Young Aussies on the verge of breaking a 14-year A-League record in a historic season, aiming to eclipse the remarkable achievements of 2014.

In 2014, a then-20-year-old Adam Taggart clinched his first Isuzu UTE A-League Golden Boot, netting 16 goals in his second season with Newcastle Jets.

Historically, no player under 23 has ever secured the Golden Boot outright in the competition’s history, and surprisingly, none have since – though that may soon change.

As we approach the final five rounds of the 2024-25 season, a trio of young Australian forwards are leading the scoring race in what has been an unprecedented year for youthful talent in the league.

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The current Golden Boot leaderboard highlights four young Aussies vying for the top-scorer title in the 2024-25 season:

1. Noah Botic, Western United: 11 goals, 23 years old
2. Archie Goodwin, Adelaide United: 10 goals, 20 years old
3. Nicolas Milanovic, Western Sydney Wanderers: 10 goals, 23 years old
4. Adrian Segecic, Sydney FC: 9 goals, 20 years old
5. Hiroshi Ibusuki, Western United: 9 goals, 34 years old
6. Joe Lolley, Sydney FC: 9 goals, 32 years old

Western United’s Noah Botic, Archie Goodwin from Adelaide United, and Nicolas Milanovic of Western Sydney Wanderers are just one goal apart, exhibiting scoring numbers seldom seen in the 20 seasons of the Isuzu UTE A-League.

These three athletes currently rank in the top 10 for goals scored by Under-23 Australian strikers in a single season, with potential to rise further as the season concludes.

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MOST GOALS BY U23 AUS STRIKERS – SINGLE SEASON
SEASON	PLAYER	GOALS	GAMES PLAYED	AGE (AT START OF SEASON)
2015-16	Jamie Maclaren	20	25	22
2016-17	Jamie Maclaren	20	28	23
2013-14	Adam Taggart	16	25	20
2016-17	Adam Taggart	12	24	23
2008-09	Matt Simon	11	21	22
2024-25	Noah Botic	11	21	22
2008-09	Nikita Rukavytsya	10	19	21
2024-25	Nicolas Milanovic	10	20	22
2024-25	Archie Goodwin	10	21	19
2019-20	Riley McGree	10	23	20

Jamie Maclaren stands out with an impressive total of 20 goals secured over two consecutive seasons at Brisbane Roar from 2015 to 2017.

His goals-per-match ratio of 0.8 during the 2015-16 season remains unsurpassed among young Australians in the competition’s history – however, both Botic, Milanovic, and Goodwin have made their mark amongst the top 10 in terms of goals-per-game for Under-23 players.

TOP GOALS PER GAME RATIO OF U23 AUS PLAYERS – SINGLE SEASON (MIN 10 GOALS)
SEASON	PLAYER	GOALS	GAMES PLAYED	AGE (AT START OF SEASON)	GOALS PER GAME
2015-16	Jamie Maclaren	20	25	22	0.8
2016-17	Jamie Maclaren	20	28	23	0.71
2013-14	Adam Taggart	16	25	20	0.64
2008-09	Nikita Rukavytsya	10	19	21	0.53
2008-09	Matt Simon	11	21	22	0.52
2024-25	Noah Botic	11	21	22	0.52
2016-17	Adam Taggart	12	24	23	0.5
2024-25	Nicolas Milanovic	10	20	22	0.5
2024-25	Archie Goodwin	10	21	19	0.47
2019-20	Riley McGree	10	23	20	0.43

As the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season enters its final five matches, Botic, Milanovic, and Goodwin will continue their bid for the Golden Boot in a competitive race described by A-Leagues legend Archie Thompson as the tightest he has ever witnessed. Catch more on this week’s A-Leagues Download episode.

“If I had to select a winner, I would lean towards Botic,” Thompson shared.

“He’s currently one goal ahead, but as we reach the conclusion of the season, it becomes harder to pinpoint a clear victor since players could easily tally two or three goals and take the lead.”

“This is the tightest Golden Boot race I have ever seen. In the past, it was always Jamie Maclaren or Besart Berisha who were well ahead.”

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Leading after 24 rounds, Botic tops the table with 11 goals, closely followed by both Goodwin and Milanovic. They are two ahead of Segecic, as well as Ibusuki and Lolley. Yet, with three players on eight goals and ten others with seven, the race for the Golden Boot is poised to be a thrilling finish in the remaining five rounds of the regular season.

The Golden Boot has been shared just twice in the history of the Isuzu UTE A-League: in 2005-06, when Alex Brosque, Bobby Despotovski, Dean Heffernan, and Stewart Petrie each netted eight goals, and in 2016-17, where Besart Berisha and Jamie Maclaren concluded the regular season on 19 goals each.

Additionally, there have been four seasons where the top of the leaderboard has been separated by just one goal at the end of the regular season.

On this week’s A-Leagues Download, former Melbourne City keeper Thomas Sorensen joined Thompson to discuss the significance of young players excelling as the league’s highest scorers and expressed confidence in Botic to take advantage of his lead and clinch this season’s Golden Boot.

“It’s fantastic that three young players have emerged as frontrunners,” Sorensen remarked.

“Botic has clearly risen to the occasion, and the other two have also made significant impacts. Goodwin has made the leap from Newcastle to Adelaide, where there were concerns regarding his injuries, but this week he showcased his talent as a natural goalscorer. He knows where to be in the right moments, using both his head and feet to net crucial goals for his team.”

“They all bring something unique to the table, and who knows? Others could emerge from behind them. Personally, I think Botic will also be my pick due to his current form.”

“And since he’s a traditional striker, he’s likely to create considerable opportunities,” Thompson added.

“However, let’s not overlook that Milanovic is a winger, and scoring 10 goals is quite an achievement for him.”

DEEP DIVE: A revealing stat as a young player proves his coach right during a fantastic season

Only once in Isuzu UTE A-League history have more than three players aged 23 or younger netted over 10 goals in a single season, which occurred during the 2010-11 season when Kosta Barbarouses (12), Jean Carlos Solorzano (11), Robbie Kruse (11), and Bruce Djite (10) featured in a Golden Boot race ultimately won by Sergio van Dijk with 17 goals.

This season, three Under-23 players have surpass the 10-goal mark, and with 20-year-old Sydney FC forward Adrian Segecic sitting on nine goals, the talented young attackers of the 2024-25 season are likely to mirror the achievement of 2010-11.

Newcastle Jets’ in-form forward Eli Adams is also closing in on the 10-goal milestone, currently standing at seven after netting a stunning brace against the Macarthur Bulls in his last outing.

While Sorensen favoured Botic to claim the Golden Boot, he predicted the competition for the title – much like the race for a top-six finish – would be fiercely contested until the very end.

“It’s reminiscent of the finals race; there’s no clear frontrunner,” he noted.

“As Thompson pointed out, there were seasons where Bruno Fornaroli was ahead by 10 goals over the next contender.”

“Let them battle it out. There are four or five matches remaining – it’s anyone’s game.”