Brisbane Roar head coach Michael Valkanis has warned his side against getting comfortable after an unbeaten start, with an in-form Macarthur FC waiting at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Roar head south off a win over Perth Glory and a dramatic 1-1 draw with Auckland FC, a result sealed when captain Tom Aldred headed home with the last kick of the game. Macarthur are also yet to lose this season, setting up a meeting of two unbeaten sides in Matchweek 4.
Valkanis said the mood at training reflected the start, but made it clear the group hasn’t arrived yet.
“Now is not the time to rest on your laurels. You’ve got to keep going,” he said.
Plenty of questions were asked in the off-season about how quickly a heavily rebuilt squad could come together. Valkanis believes that has been answered early, and that the work done off the pitch in pre-season is a big part of it. In his view, a side can’t build a playing style on tactics alone; the players have to connect as people first.
He also pointed to a squad that is deeper and better balanced than last season, with players able to cover multiple positions. That has let him change games without reshuffling the whole side, and the substitutes have made a difference in both matches so far.
“You’re only as strong as your bench and the rest of the squad, not just the starting 11,” he said.
Two points dropped, not one gained
Despite the late drama against Auckland, Valkanis said the dressing room was disappointed not to have won after controlling long stretches of the match. Auckland scored early against the run of play, and he was pleased with how a new group reset and stuck to its plan rather than forcing things.
“We actually felt like we dropped two points,” he said. “But our job is to make people happy, leave the ground happy and get them excited for what’s next.”
Macarthur a different test
Valkanis expects a similar defensive challenge on Sunday, describing Macarthur as compact and hard to break down, much like Auckland. He also flagged their ability to change matches after the hour mark when quality players come off the bench.
Macarthur are under new head coach Sasa Ognenovski, a former Roar defender and Valkanis’s ex-teammate.
“I know Sasa very well,” Valkanis said. “I know his character and the type of person he is, and what he’s going to want his team to replicate.”
His message on favouritism was blunt: every A-League Men match is a challenge, and any side that walks in thinking it’s the favourite has already lost.
Aldred leading from the front
Valkanis said Aldred approached him before re-signing, wanting to come back to Brisbane and achieve something he felt was left unfinished in his first spell. The skipper finished the Auckland match as an emergency striker as the Roar threw everything forward.
“His leadership will be very important for the rest of the season,” Valkanis said.
What comes next
Asked what he wants to see from here, Valkanis was specific: more chances, more goals, and the same approach regardless of the scoreline.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “This week poses a completely different challenge to what we’ve had so far.”
The squad has come through the weekend fit, with Dimitri Valkanis the only absentee. He is expected back in about a month.
MATCH DETAILS
A-League Men 2026/27, Matchweek 4: Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar
Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney
Sunday, 8 November (2pm AEST KO)
