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Melbourne City will struggle to make the W-League finals after the champions slipped to their fourth defeat in six games with a 3-2 loss to Brisbane Roar.

Melbourne City's W-League title defence is on the brink after slipping to a 3-2 loss to Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park.

Mariel Hecher was the hero for the Roar, who dropped from a 2-0 lead to 2-2 before the Brazilian let rip with a stunning strike off the post to reclaim the advantage in the 75th minute.

As a result, City slipped to seventh in the league with just four points from six games and a goal difference of -8.

"We're gonna try (to make finals). We're gonna try everything, we're gonna try to win every game like we did so far," City coach Rado Vidosic said.

"But it's getting harder and harder with each game."

Brisbane took the lead in the 23rd minute when Clare Polkinghorne rose highest to head home Jamilla Rankin's corner and doubled their advantage via Emily Gielnik from the spot eight minutes later after City's Samantha Johnson was penalised for a handball.

City pulled a goal back just after halftime.

Chinatsu Kira intercepted Georgina Worth's goal kick and found Alex Chidiac, whose long-range shot deflected off Polkinghorne and nestled inside the post.

Chidiac was later clipped in the ankles, with Johnson slotting the 73rd-minute penalty.

City's Tyla-Jay Vlajnic hit a shot over the bar in the 74th and was made to pay when Hecher scored the winner shortly after.

On Sunday evening Sydney FC returned to top spot with a 2-0 win over Newcastle.

Young forward Cortnee Vine floated home the opener in the 32nd minute.

Then Remy Siemsen barrelled past Newcastle goalkeeper Clare Coelho, followed up, controlled the ball with her chest and lashed home Sydney's second in the 61st.

On Saturday, Michelle Heyman scored two goals in Canberra's thunderous 3-0 win over Western Sydney.

Heyman opened the scoring with a delightful left-footed strike in the fourth minute, then was slipped through by Nicki Flannery for her brace in the 34th.

Canberra's third goal in the 41st was ruled an own goal by Western Sydney's Georgia Yeoman-Dale.

The outright golden boot leader with six goals from five games, Heyman now has 69 W-League goals to her name, just one behind Sam Kerr's W-League record.

On Friday night, Melbourne Victory returned to winning ways with a 1-0 away win over Adelaide United, courtesy of Catherine Zimmerman's 78th-minute flick header.