Fan-turned-player Nishan Velupillay is hoping Melbourne Victory can produce the goods against Brisbane Roar this weekend.
The Club is staging Kids Round for the hosting of the Roar on Saturday, February 14, kick-off 5pm AEDT, with a series of activations taking place before, during and after the Round 17 contest at AAMI Park.
And for Victory’s homegrown attacker, a product of the Academy, who debuted in 2021, the opportunity for young people to watch the Isuzu UTE A-League is particuarly special.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Velupillay explained the importance of Kids Round and his pride at having transitioned from the stands to the pitch.
“Hopefully, that brings a bigger crowd, bigger attendance tomorrow. Any opportunity for the kids to come and watch football is always going to be beneficial for the community and the game. Hopefully, we produce a really good game so they can come back even more.
“I am happy to relive those moments, but happy to produce them now.”
Velupillay played a starring role in Victory’s recent away success over Wellington Phoenix, scoring his second goal of the season in the 2-3 win.
This was the ALM’s first three-point return on the road in 2026, with the 24-year-old highlighting the team’s ability to troubleshoot as a precious commodity going into the Brisbane fixture.
“Sometimes, football is kind of weird. You can dominate a game, and then you walk away with nothing. I think good teams find ways to win, and we have to show that we can do that.
“I think going over there to Wellington is not easy. It’s a different kind of win, but very, very valuable.”
Watch Velupillay’s full press conference below.
