The Aussie Game Podcast

Podcast by The Aussie Game Podcast

The Aussie Game Podcast

The Aussie Game is your weekly deep dive into Australian football — from the A-League to the Socceroos and Matildas, and everything in between. Hosted by passionate fans of the beautiful game Down Under, we break down the latest matches, spotlight local talent, and tackle the issues shaping football in Australia. Whether you're a die-hard supporter or a casual fan, this is your home for Aussie football talk.

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Latest episodes

13 September 2026

#110 - Socceroos Asian Cup preparation, Mohamed Toure on the mark & hot prospects back in the A-League

With just 12 days until the Socceroos face Brazil in Townsville, we look at the players making their case for Tony Popovic’s squad and ask who has done enough to earn a place against the Selecao.

The Socceroos’ November friendlies against Qatar and Jordan are also confirmed, while we react to the Young Socceroos’ Asian Cup qualification disappointment and look ahead to the Olyroos’ Olympic preparations, including their October clash with Korea Republic in Gosford.

Gianni Stensness makes Champions League debut

A huge milestone for Gianni Stensness, who becomes the first Australian to feature in the UEFA Champions League since Milos Degenek in 2023. Stensness played the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 defeat to Stuttgart but produced an impressive individual performance with eight clearances, four recoveries and a 75% duel success rate.

Nestory Irankunda was an unused substitute as Sporting made an impressive start with a 3-1 win over Galatasaray.

Aussies Abroad

There was plenty to discuss across the major European leagues:

Lucas Herrington continues to earn opportunities in the Premier League for Hull City, including a full 90 minutes against Sunderland.
Alex Robertson continues to impress for Cardiff City as they search for their first win of the Championship season.
Mohamed Toure scored inside the first minute for Birmingham in a thrilling 4-3 defeat to Middlesbrough.
Kealey Adamson impressed for QPR, completing 96% of his passes in a 0-0 draw with Charlton.
Connor Metcalfe starred for St Pauli in a 1-0 win over Wolfsburg, earning Man of the Match honours.
Mat Ryan saved a penalty and kept a clean sheet in Spain, making 10 saves in a 0-0 draw.
Marco Tilio came off the bench to assist as Rapid Vienna won 3-0 and continued their excellent start to the Austrian season.
Charli Grant provided an assist for Malmö in Sweden, while Remy Siemsen helped Rosengård climb out of the relegation zone.
Kaitlyn Torpey backed up another strong performance for Newcastle and continues to strengthen her case for the Matildas.
Sam Kerr assisted as Gotham bounced back with a 2-1 NWSL win.
Alana Murphy scored for Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the WSL 2 season.
Harry Souttar played the full match as Leicester won a seven-goal thriller against Stockport.

We also run through the latest performances from Australians in England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Sweden, Scotland, Denmark, Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, MLS and the NWSL.

Transfers & Australian Football

There’s movement in the transfer market, with James Overy completing his move to Sydney FC, Mohamed Toure joining Macarthur FC, and reports that Colorado have signed Sydney FC youngster Akol Akon.

In Australia, Melbourne Victory defeated Sydney FC 2-0 to book their place in the Australia Cup final.

The Week’s Talking Points

We discuss whether Mohamed Toure is pushing himself into the Socceroos conversation, how important Kaitlyn Torpeycould be for the Matildas, and what Gianni Stensness’ Champions League debut means for his international prospects.

There’s also discussion around Cristian Volpato’s injury and reported positive second sample, the latest developments involving Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, and the performances of Australia’s next generation around the world.

Team of the Week

Our Team of the Week features:

Mat Ryan; Kaitlyn Torpey, Gianni Stensness, Harry Souttar, Charli Grant; Alex Robertson, Alana Murphy; Marco Tilio, Connor Metcalfe, Keegan Jelacic; Mohamed Toure.

Bench: Sam Kerr.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game

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57:42

09 September 2026

#109 - The surprise selections in our Socceroos squads vs Brazil

Socceroos Squad Picks

With the upcoming friendlies on the horizon, we each picked the Socceroos squad we’d like to see — not necessarily the squad we expect to be called up.

We run through our selections, surprise inclusions, omissions, and the players we think deserve a chance to impress.

Let us know who you'd like to see!

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, leave a review and follow us for weekly coverage of the Socceroos, Matildas, A-League and Australians playing around the world.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game

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43:43

06 September 2026

#108 - Toure blunts Blades, Galic stars in Sweden and Young Socceroos nightmare

Magical Mo Toure is at it again! The 22-year-old continues his incredible scoring run for Norwich in the Championship, but could two out-of-favour Australian wingers finding form in Europe force their way into the next Socceroos squad?

We also look at a potentially long season ahead for Harry Souttar in League One, Riley McGree’s increasing minutes, and whether Scottish goalkeeper Jacob Chapman has done enough to enter the Socceroos conversation.

For the Matildas, Daniela Galic is flying in Sweden, while Ellie Carpenter and Alanna Kennedy continue their European campaigns.

England

Premier League

Lucas Herrington helped Hull City secure another clean sheet in a 0-0 draw, coming on in the 71st minute.
Hull sit second with seven points after an impressive start.
Hull face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup next.

Championship

Mohamed Toure scored again as Norwich beat Sheffield United 3-1, taking him to three league goals and equal fourth in the Championship scoring charts.
Toure played 71 minutes in a midweek 1-0 loss to Stoke.
Riley McGree continues to build minutes, playing 55 minutes in a 1-0 win over Millwall after starting and playing 61 minutes against Burnley.
A difficult week for Alex Robertson and Cardiff City, with losses to QPR and Portsmouth.
Callum Elder played the full match in Lincoln's 0-0 draw with Blackburn but was an unused substitute against Southampton.
Kealey Adamson made an 18-minute substitute appearance for QPR.

League One

Harry Souttar stayed at Leicester City and played the full match in a 2-0 win over Plymouth, before featuring in the 4-0 defeat to Oxford.
Caleb Watts came off the bench against Leicester before scoring as Plymouth beat Doncaster 3-2.
Luka Smyth featured in consecutive 1-1 draws for Notts County against Doncaster and Huddersfield.
Sammy Silvera made substitute appearances in defeats/draws against Wigan and Wycombe.
Raphael Borges Rodrigues made his Burton debut immediately after joining on loan.
Clayton Taylor played 15 minutes in Barnsley's 5-1 loss to Stevenage.

League Two

Peter Cklamovski's Salford City recorded consecutive wins, including a 1-0 victory over Port Vale.
Kaelan Majekodunmi played a full match as Swindon beat Port Vale 3-1, then played the second half in another 3-1 win over Colchester.
Swindon sit second in League Two.

Women's Super League

Alanna Kennedy started and played the full game as London City Lionesses won 2-1.
Ellie Carpenter started for Chelsea and provided the assist for the opening goal in a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

Australians in Europe

Germany

Paul Okon Jr started in midfield for Köln against Stuttgart before being substituted at half-time in a 4-1 defeat.
Hayley Raso was sent off for Eintracht Frankfurt in a dramatic Champions League qualifier. Frankfurt eventually lost 6-2 after extra time.
Jamilla Rankin featured in the second half of extra time.
Connor Metcalfe played the second half as St Pauli drew 2-2, with Sam Klein also making a late appearance.

Portugal

Nestroy Irankunda came off the bench as Sporting won 2-0.
Circati played from the 62nd minute as Benfica won 3-0 away.

Netherlands

Max Ballard started for NAC Breda in a 4-2 defeat after his side went down to 10 men.

Austria

Jed Drew played 12 minutes as Hartberg won 3-2.
Marco Tilio scored in Rapid Wien's 3-1 win and remains part of an undefeated league-leading side.
Rapid were then beaten 5-1 by Salzburg, with Tilio coming off the bench.
Tilio started again and played 64 minutes in a 5-2 Austrian Cup win over Klagenfurt.

Denmark

Paul Izzo returned in goal as Randers won 2-1.
Oliver Jones also gained valuable minutes after an injury-disrupted period since joining Randers.
Marcus Younis played 65 minutes in Brondby's 3-1 defeat.

Hungary

Daniel Arzani was outstanding for Ferencvaros, assisting the opener in a 2-1 win over Puskas Academy.
Arzani then assisted another opener in a 3-0 win over Gyor, playing 70 minutes.

Norway

Gianni Stensness played another full match for Viking as they continue to chase Bodo/Glimt at the top of the table.
Viking drew 1-1 and now sit three points behind the leaders.

Scotland

A huge week for Australian players in Scotland.

Cam Devlin started for Rangers in a 2-1 win over Falkirk.
Ryan Strain provided assists in consecutive matches, continuing his excellent attacking form for Falkirk.
Martin Boyle scored for Hibernian in a 2-1 win over Dundee before Hibs lost 3-1 to Hearts.
Jake Iredale came on as an early injury replacement against Hearts before being sent off.
Jacob Chapman was one of the week's biggest talking points, keeping a clean sheet in St Mirren's 1-0 win over Kilmarnock.
Chapman then made five saves against Celtic in a 2-1 defeat. Could the St Mirren goalkeeper be a surprise Socceroos call-up?
Jake Girdwood-Reich featured for Motherwell against Dundee United and Rangers.
Josh Rawlins, Daniel Bennie and Zac Sapsford all started for Dundee United, with Lachie Rose featuring from the bench.

Slovenia

Ya Ya Dukuly came off the bench in both a 4-1 defeat and a 2-0 bounce-back win for Celje.

Italy

Cristian Volpato played 55 minutes as Sassuolo progressed in the Coppa Italia on penalties against Frosinone.

Sweden

Daniela Galic was the star, scoring twice in Vittsjo GIK's massive 5-0 victory.

Women's Champions League

Chelsea completed a 6-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad, with Ellie Carpenter playing 60 minutes in the second leg.
Hayley Raso's red card proved costly for Eintracht Frankfurt as PSG ran over the top in extra time to win 5-1 on the night and 6-2 on aggregate.

Asia & Beyond

Saudi Arabia

Ange Postecoglou suffered a 2-1 defeat against Al Ittihad.

China

Kevin Muscat guided Shanghai Port into the China Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Shandong.
Shanghai then drew 0-0 with Beijing Guoan.
John Aloisi's Chengdu Rongcheng could wrap up the title.

Japan

Jackson Irvine played the full match as Cerezo Osaka beat Kashiwa Reysol 2-0.
Tete Yengi played 60 minutes as Machida beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-1.
Steve Corica's Yokohama FC drew 1-1 with Kyoto.
Eli Adams played the full match in a 2-2 draw with V-Varen Nagasaki.

MLS

Aiden O'Neill returned for New York City FC, playing 20 minutes off the bench in a 0-0 draw with Nashville.
Patrick Yazbek started for Nashville and played 55 minutes.
Archie Goodwin played seven minutes in Charlotte's 0-0 draw with Houston.

Transfers

Leticia McKenna joins Nottingham Forest for a record transfer fee.
Hayden Matthews joins Bradford City on a season-long loan.
Raphael Borges Rodrigues joins Burton Albion on loan for the season.
Dylan Leonard joins Alemannia Aachen on loan in Germany.
Kusini Yengi joins Sanfrecce Hiroshima on loan until the end of the year, with an option to make the move permanent.
Ryan Fraser joins Macarthur FC.

Young Socceroos & Pathways

The Australia U-20s opened their Asian Cup qualification campaign with a controlled 2-0 win over Laos. Marcus Neill converted a penalty before Melbourne City's Lewis Marinucci found the far corner directly from a corner.

The Young Socceroos then drew 2-2 with Malaysia in a disrupted encounter, leaving qualification going down to the wire.

Australian Championship

The groups for the inaugural Australian Championship have been announced.

New U-15 National Programs

Football Australia has announced Australia's youngest-ever national programs, introducing boys' and girls' U-15 National Select sides.

The boys' team will compete at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan in October.
The girls' team will debut at the women's edition next year.
From 2028, both U-15 World Cups are scheduled to be held annually.
Michael Cooper has been appointed as Football Australia's Pathways Talent Identification Lead.
The new programs are designed to give Australia's best young players their first experience of international tournament football.
The U-15 tournament in Azerbaijan runs from October 22–31 and will use a modified, fast-paced format rather than traditional 11-a-side football.

Team of the Week

GK: Jacob Chapman

DEF: Ellie Carpenter, Lucas Herrington, Alanna Kennedy, Kaelan Majekodunmi

MID: Aiden O'Neill, Patrick Yazbek

FWD: Caleb Watts, Daniela Galic, Martin Boyle, Mohamed Toure

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, leave a review and follow us for weekly coverage of the Socceroos, Matildas, A-League and Australians playing around the world.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game

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55:57

30 August 2026

#107 - Aussie Strikers Shine, European Drama & Matildas News

Two young Australian strikers stole the show this week as Mohamed Toure and Luka Smyth both scored braces for Norwich City and Notts County.

We look at Toure’s incredible scoring form and whether he could still leave Norwich before the transfer window closes, while Smyth continues his rise with another match-winning performance.

Around the world, we cover the latest from Socceroos and Matildas players overseas, including:

Kyra Cooney-Cross returns for Arsenal and scores a stunning goal.

Ellie Carpenter stars for Chelsea in Champions League qualifying.

Cristian Volpato finds the net for Sassuolo.

Paul Okon-Engstler makes his Bundesliga debut.

Mat Ryan delivers another Man of the Match performance for Levante.

Nestory Irankunda, Tete Yengi, Jackson Irvine, Gianni Stensness and more feature across Europe and Asia.

Huge Champions League, Europa League and Conference League qualification drama, including heartbreak for Marcus Tilio.

John Aloisi's Chengdu Rongcheng move closer to the Chinese Super League title.

Ange Postecoglou leads Al Nassr to a remarkable comeback win in Saudi Arabia.

Back home, we discuss the Australia Cup semi-finalists, Adam Taggart's move to Vietnam, Tyrese Francois joining Brisbane Roar, Andy Harper's comments on the A-League and the newly confirmed Australian Championship.

We also have the latest on the Matildas, Junior Matildas, Graham Arnold, Australia's upcoming clash with Colombia, and finish with our Team of the Week.

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, leave a review and follow us for weekly coverage of the Socceroos, Matildas, A-League and Australians playing around the world.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game

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01:07:52

23 August 2026

#106 - Alessandro Circati joins Benfica & Lucas Herrington makes Premier League debut

Alessandro Circati becomes the latest young Socceroo to make a huge move to Europe, joining Benfica from Parma for a reported $33 million AUD. We break down what the transfer means for Circati and his development, while also covering a big week of Australian footballers making their mark overseas.

This Week’s Big Stories

Alessandro Circati joins Benfica: The young Socceroo signs a five-year deal in a reported $33M AUD transfer from Parma.
Lucas Herrington makes his Premier League debut: The Hull defender delivered a composed 26-minute cameo in their huge win over Manchester United, winning all three of his aerial duels.
Nestory Irankunda debuts for Sporting: The Australian winger created three chances in 22 minutes off the bench.
Patrick Beach starts in France: The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet for Troyes against Paris FC.
Goals and assists across Europe: Christian Volpato, Josh Nisbet, Noa Skoko, Amy Sayer and others found the scoresheet or contributed to big results.
Jackson Irvine shines in Japan: The Socceroos captain made his first start for his new club and provided the assist in a 1-0 win.
Ange Postecoglou keeps winning in Saudi Arabia: Two league wins and a cup victory maintain his side's position at the top.
Jordy Bos suffers a serious knee injury: The Dutch-based Australian is facing a lengthy six-month layoff, putting his Asian Cup hopes in doubt.

Circati’s Big Benfica Move

We dive deeper into Alessandro Circati’s move from Parma to Benfica and what the next step could mean for the young defender.

Circati has already captained both Parma and the Socceroos at a remarkably young age, highlighting his leadership qualities and enormous potential. Benfica also offers the opportunity to compete in European football, with the Portuguese giants involved in the Europa League playoff.

The big question: Is the Portuguese league a stronger environment for Circati than Serie A? While Serie A offers a higher overall standard across the league, Benfica provides regular title contention and European football.

Aussies Making Their Mark

Premier League & Championship

Lucas Herrington's Premier League debut was a standout, with the young defender recording:

26 minutes
100% passing accuracy
9 touches
4 clearances
3 headed clearances
3/3 aerial duels won
0 fouls committed

Alex Robertson played 90 minutes in Cardiff’s 2-2 draw with Derby, while Riley McGree, Mo Toure and Kealey Adamson also featured in the Championship.

Europe

Josh Nisbet scored and earned Man of the Match honours for Roda JC.
Christian Volpato opened the scoring in Sassuolo’s 3-0 Coppa Italia win.
Noa Skoko scored for Rudes in Croatia.
Amy Sayer rescued a point for Malmö with an equaliser.
Remy Siemsen scored for Kristianstads, assisted by Bryleeh Henry.
Hayley Raso started for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Marcus Younis continued his run of starts for Brondby.
Musa Toure scored off the bench for Randers in the Danish Cup.
Gianni Stensness featured in Viking’s Champions League playoff comeback.
Cam Devlin was sent off shortly after coming on for Rangers.

Asia Round-Up

Jackson Irvine provided an assist on his first start in Japan as Yokohama secured a 1-0 win.

In China, John Aloisi’s Chengdu Rongcheng suffered a wild 5-4 defeat, while Nick Montgomery’s Beijing Guoan conceded a late goal to limit the damage in the table. Ross Aloisi’s Zhejiang Professional grabbed a late equaliser and sit 11th.

In Saudi Arabia, Ange Postecoglou continues to entertain and win, with his side maintaining top spot after two league victories and a cup win.

Asian Champions League Draw

The A-League clubs now know their potential Asian opponents, with Newcastle Jets facing a challenging path that includes some of Asia’s biggest clubs.

Key opponents include Shanghai Port, Kashima Antlers, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Vissel Kobe, Kashiwa Reysol, Beijing Guoan, Gamba Osaka and Kyoto Sanga.

The playoff decider is set for 31 August 2026.

Back Home

Sydney FC squeezed past SD Raiders in the Australia Cup quarter-finals.
Melbourne Victory also progressed to the semi-finals.
A-League Women fixtures have been released.
Dean Heffernan has been appointed Mariners Women’s head coach.
Sutherland Sharks qualified for the Australian Championship.
Mile Sterjovski and Macarthur Bulls have mutually parted ways, with Sasa Ognenovski taking over.
Nishan Velupillay has joined Ingolstadt in Germany.
Awan Lual is attracting interest from clubs across eight overseas leagues.
Changes have been made to the Young Socceroos squad ahead of U20 Asian Cup qualifying.

Team of the Week

GK: Mackenzie Arnold

DEF: Kealey Adamson, Lucas Herrington, Gianni Stensness, Ben Garuccio

MID: Noa Skoko, Eddie Caspers, Josh Nisbet

ATT: Christian Volpato, Amy Sayer, Remy Siemsen

SUB: Charli Grant

From Circati’s blockbuster Benfica transfer to Herrington’s Premier League debut and another big week for Australians across Europe and Asia, there’s plenty to discuss in this week’s episode.

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, leave a review and follow us for weekly coverage of the Socceroos, Matildas, A-League and Australians playing around the world.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game

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01:07:17

16 August 2026

#105 - Nestory Irankunda joins Sporting, Sam Kerr makes history and Riley McGree returns

A massive week in Australian football sees Nestory Irankunda complete his move to Sporting CP, Lucas Herrington join Hull City, and Western United exit the A-Leagues. We also cover major Socceroo injuries, transfer battles, the return of an iconic Matilda, and another chaotic round of the Australia Cup.

In this episode

Nestory Irankunda joins Sporting CP on a five-year deal reportedly worth up to £17 million, with an €80 million release clause.

Lucas Herrington signs for Hull City in a deal worth around £17 million including add-ons. Could his Premier League debut come against Manchester United?

Cam Burgess suffers a ruptured Achilles, creating another headache for Socceroos centre-back depth.

Harry Souttar is at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war, with Sheffield United reportedly offering £8 million while Leicester want £10 million.

Cortnee Vine joins Melbourne City, adding another star to their squad.

Jaylan Pearman joins Swindon Town on loan for the season.

The latest Australian football results from England, Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Scandinavia, Japan, China, the USA and Canada.

Sam Kerr makes NWSL history, becoming the first player to reach 80 regular-season goals.

Tete Yengi continues his hot start in Japan, scoring in his second consecutive game as Machida Zelvia go top.

Yaya Dukuly is making waves in Slovenia, scoring again as Celje push for Champions League qualification.

A full WSL preview, with 13 Australians set to feature this season.

Western United's A-Leagues licence is terminated, while South Melbourne signal their interest in returning to the top flight.

The Australia Cup Round of 16 delivers penalties, red cards, giant-killings and plenty of drama, including South Melbourne, Lions FC, Sunshine Eagles and APIA Leichhardt progressing.

Adelaide United miss out on the AFC Champions League Elite but remain in contention for the second-tier competition.

Team of the Week returns, featuring stars from around the world.

WSL Preview

We look ahead to a new Women's Super League season featuring a strong Australian contingent, including Alana Kennedy, Ellie Carpenter, Mary Fowler, Clare Hunt, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross and more.

Team of the Week

GK: Oliver Kalac

DEF: Courtney Nevin, Alessandro Circati, Jake Girdwood-Reich, Johnny Koutroumbis

MID: Oscar Priestman, Josh Nisbet, Riley McGree

FWD: Yaya Dukuly, Tete Yengi, Sam Kerr

SUBS: Kahli Johnson, Amlani Tatu

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, leave a review and follow us for weekly coverage of the Socceroos, Matildas, A-League and Australians playing around the world.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game

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01:15:00