PS4 NPL WA 2015 Preview

Bayswater City will be out to continue their domination but there are a host of sides ready to stake their claim as the best in the west.

Bayswater City’s domination of WA football in 2014 might have seemed complete given the swollen trophy cabinet down at Frank Drago Reserve.

There was early success with a Night Series victory sealed by Steve Burton’s double against a dogged Floreat Athena. That victory piled more pressure on coach Chris Coyne to continue to live up to expectations, but the former Socceroos defender hardly flinched.

Powered by a midfield of A-League calibre – Todd Howarth and Jamie Coyne played together at Perth Glory - Cool Ridge Cup success followed, this time Stirling Lions were swept aside.

After Bayswater topped the table Grand Final glory seemed inevitable. They got there but only after suffering a 5-0 semi-final mauling against Perth, the team they went on to beat in the season finale.

So the Bayswater cupboard is full but that semi-final will serve as a reminder of just how precarious it is up there at the game’s summit. For their part, Perth are a club back in the groove under the presidency of former Socceroo Gary Marocchi.

Perth coach Taki Nicolaidis has retained WA’s player of the year Clark Keltie, has goals galore in Ashley Rosindale and a midfield marshalled brilliantly by Mark Pritchard. Add to that the signing of ex-Glory Youth attacker Reece Vittiglia and Perth are one of the teams to beat.

Balcatta coach Ramon Falzon worked wonders last season lifting his side to third but Sorrento will do well to finish as high as they did last season when they were fourth.

Sorrento are weakened by Vittiglia’s absence, although coach Jamie Harnwell is working hard to ensure the Gulls can rediscover a level of resilience, so typical in past years.

Michael Garcia’s appointment as coach of Inglewood United has them looking up towards the top of the table again, while a coaching change also has Stirling thinking positively about the new campaign.

Coaching stability should benefit Floreat, ECU Joondalup, Cockburn City, Subiaco and Armadale.

But with relegation back on the table in 2015, there might be a different feel to the new PS4 NPL WA season with some clubs having to scrap tooth and nail to retain top-flight status.

Click here for more information about the upcoming PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues season.

Image courtesy of AMAC Images