- St George Willawong U23 are struggling, averaging 3.1 goals conceded and 0.84 goals scored per match across all competitions in 2026.
- Redlands United U23 are mid-table in the Queensland PL Youth standings and have been in mixed form with 1-1 draw against Brisbane Strikers and 1-5 loss to Broadbeach.
- St George Willawong U23 have conceded three or more goals.
St George Willawong U23’s season has been a disaster
St George Willawong FC U23 have conceded 3.1 goals per game and scored 0.84 per game in the Queensland Premier League U23 Championship in 2026. They are firmly rooted to the bottom of the league as of early June 2026. Their recent results include a 0-4 defeat to Logan Lightning and a 1-4 loss to Ipswich U23 in May. This is in stark contrast to Redlands United U23, the bookies' favourites here at 1.85, who are odds-on to beat the long shots, St George Willawong U23, at 3.13. St George Willawong have the better of the two teams' limited recent head-to-head record in the Queensland PL Youth, with one win and one draw.
Redlands United U23 look more effective in possession
Redlands United U23's recent form has been mixed, with a 1-5 defeat to Broadbeach, a 1-1 draw with Brisbane Strikers and a 3-4 shootout with Robina, suggesting they should be shorter in the betting here.
Redlands' average of 1.3-1.4 goals per match in the league is not high, but they have not been as poor defensively as St George Willawong.
Redlands United's game plan is to play with the ball more than their opponents, to play the academy way - structured buildup, balls over the top to attacking players and possession in the wide areas.
They play in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape, and often look to get the ball to Reagan, who has featured on the scoresheet recently.
St George Willawong will have to catch Redlands on the break
St George Willawong U23 are managed with a pragmatic, defence-first approach, who play direct football, looking to spring quick transitions and look for turnovers, then get the ball forward as quickly as possible.
This match could see a contrast in approaches as Redlands will be looking to control the game, whilst St George Willawong will be looking to catch their opponents out on the break.
St George Willawong don't have a consistent goalscorer in their side, so they will look to their set-piece specialists and those who can hold onto the ball, to create an opening for any attacking player who can run into it.
Redlands' superior league position, slightly better form, and offensive edge should be enough to see them edge this one, but with odds of 1.25 for over 2.5 goals, the odds are in favour of a goal-fest in line with both teams' defensive records. The early-winter, cool and dry Brisbane weather should suit both tactical approaches, making the playing field firm. A win would be huge for St George Willawong U23 in their bid to escape the bottom of the table, but Redlands United U23 will be keen to pick up 3 points to strengthen their mid-table position.
