The 2012–13 A-League was the sixth season of the A-League, the premier professional men's soccer competition in Australia and New Zealand. The season comprised a regular‑season phase followed by a finals series that culminated in a Grand Final to decide the champion.
Overview
- Duration: 7 October 2012 – 21 April 2013 (regular season); Grand Final on 21 April 2013.
- Number of teams: 10 (nine Australian clubs and one New Zealand club).
- Format: Each team played 27 regular‑season matches (three against each opponent). The top six teams qualified for the finals series, with the top two receiving a bye to the semi‑finals.
Participating clubs
| Club | City | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide United | Adelaide | Coopers Stadium |
| Brisbane Roar | Brisbane | Suncorp Stadium |
| Central Coast Mariners | Gosford | Central Coast Stadium |
| Melbourne Heart (now Melbourne City) | Melbourne | AAMI Park |
| Melbourne Victory | Melbourne | AAMI Park |
| Newcastle Jets | Newcastle | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| Perth Glory | Perth | HBF Park |
| Sydney FC | Sydney | Allianz Stadium |
| Wellington Phoenix | Wellington, New Zealand | Wellington Regional Stadium |
| Western Sydney Wanderers (debut season) | Sydney (Parramatta) | Parramatta Stadium |
Regular season
- Premiers (regular‑season winners): Western Sydney Wanderers, who topped the table with 46 points.
- Runner‑up: Central Coast Mariners (42 points).
- The league’s top‑scoring player was Daniel McPherson (Central Coast Mariners) with 17 goals, earning the Golden Boot award.
Finals series
The finals series followed the A-League’s standard six‑team knockout format. Key matches included:
- Elimination Finals: Adelaide United defeated Wellington Phoenix; Brisbane Roar defeated Melbourne Heart.
- Semi‑finals: Western Sydney Wanderers beat Brisbane Roar; Central Coast Mariners beat Adelaide United.
- Grand Final (21 April 2013, Sydney): Central Coast Mariners defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 2–0 to claim the championship. Goals were scored by James McFadden (19′) and a penalty by Mile Jedinak (45′).
Season awards
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Johnny Warren Medal (Player of the Year) | Thomas Broich (Central Coast Mariners) |
| Coach of the Year | Tony Popovic (Western Sydney Wanderers) |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | Mark Birighitti (Western Sydney Wanderers) |
| Young Player of the Year | James Holland (Newcastle Jets) |
| Goal of the Year | James McFadden (Central Coast Mariners) – goal vs. Melbourne Victory (Round 3) |
| Fair Play Award | Western Sydney Wanderers |
Notable events
- Western Sydney Wanderers debut: The club entered the league in this season and immediately secured the Premiership, a rare accomplishment for an inaugural team.
- Record crowd: The inaugural home match for the Wanderers against Sydney FC attracted over 20,000 spectators at Parramatta Stadium, setting a new attendance record for a regular‑season A-League match.
- International qualification: By winning the championship, Central Coast Mariners qualified for the 2014 AFC Champions League group stage.
Legacy
The 2012–13 season is widely regarded as a turning point for the A-League, showcasing the competitive viability of expansion clubs and increasing overall attendances. It also reinforced the league’s reputation for producing high‑scoring, attacking football, as reflected in the season’s aggregate of 285 goals across 135 matches (average 2.11 goals per game).
References
- Football Federation Australia (FFA) official season review (2013).
- A-League statistics archive, “2012‑13 Season”.
- AFC Champions League qualification records (2014).
