Here we go! With PlayStation 4 on board as naming rights sponsor it’s been a huge week for NPL football in Australia, and now we have the PS4 NPL Finals Series this weekend.
Weston Workers v Palm Beach Sharks
Rockwell Automation Park, Weston NSW
Saturday 20 September 2014
Kick-off: 7:00pm AEST
Referee: Glen Peterkin
Assistant Referee 1: Byron Jaye
Assistant Referee 2: Alex Merkel
Fourth Official: Trent Nash
Weston Workers squad: 1.Tim PRATT (GK), 2.Nathan MORRIS, 3.Robbie TURNBULL, 4.Brock OAKLEY, 5.Jye MACKELLAR, 6.Jason COWBURN, 7.Liam THORNTON, 8.Jacob GOLDING, 9.Michael RYAN, 10.Garry McDERMOTT, 11.Jamie SUBAT, 13.Carl THORNTON (c), 14.Jake MILLSTEED, 15.Thomas SPAARE, 16.Zac SNEDDON, 17.Jake BARNER, 19.Nick THOMPSON, 20.James WAND (GK), 31.Robert MACBETH, 40.James HARKIN (GK)
Coach: Steven Piggott
Palm Beach Sharks squad: 1.Shane VITAKANGAS (GK), 2.Riley DILLON, 3.Jordan MASON, 4.Ethan GRIMLEY, 6.Newie COBBO, 7.Justyn McKAY, 8.Ben BUTLER, 9.Christopher LUCAS, 10.Jarod KYLE, 11.Nikola MIRKOVIC, 12.Daniel GRZIC, 13.Scott GOLDSMITH-SCOTT, 14.Jonathon CAMILLERI, 15.Eoghan MURPHY, 16.Jack BOXELL, 17.Kristian REES, 18.Troy RUTHVEN, 19.Ike CAMPBELL, 20.Jack LITTLEJOHN (GK), 23.Karl DODD
Coach: Grae Piddick
How will Weston respond after the disappointment of losing the Northern NSW PS4 NPL grand final against the Lambton Jaffas last weekend?
Coach Steven Piggott will be hoping a vocal home crowd at Rockwell Automation Park will ensure they can bounce back quickly against the Queensland PS4 NPL champions.
It was just the club’s second defeat in their last 13 matches and with a fit-again Liam Thornton as well as Jason Cowburn, Zac Sneddon and Jamie Subat on board, the Workers can’t be discounted.
But they will need to be at their best to topple the Sharks, who are hoping to land a hat-trick of big trophies to the cabinet before the season is out.
Grae Piddick’s troops already have one piece of silverware locked away after a thrilling 3-2 victory in their own PS4 NPL decider last weekend.
The Sharks are also still alive in the Westfield FFA Cup – they take on South Springvale on Tuesday night – and will be confident of a good run in the PS4 NPL series.
With prolific striker Chris Lucas in good goal-scoring form and the experience of Kristian Rees at the back, the Sharks look like they will be hard to beat.
Cooma Tigers v Bonnyrigg White Eagles
AIS Athletics Field, Bruce ACT
Saturday 20 September 2014
Kick-off: 2:30pm AEST
Referee: Luke Withell
Assistant Referee 1: Owen Goldrick
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Powers
Fourth Official: Gary Vandeburgt
Cooma Tigers squad: 1.Jack PETITT (GK), 2.Aden JOHNSON, 3Jordano SAN MARTIN, 4.Iain ELLIOTT, 5.Domenick COLUCELLO, 6Jordan LANDO, 7.Goran JOSIFOVSKI, 8.James GAZY, 9.Robbert CATTANACH, 10.Dejan SANTRAC, 11.Steve DOMINICI, 12.Jared TONINI, 13.Rishabh SHARMA, 14.Sime CELESKI, 15.Stephan TODOROSKI, 16.Phil YARNOLD, 17.Jair WILK, 18.Daniel ROBERTS, 19.Jerry IBARRA, 22.Tom BARTON (GK)
Coach: Gaby Wilk
Bonnyrigg White Eagles squad: 1.James CHRONOPOULOS (GK), 2.Alexander MANSUETO, 4.David VRANKOVIC, 5.Chris TADROSSE, 6.Nikola ZONJIC, 8.Alexander CANAK, 9.Robert YOUNIS, 10.Tynan DIAZ, 12.Dylan FOX, 13.Adam JENNER, 14.Jordan CRIGHTON, 15.Steven ILIC, 16.Howard FONDYKE, 17.Mitchell OSMOND, 18.AdrianUCCHINO, 19.Arron PETERSON, 21.Bo Hyun CHUN, 22.Liam GOBBO (GK), 24.Alexander DOYLE, 26.Terek ERCAN
Coach: Brian Brown
There promises to be a few goals as two attack-minded sides who have had very similar seasons do battle in the nation’s capital.
After storming to the Capital Football competition title, Cooma have endured a tough couple of weeks, knocked out of the finals in straight sets against Belconnen United and Canberra FC.
But with a home tie, the chance to knock off a NSW PS4 NPL heavyweight and the prospect of qualifying for the Westfield FFA Cup by winning this tournament, coach Gaby Wilk wouldn’t have had to work too hard to lift their spirits.
With striker Stephen Domenici, who scored 16 times in the league this season, in form the Tigers have plenty of firepower as well as the likes of Robbie Cattanach and Jeremias Ibarra.
Brian ‘Bomber’ Brown’s White Eagles also were eliminated from the NSW PS4 NPL finals in straight sets, knocked out by Sydney Olympic in a penalty shoot-out.
They will be hoping to keep the trophy in NSW following Sydney United 58’s success in the inaugural event last year and will start warm favourites in this one.
The likes of former Adelaide United striker Robbie Younis, Aaron Petterson, Tynan Diaz and Alex Canak ensure they have plenty of threats all over the park and make them a dangerous proposition for the home side.
South Hobart v South Melbourne
South Hobart Ground, South Hobart TAS
Saturday 20 September 2014
Kick-off: 1:30pm AEST
Referee: Brenton Kopra
Assistant Referee 1: Jimmy Hortle
Assistant Referee 2: Simon Natoli
Fourth Official: Kim Baker
South Hobart squad: 1.Kane PIERCE (GK), 2.Liam SCOTT, 2.Caleb LUDLOW, 4.Jayden HEY, 5.Hugh LUDFORD, 6.Scott LAMONT, 7.Nicholas MORTON, 8.Joseph STEVENS, 9.Brayden MANN, 10.Andy BRENNAN, 11.Ben HAMLETT, 12.Christopher HUNT, 13.Hugh UNDY, 14.Matthew LEWIS, 15.Darcy HALL, 16.Connor KASS, 17.Chris DOWNES, 18.Tom ROACH, 19.Alex WALTER, 21.Mark MONCUR (GK)
Coach: Ken Morton
South Melbourne squad: 1.Jason SALDARIS (GK), 2.Tim MALA, 3.Andrew MULLLETT, 4.Michael EAGER (c), 6.Dimi TSIARAS, 7.Nick EPIFANO, 8.Matthew THEODORE, 9.Milos LUJIC, 10.Tyson HOLMES, 11.Brad NORTON, 12.Iqi JAWADI, 14.James MUSA, 15.Kobbie BOAHENE, 17.Jamie REED, 18.Dion KIRK, 21.Chris MAYNARD (GK), 23.Andy KECOJEVIC, 25.Shaun TIMMINS, 27.Leigh MINOPOULOS, 77.Stephen HATZIKOSTAS
Coach: Chris Taylor
South Hobart have fond memories of this tournament, making it all the way to the final last year and will be keen to go one better in 2014.
They face a huge challenge though with Victorian powerhouse South Melbourne coming to town after a stellar campaign of their own.
It’s been another fantastic season for South Hobart who won their Victory league by a comfortable eight-points and completed the double with a 3-1 win over Northern Rangers in last weekend’s grand final.
Victory League player of the year Brayden Mann will be a key man for Ken Morton’s side but they have quality everywhere like Andy Brennan and midfield duo Nick Morton and Caleb Ludlow.
A return to the club’s glory days on the national stage is the focus for South Melbourne coach Chris Taylor and his side in the first year the Victorian PS4 NPL have been involved in the tournament.
South won their local league by seven-points and warmed up for Saturday’s clash with a 4-1 demolition of the Goulburn Valley Suns last weekend.
Leading scorer Milos Lujic is one to watch as well as Jamie Reed and Nicholas Epifano.
Bayswater City v MetroStars
Frank Drago Reserve, Bayswater WA
Saturday 20 September 2014
Kick-off: 2:00pm local (4:00pm AEST)
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant Referee 1: Josh Mannella
Assistant Referee 2: Stuart Muldoon
Fourth Official: Matt Southern
Bayswater City squad: 1.Devon SPENCE (GK), 2.Declan HARGREAVES, 3.Adam BACHILLER, 5.Andrew REALE, 6.Todd HOWARTH, 7.Jonathan SCHIRRIPA, 8.Paul McCARTHY, 9.Gustavo GIRON MARULANDA, 10.Damien CATALANO, 11.Gabriele COLLI, 13.Trent KAY, 14.Harrison BISSETT, 16.Jamie COYNE, 17.David MOLINARI, 18.James ISAIA, 19.Aaron DELANEY, 20.Samuel MITCHINSON, 21.David HEAGNEY, 23.Christopher SALDARIS, 25.Joel DRISCOLL (GK)
Coach: Chris Coyne
MetroStars SC squad: 2.David MENECHELLA, 3.Stefan CALI, 5.Lee ROBERTSON, 6.Anthony SOLAGNA, 7.Michael D’ALOISIO, 8.Rocky CALLISTO, 9.Steven GRELLI, 10.Andrew CIARLA, 11.Scott TUNBRIDGE, 12.Terry THEODOROU, 14.Adrian POLISENA, 15.Lawrence D’ARRIGO, 16.Andrew ORPHANOU, 18.Fabian BARBIERO, 19.Joseph POLISENA, 20.Daniel GODLEY (GK), 21.Adam VAN DOMMELE, 22.Alex COSIMIDIS, 23.Perry MITRIS, 30.Julian CALI (GK)
Coach: Ivan Karlovic
Chris Coyne’s Bayswater have already made WA football history this season winning an unprecedented four titles.
City took out the league championship, Night Series and Cool Ridge Cup and then capped it all off by winning the grand final last weekend thanks to David Heagney’s strike.
But delivering on the national stage is a huge motivator for the boys from the West, especially after their early exit from the Westfield FFA Cup.
Look for skipper Trent Kay to lead by example for Bayswater while in Todd Howarth, Sam Mitchinson and Jamie Coyne they have some Hyundai A-League experience.
They face a MetroStars outfit that are looking for redemption after going down in their South Australian grand final last weekend.
Coach Ivan Karlovic, who will step down for the role after the PS4 NPL finals series, has spent the week trying to restore his side’s confidence for the short trip west.
SA PS4 NPL leading goal-scorer Perry Mitris will be hoping to continue his eye-catching form as will the likes of Scott Tunbridge and former Reds man Fabian Barbiero.