Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Nikola Mrdja [1] | ||
Date of birth | 30 November 1978 | ||
Place of birth | Perth, Western Australia | ||
Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Youth career | |||
Bayswater City | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1997 | Bayswater City | ||
1998 | Kingsway | ||
1998–1999 | Canberra Cosmos | 3 | (0) |
2000–2001 | Perth SC | 6 | (2) |
2001–2004 | Perth Glory | 73 | (25) |
2004 | AIK | 12 | (2) |
2005–2011 | Central Coast Mariners | 48 | (12) |
2010 | → Melbourne Victory (loan) | 3 | (1) |
International career | |||
2007 | Australia | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Nikola "Nik" Mrdja (born 30 November 1978) is an Australian former soccer player, who played as a striker. [1] Mrdja had a career spanning several National Soccer League (NSL) and A-League clubs from 1998 to 2011, as well as a brief spell in Sweden with AIK in 2004. Mrdja made one appearance for Australia, in a friendly against Argentina in 2007.
In October 1998, Mrdja signed for Canberra Cosmos after travelling from Perth to Canberra to trial at his own expense. [2] In late November 1998, Mrdja was one of five players released by the club. [3]
In April 2000, Mrdja signed for Perth SC. [4]
Mrdja trialled for Perth Glory in January 2001, signing soon after. [5] [6]
Mrdja scored a golden goal for Perth Glory in the final of the 2003–04 National Soccer League against Parramatta Power in the last match of the NSL. [7]
In December 2004, Mrdja signed with Central Coast Mariners to play in the newly formed A-League. [8] In the Mariners first competitive fixture, an F3 Derby against the Newcastle Jets in qualification for the 2005 OFC Club Championship, Mrdja broke opposing defender Andrew Durante's leg with a tackle late in extra time. [9] The incident subsequently gained prominence as a sparking point for the clubs' rivalry. [10] On the field, Mrdja's early form for the Mariners was strong. In the club's next game against Adelaide United, Mrdja scored a hat-trick, sealing progress to the qualification final. [11] He scored another hat-trick in a 2005 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup win over Queensland Roar. [12]
However, soon after Mrdja suffered a knee injury causing him to miss the entire 2005–06 A-League season, eventually returning early in the 2006–07 season. [13] His first goal in the A-League came from a direct free kick in a win over New Zealand Knights on 19 November 2006. [14] Mrdja's knee injury continued to be an issue, and saw him miss much of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons. [15]
It is during his time at the Mariners that Mrdja discovered his love for disco biscuits.
In February 2010, with the Mariners out of contention for the 2009–10 A-League finals, Mrdja was released by the Mariners and signed a short-term deal with Melbourne Victory to play in the final rounds of the A-League and in the 2010 AFC Champions League, as an injury replacement for Billy Celeski. At the same time, he signed a deal to play for the Mariners again in the 2010–11 season. [16] The unusual nature of the move, despite being valid within the rules, created significant controversy, given its lateness in the season and the ban on direct loans between A-League clubs. [17] The issue, and subsequent public controversy, prompted a review of the A-League's transfer rules by Football Federation Australia. [18]
Mrdja made his debut for the Victory on 5 February 2010, coming on as a halftime substitute in a win over North Queensland Fury, in the second-last round of the 2009–10 A-League regular season. [19] He scored his first goal for the club two weeks later, in a win in the first leg of the major semifinal against Sydney FC, before being sent off later in the match for elbowing Shannon Cole. [20] Mrdja received a two-game suspension for the incident, which eventually saw him miss the 2010 A-League Grand Final. [21]
Mrdja retired from professional football at the end of the 2010–11 season. [22]
Mrdja was called up to the Australian national team for the first time in September 2007 for a friendly against Argentina, after an injury ruled out Scott McDonald and following Mrdja's good form in the A-League. [23] In the game, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Mrdja made his debut as a substitute in the 82nd minute, coming on for Joshua Kennedy in a 1–0 defeat. [24]
Perth Glory Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Perth, Western Australia. It competes in the country's premier men's competition, A-League Men, under licence from Australian Professional Leagues.
Central Coast Mariners Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Gosford, on the Central Coast of New South Wales. It competes in the A-League Men, under licence from the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).
Alex Jason Brosque is an Australian former professional soccer player who was the captain of A-League club Sydney FC. He played primarily as a striker but played predominantly as a midfielder in central midfield during his time in Japan.
Daniel Vukovic is a former Australian professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently the goalkeeping coach for Central Coast Mariners FC. Vukovic also represented the Australian national team during his career. Vukovic is the holder of several A-League records: he has the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in A-League history (103), and he is the only goalkeeper to score in the A-League.
Michael Francis Beauchamp is an Australian former professional footballer who played as a central defender. He was a member of the Australian 2006 World Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup squads.
Oliver John Bozanic is an Australian footballer who plays as a midfielder. Bozanic is currently a free agent.
Lisa Marie De Vanna is an Australian former professional soccer player who played as a forward. She played for Adelaide Sensation, Western Waves, Doncaster Rovers Belles, AIK, Perth Glory, Washington Freedom, Brisbane Roar, magicJack, Newcastle Jets, Linköping, Sky Blue FC, Melbourne Victory, Boston Breakers, Washington Spirit, Melbourne City, North Shore Mariners, Orlando Pride, Canberra United, South Melbourne, Sydney FC, and Fiorentina as well as representing the Australian national team 150 times. She is noted for her pace and dribbling skills. She has been regularly considered one of the greatest female footballers in the world; football analyst and former Socceroo Craig Foster stated that she "ran on jet-fuel; burning up twice as fast, but with incredible impact."
Andrew James Redmayne is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for A-League club Sydney FC and the Australia national team.
Melbourne Victory FC is an Australian professional women's soccer team affiliated with Melbourne Victory FC and Football Federation Victoria. Founded in 2008, the team is one of the representatives of Melbourne in Australia's top-tier domestic competition – the A-League Women.
The 2010–11 A-League was the 34th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the sixth season of the Australian A-League soccer competition since its establishment in 2004. The home and away season began on 5 August 2010 and concluded on 13 February 2011. The addition of Melbourne Heart brought the total number of teams to 11. Brisbane Roar finished Premiers with two games remaining in the season following an Australian record unbeaten run, and later completed the Premiership and Championship double by beating the Central Coast Mariners in the Grand Final.
The 2011–12 A-League was the 35th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the seventh season of the Australian A-League soccer competition since its establishment in 2004. At the end of the previous season, the North Queensland Fury were cut from the competition by the governing body, Football Federation Australia, due to financial reasons.
The 2011–12 Central Coast Mariners season will be Central Coast Mariners's seventh A-League season. It includes the 2011–12 A-League season as well as any other competitions of the 2011–12 football (soccer) season. This will include competing in the 2012 AFC Champions League.
The 2012–13 A-League was the 36th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the eighth season of the Australian A-League since its establishment in 2004. The 2012–13 season saw the introduction of a new Western Sydney-based team, the return of Newcastle Jets FC after their A-League licence was returned by FFA, and the end of Gold Coast United after they were removed from the competition at the end of the previous season. This season was also the last A-League season to be broadcast exclusively on paid television, after SBS obtained the rights to a live Friday night game each week of the A-League season, and all A-League finals games on a one-hour delay, on a $160 million four-year broadcast deal, effective from the 2013–14 A-League season onwards.
The 2011–12 season was Melbourne Victory Football Club (W-League)'s fourth season, in the W-League. Melbourne Victory finished 4th in their W-League season, finishing in the semi-finals.
The 2013–14 A-League was the 37th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the ninth of the A-League since its establishment in 2004. The season began on 11 October 2013, with Western Sydney Wanderers as the defending A-League Premiers and Central Coast Mariners as the defending A-League Champions. The regular season concluded on 13 April 2014, with Brisbane Roar crowned Premiers. The 2014 Grand Final took place on 4 May 2014, with Brisbane Roar claiming their third Championship with a 2–1 win in extra time against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Melissa Maizels is an Australian soccer goalkeeper who last played for Australian A-League Women team Melbourne Victory. She previously played for Perth Glory and Canberra United.
Remy Dianne Siemsen is an Australian professional soccer player who plays for English Women's Super League club Leicester City and the Australia national team. She has represented Australia on the under-20 national team. Following her debut season in the W-League at the age of 16, she was named W-League Young Footballer of the Year.
The 2018–19 A-League was the 42nd season of national level soccer in Australia, and the 14th since the establishment of the A-League in 2004. The regular season commenced on 19 October 2018 and concluded on 28 April 2019. The play-offs began on 3 May 2019 and ended with the Grand Final on 19 May 2019. Sydney FC defeated Perth Glory in the Grand Final.
This article concerns soccer records in Australia. Unless otherwise stated, records are taken from the National Soccer League or A-League Men. Where a different record exists for the top flight, this is also given.