The very best of the 2017 A-League Grand Final Twitter chat

IT’S the biggest week of the year on the A-League and the Twitterverse has gone football mad this week, taking to the popular social media platform to give its collective force on the biggest of Big Blues.

Melbourne Victory heads north to take on the all conquering Sydney FC in a battle of the two best teams in the A-League.

And it looks like a doozy.

Victory, given the Sky Blues’ remarkable season, starts as a long outsider, but they certainly have the match winning talent to head north and cause the biggest of upsets.

Whatever happens, the build up has been massive and here’s what Twitter users had to say about the biggest week in Australian soccer.

We had to first find out who would play off in the decider and first it was Sydney FC, which easily won its way into the grand final with a dominant 3-0 win over Perth Glory in the semi final.

. @SydneyFC hosting @ALeague grand final after defeating @PerthGloryFC 3-0 #ALfinals. Crowd 21,938 @Allianzstadium @abcgrandstand #SYDvPER pic.twitter.com/cU8qO5o48x

— Shannon Byrne (@shannonbyrne23) April 29, 2017

There was plenty of controversy in the match, with two big decisions involving the A-League’s new VAR video review system.

Two disallowed goals to the Sky Blues — their second and third — were overturned by video assistant referee (VAR) Strebre Delovksi, allowing them to surge to a 3-0 lead by half-time and the game was over.

Fans were divided over the decision.

For me, technology should be used to determine decisions that are black and white, and obviously any mistakes from that. #ALeague #SYDvPER

— Tommy Doleman (@TommyDoleman) May 1, 2017

If VAR was in the for the whole #Aleague season #SydneyFC would've gone undefeated 😉 #SYDvPER

— THE MAGIC MAN (@paulmiguel6) April 30, 2017

A lot of criticism towards VAR – on balance, a good addition. Ppl always complaining about refs, this will drastically improve it. #SYDvPER

— Andrew K (@andrew1116) April 30, 2017

If the VAR has proved 1 thing it's that fans are one eyed and will love/hate it depending on which way the decision goes #ALFinals #SYDvPER

— Crossy (@Crossy333) April 29, 2017

https://twitter.com/Matt2146/status/858401219018014720

Just home from #SYDvPER ,the VAR will ruin soccer.
Full bloody stop

— Mick Attarian (@pmens72) April 29, 2017

VAR or not, Josh Brillante fired in what just might be the best goal of the season, a stunning, long range cracker that was the biggest indicator of the Sky Blues’ dominance.

https://twitter.com/BlastingMaria/status/858307862493376512

The worst part about last night is the VAR overshadowed Brillante's goal @adampeacock3 @DanielGarb #SYDvPER #JustBrillante @SydneyFC

— Byron Gulpers (@Bozza26) April 29, 2017

Victory was next to book its date in the big dance, controlling the game, but not the scoreboard, until the great man stepped up.

By the great man, we mean the A-League’s all time leading goal scorer Besart Berisha, whose fearless header was the only goal that separated Victory from the Brisbane Roar in the semi.

https://twitter.com/kosovanfooty/status/858634569410596864

Sydney FC’s superstar midfielder Milos Ninkovic was crowned the A-League’s best player with the Johnny Warren Medal at the Dolan Warren end of season awards.

The @ALeague Johnny Warren Medalist @SydneyFC Milos Ninkovic #football #dolanwarren #dolanwarrenawards @abcgrandstand pic.twitter.com/36mVwvTmMB

— Shannon Byrne (@shannonbyrne23) May 1, 2017

It's amazing just how much of a gap there is between Ninkovic and the rest considering how many quality players Sydney have. #DolanWarren

— Kristian Bouboukis (@paranoidpixie95) May 1, 2017

https://twitter.com/SBSRadioSport/status/858989963140100096

But Berisha stole some of the limelight, sharing the Golden Boot with Brisbane Roar’s Jamie MacLaren and receiving a plaque for being the only man in the history of the competition with a century of goals.

https://twitter.com/kosovanfooty/status/859001615692517376

Besart Berisha gets plaque for his 100th goal @FFA Dolan Warren Awards in #Sydney. pic.twitter.com/QECnmhE4Zk

— Patrick Galloway (@pat11g) May 1, 2017

And there was plenty of respect for the guy he shared it with, the Roar’s attacking supremo.

https://twitter.com/ScottManto/status/859230650771156993

The controversy over the Grand Final started early, with the Allianz Stadium pitch copping a hammering.

No one has been happy with the condition of the deck in Sydney and Melbourne Victory’s Daniel Georgievski decided he wasn’t having it, firing up and calling it “dreadful” – saying basically what every one was thinking.

Surface tension over state of Allianz pitch: MELBOURNE Victory defender Daniel Georgievski… https://t.co/IUDCxqWci4

— marvelous (@marvellous997) May 1, 2017

That pitch is going to look dreadful in the A-League final. Rugby match at Allianz the night before, yikes.

— Justin 𝕏 (@FutbolJustin) May 2, 2017

AAMI park has as much, if not more use than Allianz. SCG trust would be stupid not to look at there set up and give it a go. Perfect pitch

— 50ShadesofJay (@JayJayK75) May 2, 2017

And Victory star Marco Rojas backed him up.

NEWS | Allianz A-League pitch concerns for All White Marco Rojas https://t.co/W4NxY4hw0L pic.twitter.com/3mGZfrDBWy

— Yellow Fever Ngā Wana Kōwhai (@YellowFever_NZ) May 2, 2017

And there was some suggestions that the NSW Waratahs clash with the Auckland Blues should have their match moved from Allianz in a bid to protect the surface.

Tonight @SBSNews 7.15pm, latest re: push to relocate Waratahs' Rugby match to save pitch for Sunday's @ALeague Grand Final @Adrian_Arciuli pic.twitter.com/7KMuNRNCmI

— Robert Grasso (@RobertGrasso) May 2, 2017

But that was quickly quashed by the ‘Tahs, who clearly couldn’t give a stuff about some roundball game.

https://twitter.com/Jodan_Perry/status/859285830258446336

Jarred Gillett was named the referee and it didn’t take long for people to note that he was the man who was in control back in 2012 when Berisha was controversially awarded a penalty in the dying stages of the grand final – a penalty he would ultimately convert and give the Roar a 2-1 win over the Perth Glory.

Jarred Gillett refereeing an #aleague grand final featuring Besart Berisha. pic.twitter.com/7dypvbTgza

— Lincoln Bertelli (@LincolnBertelli) May 2, 2017

There were worries about a Sky Blues’ gun

Bernie Ibini has been classed as "touch and go" by Graham Arnold to make the #ALeagueGF #SydneyFC

— Dave (@DavidLewis31) May 2, 2017

The A-League players raised their collective middle fingers to the FFA over their pay deal, reportedly storming out of talks on Tuesday.

A-League Media Watch: Clubs walk out of meeting, Gillett gets grand final, Allianz pitch admission https://t.co/AVEsmxiSuz via @foxsportsaus

— Dr Ronan Lee (@Ronan_Lee) May 2, 2017

But it didn’t matter the fans were still excited as tickets to the big game began to fly off Ticketek’s virtual shelves.

https://twitter.com/Mitchclark18/status/859304427659837440

So whether you’re backing the Sydney siders to cap their historic season.

Grand Final @ALeague tickets sorted. Let's go @SydneyFC #SydneyIsSkyBlue #ALEAGUEGF

— əηr!qμe (@enrique___9) May 1, 2017

Big blue @ALeague GF tickets in the bag. Can taste the beers already. Come on lads!! @SydneyFC

— Daniel Meta (@danielmets) May 1, 2017

Or hope the Victory can cause a huge upset.

We'll be backing the Dark Blues this Sunday…Go Melbourne Victory!

— Metro Trains (@metrotrains) May 2, 2017

I actually like victory as my second team, but even that aside, I go ANYONE but Sydney FC

— WoofDook&Meow (@Spookywanluke) May 1, 2017

At the end of the day, Australian football is the real winner here.