If you’ve been looking at the A League Women standings lately, you know things are getting a bit weird. It’s mid-January 2026. Usually, by now, we have a clear idea of who’s going to run away with the Premier’s Plate, but this season is refusing to follow the script.
Honestly, it’s chaos.
Melbourne City is sitting at the top right now, but it’s a fragile lead. One bad weekend—which, let’s be real, can happen to anyone in this league—and the whole ladder flips. We’re seeing teams like Canberra United and Central Coast Mariners breathe down their necks, and honestly, the point gaps are so small it’s barely a gap at all. It’s more of a suggestion.
Who Is Leading the Pack?
Right now, Melbourne City holds the top spot with 19 points from 9 matches. They’ve been solid, sure. Six wins, one draw, and two losses. They have a goal difference of +7, which is decent, but they aren't untouchable. They actually lost to the Newcastle Jets recently in a result that nobody really saw coming.
Canberra United is the team that’s actually scaring people. They are in second place with 18 points. Here’s the kicker: they went on a six-match unbeaten run. Michelle Heyman is still out there doing Michelle Heyman things, leading the line and making defenders look like they’re running through sand. They’ve played 10 games, one more than City, so they need City to drop points to really snatch that lead.
Then you have the Central Coast Mariners. They’re in third with 17 points after 11 games. They’ve played more football than almost anyone else in the top half, which makes their position a bit precarious. If the teams below them win their games in hand, the Mariners could slide. But with Annalise Rasmussen absolutely tearing it up—she’s sitting on 8 goals right now—you can’t ever count them out of a shootout.
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The Mid-Table Logjam
The middle of the A League Women standings is where the real stress lives. Look at the gap between 4th and 6th.
- Melbourne Victory: 16 points (11 games)
- Newcastle Jets: 16 points (11 games)
- Perth Glory: 15 points (10 games)
It’s a mess. Victory has the edge on goal difference (+4 compared to the Jets' 0), but it’s razor-thin. The Jets have been the season's biggest surprise for me. People expected them to struggle, but they’ve managed to scrap out five wins.
Perth Glory is the ultimate "boom or bust" team this year. Five wins. Five losses. Zero draws. They either show up and dominate or they don't show up at all. There is no in-between with them. They have a -4 goal difference despite being in a finals spot, which tells you everything you need to know about their defensive consistency. Or lack thereof.
What Happened to Sydney FC?
This is the question every fan is asking. Sydney FC is currently 10th. Read that again. Tenth.
They’ve only won two games all season. They have 10 points from 10 matches. For a club that basically considers the Grand Final their second home, this is a disaster. Their goalscoring has completely dried up—they’ve only found the back of the net 6 times. Compare that to Melbourne Victory’s 19 or City’s 17.
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They even got thrashed 7-0 by Wellington Phoenix back in December. That wasn't just a loss; it was a soul-crushing reality check. They look slow. They look tired. And unless Ante Juric can find a way to spark some life into that attack, they’re going to miss the finals for the first time in... well, forever.
The Stats That Actually Matter
If you want to understand why the ladder looks the way it does, look at the individual performances. Annalise Rasmussen is the name on everyone's lips because she’s been clinical. 8 goals is a massive haul at this stage of the season.
But don't overlook Isabel Gomez at the Mariners. She has 5 assists and is basically the engine room for that team. She also has 5 yellow cards, which tells you she isn't afraid to get stuck in. She’s the kind of player you love to have and hate to play against.
On the goalkeeping side, Sally James at Canberra has been a wall. Her save percentage is hovering around 77.5%. When you have a keeper playing like that, you can afford to take risks upfront because you trust the backline. It’s a huge reason why Canberra is sitting in 2nd.
The Bottom of the Barrel
Western Sydney Wanderers are struggling. Hard.
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They are dead last with 6 points. One win in 11 games is grim reading for any fan. They’ve conceded 23 goals, which is the worst defensive record in the league by a long shot. Every time they seem to find a bit of rhythm, the wheels fall off. They’ve had a five-match winless run that has effectively killed their season hopes before the February heat even hits.
What to Watch For Next
The schedule over the next few weeks is going to decide everything. We have some massive "six-pointer" games coming up.
First, keep an eye on the Canberra United vs Wellington Phoenix match. Canberra needs the win to stay on City's heels, but Wellington has shown they can put seven past a "big" team when they feel like it.
Also, the Brisbane Roar vs Melbourne City clash on January 20th is huge. Brisbane is sitting in 7th with 14 points, but they have games in hand. If they beat City, they jump right back into the finals conversation and blow the race for the Plate wide open.
Basically, if you aren't watching the A-League Women right now, you're missing the most competitive season in years. The standings are a lie because they change every 48 hours.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the Games in Hand: Don't just look at the points. Look at the "Games Played" column. Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City have only played 9 games, while Victory and the Jets have played 11. That's a six-point swing waiting to happen.
- Fade Sydney FC's Defense: Until they prove they can stop leaking goals, betting against their clean sheet is usually a safe bet.
- Track Rasmussen: She is in the form of her life. If she's on the pitch, the Mariners are going to score.
- Check the Weather: We're heading into the peak of the Australian summer. Heat policy breaks and afternoon kick-offs in the sun change the tempo of these games significantly. Teams with deeper benches like Melbourne City usually handle the 80th-minute fatigue better than the smaller squads.
The race for the top six is going to go down to the final weekend in May. It’s not about who’s best right now; it’s about who survives the injury bug and the summer heat. Keep your eyes on the ladder, but don't get too attached to the current order. It won't stay this way for long.