Yeah except Syd every side has had their slumps. IMO if AU can sort out their defensive issues and get Troisi and McGree stringing games together again they can finish the season strongly.It's only Perth's bad patch and Melb City's inconsistency that have kept us in touch with 2nd place. Realistically we are a 4th-6th place team this year, and a 4th-6th placed club in the overall scheme of the A-League. Occasionally we'll punch above our weight and finish higher or have a disaster of a season and finish outside the playoffs, but generally we're a bottom half of the finals club and team. So no panic from me, we're just in a bad patch of form and will come out of it.
I get the feeling the owners would be gunning for an ACL place and I think there will be rewards for AU should that occur.
Miss the ACL and I think there would be less resources provided and players like Halloran will be that much hard to keep.