Coach’s Brisbane Roar ‘warning’ & his big Socceroo update: ‘More ammunition for us’

Melbourne Victory head coach Arthur Diles issued a warning to Brisbane Roar ahead of Friday night’s showdown at Suncorp Stadium: Underestimate the four-time champions at your own peril.

Victory make their way to Brisbane this week for a Round 6 showdown against an in-form Roar side sitting fifth in the standings.

Diles’ Victory on the other hand are 10th in the standings after back-to-back defeats – a Melbourne Derby loss to rivals Melbourne City followed by a 3-0 Big Blue defeat away to Sydney FC.

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Heading into Friday night, Diles was asked about an opinion article that asked the question – ‘Has there ever been a better time to face Melbourne Victory?’.

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“That’s music to my ears,” he told reporters. “I haven’t read or seen anything, nor do I read or see anything.

“But anyone that wants to look at us in that way, that’s on them. That’s more ammunition for us.

“We’re a team that might not be where we need to be right now. We’re a team that’s got a lot of fight in us, a lot of quality in us, and this will be turned around.

“Anyone that wants to treat us lightly or tread differently, that’s a warning to them.”

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Meanwhile, Victory are set to be boosted by the return of CommBank Socceroos forward Nishan Velupillay.

Velupillay – who enjoyed a breakout campaign for club and country in 2024-25 – is yet to play this season after sustaining a hamstring injury in pre-season, having undergone surgery in the off-season following an ankle problem that ruled him out of the 2025 Grand Final.

But the 24-year-old is in line to feature against Brisbane.

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“Nish is back, which is fantastic for us,” Diles said. “It’s something that we’ve been waiting for a very long time and been treading carefully to make sure we do everything we can in his recovery to put him in the best physical condition when he does come back and he’s ready.

“We anticipate that he’ll be part of the squad that travels to Brisbane, and we look forward to giving him game time, whether that’s from the start or coming off the bench. He’s ready to go, and we’re looking forward to having him.”