Australia A-League top scorers of all time

In this article, we want to have a brief review on the A-League top scorers of all time!

updated 1 month ago

Australia A-League top scorers of all time

The A-League is the Australian Premier League, which has been hosted by the Australian Football Association since 2004 following the collapse of the Australian National Football League. In this article, we want to have a brief review on the A-League top scorers ever!

Twelve teams will take part in the tournament, of which Australia will have 11 teams and New Zealand will have 1 team. Because Hyundai has sponsored the competition from the beginning, it is officially known as the Hyundai Premier League.

Because this league has a short life, making a list of the top scorers in A-League of all time is not a difficult task, and to know the A-League top goal scorers ever, it is enough to take a look at the statistics of the league records from 2004 until today.

In the following, we will briefly introduce the Australian A-League, and then, reviewing the statistics and scores of the last 15 years of this league, we will provide a list of the A-League top scorers ever!

Australia A-League top scorers of all time!

In order to make a list of A-League highest goal scorers of all time, we must first know the Australian A-League.

Everything about the Australia A-League history

The A-League is the highest level professional men's soccer league in Australia. These competitions are at the top of the Australian league system and are the main football competitions in this country.

The A-League was established in 2004 by the Football Association of Australia (FFA) as the successor to the National Football League (NSL), and the first round of competition began in August 2005. Because Hyundai has sponsored the competition from the beginning, it is officially known as the Hyundai Premier League.

Every regular season is held from early October to April of the following year. These competitions are held in 27 rounds in which each team plays three times with other teams. Teams that have two home games against an opponent in one season will have a home game against that opponent next season.

In each match, the winning team earns three match points, each draw has one point and no points are awarded for the loss. In the end, after summing up all the points, the club at the top wins the Premier League and gets the title of " Premier".

At the end of the regular season, the top six teams in the league table advance to the final series. If two or more teams are level on points, the following criteria are applied in order until one of the teams can be determined as the higher ranked:

Highest goal difference;
Highest number of goals scored;
Highest number of points accumulated in matches between the teams concerned;
Highest goal difference in matches between the teams concerned;
Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams concerned;
Lowest number of red cards accumulated;
Lowest number of yellow cards accumulated;
Toss of a coin.

The final series lasts more than three weeks, during which all games face a sudden elimination. Finally, a major knockout final is played to make the overall decision about League A competition. The club that wins the grand final is named the "Champion". This differs from the other major football codes in Australia, where 'premier' refers to the winner of the grand final and the winner of the regular season is the 'minor premier'.

Since the league's opening season, a total of seven clubs have been named top A-League teams and six clubs A-League champions. The current top team is Perth Glory, which won for the first time in the 2018-2019 A-league season. The current champions are the Sydney FC who won the grand final of the 2019 A-League.

Successful A-League clubs compete in Asian continental club competition. Western Sydney Wanderers are the first and only Australian club to win these competitions in 2014.

The Australian A-League, like the US and Canadian Premier Leagues, as well as other professional sports leagues in Australia, does not promote or relegate. In addition, the A-League does not recognize its past history, the National Football League (NSL), which was the country's premier football competition from 1977 to 2004.

In order to determine the highest goal scorers in A-League of all time, in the following we will first review the goals records of the Australian A-League, then we will present a list of the all-time top goal scorers in A-League's history and after that, we will briefly introduce each of these top scorers in the Australian A-League.

Goals records of the Australia A-League

The goals records of Australia A-League are as follows:

Most goals scored in a season: 64, Sydney FC (2017–18)
Fewest goals scored in a season: 13, New Zealand Knights (2006–07)
Most goals conceded in a season: 70, Central Coast Mariners (2015–16)
Fewest goals conceded in a season: 12, Sydney FC (2016–17)
Best goal difference in a season: +43, Sydney FC (2016–17)
Worst goal difference in a season: –37, Central Coast Mariners (2015–16)
Most goals scored at home in a season: 35, Melbourne City (2015–16)
Most goals scored away in a season: 30, Sydney FC (2016–17)
Fewest goals scored at home in a season: 8, New Zealand Knights (2006–07)
Fewest goals scored away in a season: 4, New Zealand Knights (2005–06)
Most goals conceded at home in a season: 32, Central Coast Mariners (2015–16)
Most goals conceded away in a season: 38, Central Coast Mariners (2015–16)
Fewest goals conceded at home in a season: 4, Sydney FC (2016–17)
Fewest goals conceded away in a season: 8, Western Sydney Wanderers (2012–13), Sydney FC (2016–17)
Most clean sheets in a season: 16, Sydney FC (2016–17)
Fewest clean sheets in a season: 0, Central Coast Mariners (2015–16)
Fewest failures to score in a match in a season: 3, Brisbane Roar (2010–11)
Most goals scored in total: 524, Melbourne Victory
Most goals conceded in total: 479, Newcastle Jets

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The list of top scorers in A-League of all time

The list of highest goal scorers in A-League of all time is as follows:

Besart Berisha: Goals: 131, Games: 205, Goals per game: 0.64, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2011–12, Last goal: 2019–20
Shane Smeltz: Goals: 92, Games: 190, Goals per game: 0.48, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2007–08, Last goal: 2016–17
Archie Thompson: Goals: 90, Games: 224, Goals per game: 0.40, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2005–06, Last goal: 2015–16
Alex Brosque: Goals: 75, Games: 243, Goals per game: 0.31, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2005–06, Last goal: 2018–19
Jamie Maclaren: Goals: 74, Games: 120, Goals per game: 0.62, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2013–14, Last goal: 2019–20
Kosta Barbarouses: Goals: 68, Games: 226, Goals per game: 0.30, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2007–08, Last goal: 2019–20
Mark Bridge: Goals: 63, Games: 251, Goals per game: 0.25, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2005–06, Last goal: 2018–19
Bruno Fornaroli: Goals: 60, Games: 90, Goals per game: 0.67, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2015–16, Last goal: 2019–20
Matt Simon: Goals: 56, Games: 258, Goals per game: 0.22, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2006–07, Last goal: 2019–20
Andy Keogh: Goals: 55, Games: 122, Goals per game: 0.45, Playing position: Forward, First goal: 2014–15, Last goal: 2018–19

All-time top goal scorers in A-League history

Let's have a look at A-League top scorers of all time.

Besart Berisha

Personal information

Date of birth: 29 July 1985 (age 35)
Place of birth: Pristina, SFR Yugoslavia
Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position: Striker

Club information

Current team: Western United
Number: 18

Youth career

1994–1998: Berliner VB 49
1998–1999: Berliner FC Dynamo
1999–2000: TSV Lichtenberg
2000–2003: SV Lichtenberg
2003–2004: Tennis Borussia Berlin

Senior career

2003–2004: Team: Tennis Borussia Berlin, Appearances: 4, Goals: 1
2004–2007: Team: Hamburger SV, Appearances: 12, Goals: 1
2005: Team: → Aalborg (loan) , Appearances: 2, , Goals: 0
2005–2006: Team: → Horsens (loan) , Appearances: 32, Goals: 11
2007–2009: Team: Burnley, Appearances: 0, Goals: 0
2008: Team: → Rosenborg (loan) , Appearances: 8, Goals: 3
2009: Team: → Horsens (loan) , Appearances: 13, Goals: 4
2010–2011: Team: Arminia Bielefeld, Appearances: 28, Goals: 2
2011–2014: Team: Brisbane Roar, Appearances: 76, Goals: 48
2014–2018: Team: Melbourne Victory, Appearances: 110, Goals: 68
2018–2019: Team: Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Appearances: 6, Goals: 0
2019– : Team: Western United, Appearances: 27, Goals: 19

National team

2006–2009: Team: Albania, Appearances: 17, Goals: 1
2017: Team: Kosovo, Appearances: 1, Goals: 0

Shane Smeltz

Personal information

Full name: Shane Edward Smeltz
Date of birth: 29 September 1981 (age 38)
Place of birth: Göppingen, West Germany
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position: Striker

Club information

Current team: Gold Coast United
Number: 19

Youth career

1997–1998: QAS

Senior career

1999: Team: Gold Coast City
1999–2001: Team: Brisbane Strikers, Appearances: 25, Goals: 0
2001–2002: Team: Napier City Rovers, Appearances: 21, Goals: 20
2002–2003: Team: Adelaide City, Appearances: 23, Goals: 7
2003–2004: Team: Adelaide United, Appearances: 7, Goals: 1
2004: Team: MetroStars, Appearances: 8, Goals: 2
2005: Team: Mansfield Town, Appearances: 5, Goals: 0
2005–2006: Team: AFC Wimbledon, Appearances: 42, Goals: 19
2006–2007: Team: Halifax Town, Appearances: 31, Goals: 2
2007–2009: Team: Wellington Phoenix, Appearances: 39, Goals: 21
2009–2010: Team: Gold Coast United, Appearances: 28, Goals: 21
2010–2011: Team: Gençlerbirliği, Appearances: 6, Goals: 1
2011: Team: Gold Coast United, Appearances: 10, Goals: 7
2011–2014: Team: Perth Glory, Appearances: 58, Goals: 28
2014–2016: Team: Sydney, Appearances: 43, Goals: 12
2016: Team: Kedah FA, Appearances: 18, Goals: 11
2016–2017: Team: Wellington Phoenix, Appearances: 12, Goals: 3
2017: Team: Borneo, Appearances: 20, Goals: 5
2020– : Team: Gold Coast United, Appearances: 7, Goals: 7

National team

2001: Team: New Zealand U-20
2004: Team: New Zealand U-23, Appearances: 5, Goals: 7
2003–2017: Team: New Zealand, Appearances: 58, Goals: 24

Archie Thompson

Personal information

Full name: Archibald Gerald Thompson
Date of birth: 23 October 1978 (age 41)
Place of birth : Otorohanga, Waikato, New Zealand
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing positions: Striker / Winger

Club information

Current team: Essendon Royals

Youth career

Lithgow Rangers
Twin City Wanderers
1994–1995: NSWIS

Senior career

1995–1996: Team: Bathurst '75, Appearances: 16, Goals: 9
1996–1999: Team: Gippsland Falcons, Appearances: 43, Goals: 10
1999–2000: Team: Carlton SC, Appearances: 53, Goals: 23
2001: Team: Marconi Stallions, Appearances: 13, Goals: 6
2001–2005: Team: Lierse, Appearances: 90, Goals: 28
2005–2016: Team: Melbourne Victory, Appearances: 224, Goals: 90
2006: Team: → PSV (loan) , Appearances: 2, Goals: 0
2016: Team: Heidelberg United, Appearances: 2, Goals: 0
2017–2019: Team: Murray United, Appearances: 38, Goals: 12
2019: Team: Racing Murcia, Appearances: 1, Goals: 1
2020–: Team: Essendon Royals, Appearances: 0, Goals: 0

National team

1998–2008: Team: Australia U-23, Appearances: 10, Goals: 1
2001–2013: Team: Australia, Appearances: 54, Goals: 28

Alex Brosque

Personal information

Full name: Alex Jason Brosque
Date of birth; 12 October 1983 (age 36)
Place of birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height: 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing positions: Forward / Winger

Youth career

2001: AIS

Senior career

2001–2004: Team: Marconi Stallions, Appearances: 55, Goals: 13
2004–2005: Team: Feyenoord, Appearances: 0, Goals: 0
2004–2005: Team: → Westerlo (loan) , Appearances: 16, Goals: 2
2005–2006: Team: Brisbane Roar, Appearances: 21, Goals: 8
2006–2011: Team: Sydney FC, Appearances: 104, Goals: 30
2011–2012: Team: Shimizu S-Pulse, Appearances: 56, Goals: 13
2012–2014: Team: Al Ain, Appearances: 39, Goals: 14
2014–2019: Team: Sydney FC, Appearances: 118, Goals: 37

National team

2002–2003: Team: Australia U-20, Appearances: 9, Goals: 4
2004: Team: Australia U-23, Appearances: 5, Goals: 2
2004–2013: Team: Australia, Appearances: 21, Goals: 5

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Jamie Maclaren

Personal information

Full name: Jamie Maclaren
Date of birth: 29 July 1993 (age 27)
Place of birth: Sunbury, Australia
Height: 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position: Striker

Club information

Current team: Melbourne City
Number: 9

Youth career

1998–2003: Sunbury United
2003–2009: Green Gully
2009–2013: Blackburn Rovers

Senior career

2013–2015: Team: Perth Glory, Appearances: 38, Goals: 11
2014–2015: Team: Perth Glory NPL, Appearances: 5, Goals: 11
2015–2017: Team: Brisbane Roar, Appearances: 53, Goals: 40
2017–2019: Team: SV Darmstadt 98, Appearances: 7, Goals: 0
2018–2019: Team: → Hibernian (loan), Appearances: 27, Goals: 9
2019–: Team: Melbourne City, Appearances: 34, Goals: 28

National team

2011: Team: Scotland U19, Appearances: 2, Goals: 0
2012–2013: Team: Australia U20, Appearances: 17, Goals: 9
2014–2016: Team: Australia U23, Appearances: 15, Goals: 9
2016– : Team: Australia, Appearances: 15, Goals: 5

Kosta Barbarouses

Personal information

Full name: Konstantinos Barbarouses
Date of birth: 19 February 1990 (age 30)
Place of birth: Wellington, New Zealand
Height: 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position: Winger

Club information

Current team: Sydney FC
Number: 11

Youth career

1995–2000: Miramar Rangers
2001–2005: Wellington Olympic

Senior career

2005–2007: Team: Team Wellington, Appearances: 19, Goals: 2
2007–2010: Team: Wellington Phoenix, Appearances: 20, Goals: 8
2008: Team: → Macarthur Rams (loan), Appearances: 10, Goals: 1
2010–2011: Team: Brisbane Roar, Appearances: 33, Goals: 12
2011–2013: Team: Alania Vladikavkaz, Appearances: 13, Goals: 2
2012–2013: Team: → Panathinaikos (loan), Appearances: 11, Goals: 0
2013–2016: Team: Melbourne Victory, Appearances: 121, Goals: 32
2016–2017: Team: Wellington Phoenix, Appearances: 25, Goals: 10
2017–2019: Team: Melbourne Victory, Appearances: 51, Goals: 32
2019– : Team: Sydney FC, Appearances: 28, Goals: 8

National team

2006–2007: Team: New Zealand U17, Appearances: 19, Goals: 16
2008–2009: Team: New Zealand U20, Appearances: 3, Goals: 2
2008: Team: New Zealand U23, Appearances: 5, Goals: 4
2008–: Team: New Zealand, Appearances: 47, Goals: 4

Mark Bridge

Personal information

Full name: Mark Robert Bridge
Date of birth: 7 November 1985 (age 34)
Place of birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position: Forward

Club information

Current team: Mounties Wanderers

Youth career

Parramatta Eagles

Senior career

2003–2004: Team: Parramatta Power, Appearances: 5, Goals: 0
2005–2008: Team: Newcastle Jets, Appearances: 50, Goals: 13
2008–2012: Team: Sydney FC, Appearances: 80, Goals: 17
2009: Team: → Tianjin Teda (loan), Appearances: 2, Goals: 0
2012–2016: Team: Western Sydney Wanderers, Appearances: 95, Goals: 28
2016–2017: Team: Chiangrai United, Appearances: 14, Goals: 7
2017–2019: Team: Western Sydney Wanderers, Appearances: 26, Goals: 5
2019– : Team: Mounties Wanderers, Appearances: 7, Goals: 0

National team

2004–2005: Team: Australia U20, Appearances: 9, Goals: 9
2006–2008: Team: Australia U23, Appearances: 23, Goals: 3
2008: Team: Australia, Appearances: 2, Goals: 0

Bruno Fornaroli

Personal information

Full name: Bruno Fornaroli Mezza
Date of birth: 7 September 1987 (age 33)
Place of birth: Salto, Uruguay
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position: Forward

Club information

Current team: Perth Glory
Number: 9

Youth career

2005–2007: Nacional

Senior career

2006–2008: Team: Nacional, Appearances: 29, Goals: 15
2008–2012: Team: Sampdoria, Appearances: 11, Goals: 0
2009: Team: → San Lorenzo (loan), Appearances: 12, Goals: 2
2009–2010: Team: → Recreativo Huelva (loan), Appearances: 17, Goals: 2
2011: Team: → Nacional (loan), Appearances: 9, Goals: 4
2012–2013: Team: Panathinaikos, Appearances: 17, Goals: 0
2014–2015: Team: Danubio, Appearances: 25, Goals: 5
2014: Team: → Figueirense (loan), Appearances: 0, Goals: 0
2015–2019: Team: Melbourne City, Appearances: 70, Goals: 48
2019–: Team: Perth Glory, Appearances: 28, Goals: 13

National team

2003: Team: Uruguay U17

Matt Simon

Personal information

Full name: Matthew Blake Simon
Date of birth: 22 January 1986 (age 34)
Place of birth: Sydney, Australia
Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position: Forward

Club information

Current team: Central Coast Mariners
Number: 19

Youth career

Wyoming
East Gosford

Senior career

2005–2006: Team: Central Coast Lightning, Appearances: 35, Goals: 8
2006–2012: Team: Central Coast Mariners, Appearances: 114, Goals: 36
2012–2013: Team: Jeonnam Dragons, Appearances: 6, Goals: 0
2013–2015: Team: Central Coast Mariners, Appearances: 33, Goals: 5
2015–2018: Team: Sydney FC, Appearances: 67, Goals: 5
2018–: Team: Central Coast Mariners, Appearances: 43, Goals: 10

National team

2008: Team: Australia U-23, Appearances: 10, Goals: 5
2009: Team: Australia, Appearances: 2, Goals: 0

Andy Keogh

Personal information

Full name: Andrew Declan Keogh
Date of birth: 16 May 1986 (age 34)
Place of birth: Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positions: Striker/Winger

Club information

Current team: North East United FC
Number: 9

Youth career

Cabinteely
St Josephs Boys AFC
Leeds United

Senior career

2003–2005: Team: Leeds United, Appearances: 1, Goals: 0
2004: Team: → Scunthorpe United (loan), Appearances: 12, Goals: 2
2005: Team: → Bury (loan), Appearances: 4, Goals: 2
2005–2007: Team: Scunthorpe United, Appearances: 97, Goals: 23
2007–2012: Team: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Appearances: 129, Goals: 23
2010–2011: Team: → Cardiff City (loan), Appearances: 18, Goals: 2
2011: Team: → Bristol City (loan), Appearances: 9, Goals: 1
2011–2012: Team: → Leeds United (loan), Appearances: 24, Goals: 2
2012–2014: Team: Millwall, Appearances: 78, Goals: 18
2014: Team: → Blackpool (loan), Appearances: 14, Goals: 3
2014–2015: Team: Perth Glory, Appearances: 32, Goals: 17
2015: Team: Ratchaburi Mitr Phol, Appearances: 8, Goals: 0
2016–2019: Team: Perth Glory, Appearances: 96, Goals: 43
2019: Team: Al-Qadsiah, Appearances: 17, Goals: 8
2020–: Team: North East United FC, Appearances: 7, Goals: 1

National team

2006: Team: Republic of Ireland B, Appearances: 2, Goals: 1
2006–2008: Team: Republic of Ireland U21, Appearances: 4, Goals: 3
2007–2012: Team: Republic of Ireland, Appearances: 30, Goals: 2

Teams managed

2017–2018: Inglewood United

Looking at the list of A-League top goal scorers ever, we see that there are different players with different backgrounds and experiences among the A-League top scorers of all time. Some of these players have non-Australian nationalities and have come to Australia from different leagues and managed to be among the A-League highest goal scorers ever.

Given that the careers of many of the top players on the list of A-League top scorers of all time are not over yet, it is possible that the position of these players in the list of the top goal scorers in A-League history change over the years.

In addition, with the start of each season of the tournament, football fans in Australia expect new surprises, and each season it is possible to set a new record in the list of A-League top scorers ever with the shining of a new star or pride creation of one of the players present.

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