Goalkeepers Jack Duncan and Alex Paulsen Photo: Photosport
For back-to-back A-League seasons Alex Paulsen has been the best goalkeeper in the competition and someone who has had a close-up look at his rise will be at the opposite end of the park on Saturday when Auckland FC meet Melbourne Victory in the second semi-final in Auckland.
Last season Paulsen was the number one keeper at the Wellington Phoenix, keeping the experienced Jack Duncan on the bench.
Paulsen had a breakout season playing every minute of Wellington's 2023-24 A-League campaign after being limited to just five first team appearances in his first two years as a professional.
He kept a club record 12 clean sheets and picked up just about every award on offer, giving Duncan no real chance of taking the gloves off the young gun.
Paulsen and Duncan both left the Phoenix after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season and went in very different directions.
In June 2024 Paulsen signed a deal with English Premier League club Bournemouth. Only to find himself loaned back to A-League newcomers Auckland FC for this season as both clubs have the same owner.
Duncan exited Wellington for Melbourne Victory - his fourth different A-League club since 2011.
Again this season Paulsen has played every minute of his side's A-League games, whereas Duncan has been in and out of the Victory side.
Duncan played the first 13 matches of the season before getting benched and injured as he shared keeping duties with Mitch Langerak. A foot injury to former Socceroo Langerak has given the gloves back to Duncan for Victory's last four games - including the Elimination Final and first semi-final.
In the first semi-final Paulsen and Duncan went head-to-head in Melbourne and the Auckland gloveman came out on top.
Melbourne Victory's Jack Duncan clears. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.
Auckland got one goal past Duncan in the first semi-final, and were unlucky not to get a second, but Paulsen has kept Victory's attacking threats out for more than 270 minutes of football across three meetings so far this season.
Auckland defender Tommy Smith has a lot of praise for his fellow All White.
"He's probably the best goalkeeper in the league, he's done it two years on the trot now and he's such a calming influence on us knowing that he's that last line of defence if we do get beaten. He's come up with some massive saves this season and we know the value to us that he brings and we're very happy with him," Smith said.
Smith also has empathy for the player stuck behind Paulsen this season - Michael Woud.
"He's acquitted himself so well, because he probably signed for the club thinking he'd be the number one and in training every single week he's pushing [Paulsen] which is getting both himself and [Paulsen] better and better week in week out."
Despite all of his accolades, Paulsen said last season was sometimes a struggle for him. He believes his mental strength is better for it this season and he is also enjoying the challenge and support of the other Auckland FC goalkeepers.
"[The back-up goalkeepers] have been big characters within our team as well even in games Mike is always giving me tips and tricks... if I can't figure something out he's always got something to help me out I appreciate that so much from him as well because at the same time it's a team effort just not the whole team but the goalkeeping union as well."
Auckland FC's Alex Paulsen. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
Duncan is familiar with being the back-up. It is a position the 32-year-old had to fill earlier in his career, including being behind former All White Glen Moss at Newcastle Jets, and again had to accept when Langerak re-joined Victory in January after 14 years playing overseas.
A strong A-League pre-season this season set Duncan up to be the go-to guy between the posts when Victory needed him.
"Having missed all of last season, pretty much being behind Alex Paulsen at Wellington, it was good for me to get that leading into the season that run of form in the Australia cup, and I just tried to keep that going.
"When Mitch came in, I thought at the start of the season, I just had to give myself the best opportunity to make the coach's decision as hard as possible.
"And unfortunately, from a team perspective, we weren't quite picking up results at that time, so I understood that a change had to be made. I was disappointed, as all footballers would be in that situation, but I just tried to keep my head down, working hard be a good teammate, be good around the dressing room, and play my role in that aspect, because you never know when the opportunity is going to come again, and like it has, Mitch has got an injury, and it's time for me to be playing again, and hopefully I can contribute moving forward [on Saturday in Auckland] and hopefully in the grand final as well."
Both Paulsen and Duncan could be in the spotlight if the second semi-final goes to penalties.
"As a keeper, some people think that all the pressures on you, but I look at it the opposite way, all the pressures on them to score. So if it comes to it, I'll be doing a lot of preparation. I did a lot for last week's game, which I've had a lot of confidence if it did go to penalties, and I'll be doing the same again this week to put myself in the best position to step up for the team, for pride," Duncan said.
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