A last-gasp strike from Shannon Cole earned defending A-League champions Sydney FC a 3-3 draw with Melbourne Victory in a repeat of last season's Grand Final.

Sydney took the lead with 36 minutes gone, when Mark Bridge robbed Melbourne skipper Kevin Muscat and squared for fellow striker Alex Brosque to finish.

Terry McFlynn nodded in the Sky Blues' second eight minutes after the break, and the hosts appeared on course to claim all three points until Melbourne hit back with three goals in seven minutes.

Leigh Broxham reduced the arrears in the 66th minute when he bundled in Tom Pondeljak's cross, and Mate Dugandzic's smart turn and finish levelled the contest one minute later.

Billy Celeski then put Melbourne in front for the first time, in the 73rd minute, after Dugandzic set-up the substitute with some good hold-up play, only for Cole to find the back of the net with a 20-yard free-kick that flew inside the near post with five minutes to go.

It was the second six-goal spectacular of the opening weekend with North Queensland Fury conjuring an equaliser deep in injury time to claim a 3-3 draw with Perth Glory in Perth.

The Fury were in front 2-1 after 64 minutes following goals from Chris Payne and David Williams before a 25-metre strike from defender Scott Neville and a Mile Sterjovski header had the Glory on track for victory.

But two minutes into stoppage time Chris Grossman out-jumped the Glory defence to head home the equaliser before Perth's biggest ever home A-League crowd of over 16,000.

Central Coast Mariners were the only opening round winners with a rare goal from defender Alex Wilkinson ensuring that Melbourne Heart made a losing start at home in their debut A-League season.

Dutchman Rini Coolen's tenure as Adelaide United coach started with a scoreless home draw with Newcastle Jets, while Brisbane Roar and Gold Coast United's local derby ended without a goal.