory’s defending at set pieces. Perth Glory have conceded 3 goals from penalties, corners and free-kicks across their last 2 competitive matches where the goal details are available. They conceded an equaliser from a corner against Brisbane Roar in April, then lost their lead to a late penalty and free-kick against Macarthur FC last week. They also committed 19 fouls against Macarthur FC. Coach Adam Griffiths has said his side will match Brisbane Roar physically. If Perth Glory keep getting drawn into duels in their own half, they could give away free-kicks in dangerous areas.
How Brisbane Roar turn those opportunities into goals will depend on the starting line-up. If Postolachi plays, they can send long balls and crosses his way for aerial duels, and Aldred can also join set pieces. If Postolachi is unavailable, Nam Tae-hee’s chance creation and the wide players’ attacking will matter more, with aerial duels likely to come mainly from defenders joining set pieces. Perth Glory goalkeeper Matt Sutton made several saves from Brisbane Roar headers in their February meeting. Even if Brisbane create chances, a finish is not guaranteed.
Perth Glory’s attack will test the space between Brisbane Roar’s defence and midfield. Against Macarthur FC, Lawrence received the ball around 30 metres from goal, carried it to the edge of the box and scored. Despotovski also scored the winner against Brisbane Roar in April with a half-volley from the top of the box. Those two examples show Perth Glory can create shooting chances just outside the area. We do not yet know whether Brisbane Roar’s new defence will leave that space open. Perth Glory will first have to play through the home side’s early pressure to get the ball to Lawrence.
If Brisbane Roar press aggressively and push their midfielders forward, they will need to manage the space behind them as well. If the lines become stretched, Lawrence and Despotovski could find room to receive the ball between them. If Brisbane Roar push their defensive line up too, they will also have to watch for Stefan Colakovski on the counter. If the home side can cut out Perth Glory’s first pass, the visitors should have fewer shooting chances outside the box. Perth Glory themselves described the first half against Macarthur FC as a game in which their attacking flow was often interrupted.
Substitutions could shape the second half. In the opener, Griffiths took off forward Colakovski and brought on defender Sam Sutton just 5 minutes after his side had gone ahead. Perth Glory still created further chances, but eventually conceded from late set pieces. We cannot assume the same change will happen here. Bringing Sutton on early would leave no specialist defender to call on later, while taking Colakovski off would remove one of their options for counter-attacking into the space behind Brisbane Roar’s defence.
Brisbane Roar can bring attacking players off the bench if they do not start. They conceded frequently in the second half last season, but will be managing those periods with a different group this time. Perth Glory also conceded often after the break away from home last season, though they arrived in Brisbane early this week and have already completed the journey. More important than the old second-half records will be how Perth Glory use their limited substitutes when leading or chasing a goal, and whether Brisbane Roar’s new defence can keep its shape throughout the match.
A wet pitch could give both sides chances to score. For Brisbane Roar, second balls after aerial duels and set pieces could be important. Perth Glory may look for shots from the edge of the box and opportunities to press the home side’s build-up. If the passing becomes difficult, though, both teams could struggle to create enough shots. The weather alone does not point to a particular score or winner.
3. Final verdict and prediction
We back Brisbane Roar to win. That does not depend on assuming their new defence will be settled from the first match. Perth Glory led away last week but were turned around by set pieces, and they could field the same defence again here. Griffiths has said his team will match Brisbane Roar physically, so whether Perth Glory give away free-kicks in their own half will matter. Late in the game, Perth Glory have fewer defensive and midfield options to bring on, while Brisbane Roar can add attacking players.
The market gives Brisbane Roar a narrow edge, but there is little competitive evidence yet to support the optimism around their new squad. We put more weight on Perth Glory’s depleted bench and their recent goals conceded from set pieces. The market has rated it unlikely that Brisbane Roar will win by 2 or more goals. Still, the limited bench could affect the margin in the final 30 minutes if Perth Glory either sit back to protect a lead or have to chase the game.
Our score predictions are 2-1 or 3-1 to Brisbane Roar. We expect the home side to take the lead from an early free-kick or corner after winning the physical battle, with Perth Glory replying through a shot from Lawrence or Despotovski from just outside the box. Brisbane Roar’s attacking changes and Perth Glory’s set-piece defending could then create another opening for the home side. If Postolachi plays, Brisbane Roar’s aerial threat improves and 3-1 becomes more likely. If he is out, we lean towards 2-1. This forecast depends on Perth Glory continuing to concede free-kicks and corners in their own half. If they cut those opportunities down and Matt Sutton deals with the aerial threat, Brisbane Roar may find it harder to reach the predicted total.
