Melbourne City FC

ESPN's team of football writers have sat down to examine 10 of the most pressing issues facing the A-Leagues this offseason.

Even if they had not planned to get here this way, the A-League's new "Football Focused" era is exactly what the competition needs right now.

That Melbourne Victory beat Melbourne City 3-2 on penalties and advanced into the A-League semis is now a matter of historical record. Even with the contest long since decided, it still feels incredible that things worked out the way they did.

Socceroos striker Jamie Maclaren says it will be "bittersweet" to leave Melbourne City after a wildly successful A-League Men stint.

A rare return to a TV spot, and all its associated perks, for the A-League Women has provided a reminder that while this season has been one of tremendous growth, there is still some catching up to do.

Under-pressure Western Sydney coach Marko Rudan has failed to front up for his post-match press conference after a 7-0 thrashing from Melbourne City, the heaviest defeat in the club's history.

The A-League needs to work with and chase the Australian mainstream. Yet it cannot appeal to that audience without its core fanbase providing the point of difference football holds.

For Melby City duo James Jeggo and Rebekah Stott, both blood cancer survivors, the message that a cancer diagnosis doesn't have to define your life is one close to their hearts.

Last year, the Christmas Derby gave A-League fans a reason to stay away. This season, the task of bringing them back continues.

A fan who hit Melbourne City keeper Tom Glover in the face with a metal bucket during a pitch invasion last year had his jail term overturned on Friday.