And so the Melbourne Victory juggernaut keeps rolling along. Impervious. Imperious. As we head towards the climax of a season that will leave more questions than answers, the Victory have once again comfortably drawn the biggest crowds (average 25,626), and will end up making the most money. Excellence brings its own rewards.

Sydney FC may be making some encouraging moves, but it's the Victory who continue to set the benchmark. They're a bigger business, and a better business, than some AFL clubs in town. With a market value of around $30 million, the Victory are proof that if the right people make the right decisions at the right time, running an A-League club can be made to work. In the wake of the salary cap scandal that has engulfed Perth Glory, the contrast could hardly be more pronounced.

Title aspirations: Melbourne Victory are on top...at least for now. Credit:Getty Images

It may be that the Victory, with perhaps some help from the Sky Blues, will end up putting an exclamation mark on a season that has tapered off dramatically since the Asian Cup. A grand final at ANZ Stadium between the two traditional heavyweights would certainly lighten the mood of those who fret about the A-League's viability, although the four other finalists would undoubtedly disagree.

The top six, of course, has now been decided thanks to Football Federation Australia's heavy sanctions on the Glory, but the minor premiership hasn't. The Victory are in pole position with a game in hand over the Sky Blues and a vastly superior goal difference, and few would begrudge them a third Premier's Plate.