Queensland Roar: First Two Seasons Quiz

Answer: New Zealand Knights

New Zealand Knights only lasted the first two seasons of the A-League. They were subsequently replaced in the A-League for Season Three by Wellington Phoenix. Many Roar fans may breathe a sigh of relief at the Knights' demise. During season two they were somewhat of a bogey team, defeating the Roar twice.

Answer: Orange shirts, blue shorts, maroon socks

The choice of colours is one that, at least at the club's inception, drew criticism from some quarters that it showed too many connections to Queensland Lions (the local football team, not the national AFL team). The orange is representative of the Dutch influence on the club that later became Brisbane, then Queensland, Lions. That club was originally known as Hollandia, a name that was dropped when attempts were made by the then governing body to lessen the ethnic aspect of the game.

The reason for this was to market football to the greater Australian public (an attempt to shed the perception that the round ball game was only played by foreigners) and also to try to water down some of the ethnic-related violence that had blighted the game. Out went names like Hellenic, Polonia, Hollandia and Azzurri.

In all, the issue of Queensland Roar having that former affiliation is not one that appears to have made any difference. The maroon shorts are an obvious link to Queensland.

Answer: Suncorp Stadium

Suncorp Stadium (more affectionately known as Lang Park to old-timers) is a magnificent football stadium within walking distance of Brisbane's central business district. With a capacity of around 50000 spectators, it is also the home to the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League team and the Queensland Reds Rugby Union team. Perry Park is nominally the home of Queensland Football but it's heydey is well since past. I can remember my father taking me there in the 70's to watch touring teams such as Dundee, Birmingham City and Aberdeen. I recall being there on the night that Australia defeated the might of Glasgow Rangers.

Ballymore is the home of Rugby Union in Queensland. In mid-2007 it was announced that Ballymore will be redeveloped and will become a Rugby Centre of Excellence. The Australian National Rugby team will be nominally based there.

The 'Gabba' is the nickname of the Brisbane Cricket Ground (located in the suburb of Wooloongabba). It is the home ground of the Brisbane Lions AFL team. It has hosted football matches - The Author watched South Africa defeat Brazil 3-1 in a group stage game of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Answer: Matt McKay

Matt McKay, an energetic, competitive midfielder, was sent off twice during the first season. Matteo Corbo from Newcastle Jets emulated McKay's record in that inaugural year. For the record, Michael Baird and Spase Dilevski also received their marching orders that season, albeit only once.

Answer: Tae-Yong Shin

Queensland Roar's Korean import Tae-Yong Shin retired from playing after specialist advice regarding an ankle injury. He remained at the club to assist Coach Miron Blieberg. Tae-Yong, an experienced Korean International, has written a book on the art of the free kick. Regrettably for Tae-Yong, he is best (perhaps, only) remembered by Roar fans for a glaring open goal miss during that solitary 27 minutes, against the New Zealand Knights in the Roar's inaugural game.

The ball was centered across goal, the Goalie was beaten, and he had 192 square feet of empty net staring him in the face. Stick out the foot or lower the head to the ball were the obvious options.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion! He tried to chest the ball into the goal. Suffice to say, it didn't work. Of the other Korean players listed, all were contracted to English clubs during 2006-2007; Park Ji-sung (Manchester United), Lee Young-pyo (Tottenham Hotspur) and Seol Ki-hyeon (Reading).

Answer: Five

Queensland Roar won 5-0 away in Newcastle in the second last match of the 2005-2006 season. In the following season, they won their fourth match 5-0 at home to New Zealand Knights.

Answer: No

The Roar gained a reputation for entertaining, attacking football during their first two seasons in the league. However, their lack of finishing ability during the first two seasons was effectively the cause of their failure to reach the finals.

Answer: Alex Brosque and Dario Vidosic

Alex Brosque started the first season slowly but ended with a flourish, scoring a total of eight goals. During the off-season he transferred to League Champions Sydney F.C. in the hope of obtaining greater honours. It didn't happen, although he did return to haunt Queensland in the final match of the second season and scored the goal which finished the Roar's hopes of making the finals. Dario Vidosic managed just five goals during the second season, yet he was the top scorer for the club! He was transferred during the following offseason to the German Bundesliga team, F.C. Nurnberg.

Answer: Central Coast Mariners

Intriguingly, the first five matches between the two sides all ended in draws. In the last meeting of the second season, Queensland Roar won 3-2 away from home.

Answer: Hyuk-Su Seo

Hyuk-Su Seo appeared in every game for Queensland Roar during the first two seasons (42 in total), only being substituted for a total of 45 minutes. Matt McKay appeared in 38 games, Spase Dilevski 34 and Massimo Murdocca 30. Murdocca, and to a lesser extent, Dilevski, were hindered during the second season by injury.

Answer: Alex Brosque

Alex Brosque tops the list after the first two seasons with an aggregate of eight goals. They were all scored during his one and only season (the first season) playing for Queensland Roar. Michael Baird was next on the list with six (again, all in the first season), the Brazilian Reinaldo has also scored six in two years, whilst Dario Vidosic has 5 goals, all scored during the second season.

Answer: Frank Farina

Miron Bleiberg was an attack-minded coach who got Queensland Roar playing entertaining football from the outset. Regrettably, his team were sometimes incapable of turning their possession into goals. Inevitably, halfway through season two, he got the flick and former Australian Coach Frank Farina was brought in to replace him. Farina is a Queenslander by birth and also Captain-Coached the Brisbane Strikers to their one and only N.S.L. (National Soccer League, the National competition replaced by the A-League) in 1997. Certainly, Roar fans are hoping he can take their side one step further than he was ever able to take the National team.

Answer: Matt McKay

Matt McKay came on as a substitute for Australia in their 2-0 victory against Kuwait in their Asian Cup Qualifier, in August 2006. Dilevski and Vidosic have represented Australia, but not at full senior level. Andrew Packer was a member of Sydney F.C.s Grand Final winning side in the inaugural season of the A-League.

Answer: Tando Velaphi

Tando Velaphi played his one and only game for Queensland Roar under very strange circumstances. Regular Goalkeeper Liam Reddy was suspended for violent conduct and the back-up Goalie Tom Willis was unavailable with a broken collarbone. Whilst Griffin McMaster was already the reserve Keeper at the Roar, Frank Farina decided instead to loan Velaphi on a one match deal from Perth Glory. Velaphi's task could hardly have been greater, facing runaway league leaders Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome in a game that Queensland had to win to maintain any hopes of making the finals. For the record, fairy tales do come true. Velaphi played a blinder, and the Roar scored a late goal to sneak away with a 2-1 victory.

Answer: Sydney F.C.

It didn't happen, despite a record Roar crowd cheering their team on. Queensland could only manage a 1-1 draw and missed out on making the finals on goal difference. As so often seems to happen in football, an ex-Queensland player returned to haunt his team, Alex Brosque scoring the Sydney goal which ensured that his team made the finals.