Brisbane Roar vs Macarthur FC Tips & Predictions - Macarthur backed for opening win on the road

Both sides missed out on the finals last season and will be targeting a winning start to the new campaign here. Brisbane had a shocking start to the term and never recovered, notably losing their first seven games at Suncorp, while Macarthur were left decimated in the January transfer window and swiftly tumbled down the ladder and out of the top six as of a result.

I think Macarthur are good value as the underdogs here. Mile Sterjovski has quietly assembled one of the strongest rosters on paper in the competition, headlined by a Socceroos midfield pairing of Luke Brattan and Anthony Cacares. The Roar have a lot to prove under Michael Valkanis - they've been anchored near the bottom of the ladder for a while now and there's not much player movement in the offseason to suggest significant change for this campaign. I'm backing Macarthur, with both teams finding the back of the net.

Macarthur have won the last three meetings between the sides, including a most-recent 5-1 demolition in April of this year.

It was another hugely disappointing season for the Roar last season, with the team finishing in second-last position on the ladder, winning just five games - and three of them came at the end of the campaign when a lot of teams had shut up shop for the season.

To be blunt, Valkanis has a truckload of work to do in order to make this Brisbane side competitive.

The Roar didn't even have an Australia Cup campaign to warm up for the new season, losing the playoff 1-0 to Wellington Phoenix back in May.

Michael Ruhs will be the key man as he looks to build on an impressive last season, while fans will be hoping former Burnley striker Chris Long can provide some goals in attack.

Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Dean BOUZANIS, 2. Youstin SALAS, 3. Dimitri VALKANIS, 7. Jacob BRAZETE, 8. Samuel KLEIN, 9. Christopher LONG, 10. Georgios VRAKAS, 11. Macklin FREKE, 12. Lucas HERRINGTON, 13. Henry HORE, 15. Hosine BIILITY, 16.Matthew DENCH, 17. Justin VIDIC, 19. Michael RUHS, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 23. James McGARRY, 26. James O’SHEA (C), 31.Noah MAIERONI, 44.Jordan LAUTON, 77. Milorad STAJIC

Macarthur endured a tough end to last season, winning just two of their last 11 games to drop outside of the top six and miss out on the finals.

The Bulls will also have the added challenge of competing in the AFC Champions League 2 this season - something that Sydney FC struggled with last season.

After a quarter-final exit to the Newcastle Jets in their Australia Cup title defence, Macarthur bounced back to register an impressive 3-0 victory over Beijing Guoan in the Champions League, with Chris Ikonomidis starring with a goal and assist.

Macarthur's squad depth this season is arguably one of the best in the A-League, with South Korean international Ji Dong-Won and Mexican attacker Rafael Durán forming a potential lethal striker duo.

A defensive line of Matt Jurman, Damien Da Silva and Tomi Uskok is extremely solid, while Brattan and Cacares are full of experience pulling the strings in midfield.

Macarthur FC squad: 1. Alex ROBINSON, 3. Damien DA SILVA, 5. Matthew JURMAN, 6. Tomislav USKOK, 7. Sime GRZAN, 8. Luke VICKERY, 9. Chris IKONOMIDIS, 10. Anthony CACERES, 12. Filip KURTO, 13. Rafael DURAN MARTINEZ, 17. Oliver RANDAZZO, 18. Walter SCOTT, 19. Harry POLITIDIS, 22. Liam ROSE, 24. Dean BOSNJAK, 25. Callum TALBOT, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 28. Harrison SAWYER, 32. Will MCKAY, 33. Dong-won JI