Match of the Round
Belmont Swansea United FC v Adamstown Rosebud FC
Blacksmiths Oval, Thursday 7:45pm
Belmont Swansea United coach Mick Stafford says his team is eager to prove they belong at the top level when they make their NPL Men’s NNSW debut against Adamstown Rosebud at Blacksmiths Oval on Thursday night.
The season opener sees BelSwans return to the top flight of football in the Hunter for the first time since 1999 and they have arrived in impressive fashion after winning the 2024 HIT 106.9 Northern League One premiership by 12 points after leading from start to finish.
Club stalwart Stafford is back for another season in charge and has welcomed former NPL first grade coach Josh Rufo to his coaching staff.
Stafford advised that BelSwans had retained the majority of last year’s roster and added some promising talent, headlined by former Wellington Phoenix reserve grade defender Alex Clayton.
Matthew Ingham from Central Coast United and youngsters Quinton Phillips-Tapsell (Azzurri) and Shuku Sunzu (Lakes) have also arrived at Blacksmiths as BelSwans look to consolidate their spot in the top flight.
Stafford was excited for the club’s first NPLM NNSW match in over 25 years to be played in front of a home crowd but was expected a fierce battle against Adamstown.
“We’re all looking forward to the season and our focus is just to enjoy it, because everyone in the playing group and at the club are the reason we got there,” Stafford said.
“We deserve to be there and we have the right to enjoy it.
“We have a very similar squad from last year and we won’t sway too much from our principles, but we know it’s going to be a huge step up.
“Against Adamstown, I’m expecting a sharp and physical match. I think they have a point to prove like us.”
“Our attitude is we’re doing everything for ourselves and our community, and we’ve just got to get on with it.”
Adamstown is determined to put last year’s scare behind them after winning late in promotion/relegation play-off battles against West Wallsend SFC and Toronto Awaba.
Rosebud earned the right to remain in the NPL the hard way and will not take that opportunity for granted in 2025.
For returning coach Chris Moylan, a solid foundation needs to be set in the defensive third if they are to climb the table and improve on an 11th-place finish.
“Thursday night is going to be a big night for both clubs,” Moylan said.
“We want to get off to a good start and it’s their first game in the NPL, so I’m sure it’ll be a big night.
“Pre-season has been really good. We’ve signed a few new players and we’re really excited for the new season.
“We don’t want to be in the position we were in last year.
“First and foremost, we need to stop goals being scored against us. We averaged three goals a game against us last year and that’s nowhere near good enough in any league in football.
“We think we’ve fixed that problem. We’ve changed the structure in terms of how we play, and in pre-season we kept three clean sheets.”
Moylan was impressed with new signing Taj Buck (APIA Leichhardt) alongside new recruits Uruguayan visa player Nico Gismiro, Owen Carney from Houston FC, Tommy Smart (Stockton Sharks), Riley Aunger (Valentine) and Kyle Munns (Charlestown).
Edgeworth FC v Broadmeadow Magic FC
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Friday 8pm
A revenge game lies ahead for a hungry Edgeworth FC outfit who will welcome defending premiers-champions Broadmeadow Magic to Jack McLaughlan Oval for a grand final rematch on Friday.
The Eagles and Magic were tied at 2-2 after 120 minutes in the grand final at Magic Park last year before the premiers prevailed in a penalty shootout to claim the championship.
Edgeworth has lost three key players from last year’s campaign including skipper Pat Wheeler (retired), 2024 Graham Jennings Medal winner Seth Clark (Sydney Olympic) and Keanu Moore (Blacktown City Demons).
But Ryan Feutz is back on deck after netting 27 goals in 17 games to win the 2024 NPLM NNSW golden boot and joining him are new signings Jaylen Rodwell (Birkenhead United) and Jackson Brady (Dandenong Thunder), Tyler Harrison (Glenorchy Knights), Joey Smith (Newcastle Jets) and returning Eagles Jose Atayde (Budgewoi FC) and Nick Curran.
Edgeworth’s coach Peter McGuinness was confident that his squad had what it takes to go one better in 2025.
“Pre-season has been like it has been for a lot of teams and coaches; crammed with the early start,” McGuinness said.
“That’s impacted on all clubs. It’s across the board and not just us.
“Other than that, pre-season has been good. We’ve had some trial games where we’ve performed pretty good. We’re happy with that aspect of the preparation.
“A grand final rematch is a good way to start the season. It’s nice to get to play the defending champions. We get to have a crack at them again and seek revenge.
“We weren’t too far off them last year.
“We’ve lost a couple of creative players this year and our captain, but we’ve brought in some talented players and I think we’ve got more depth. There will be more competition for spots this year.”
Not a whole lot has changed for Magic heading into a new season.
Coach Jim Cresnar is back for a second year in charge and has retained the majority of the playing group that won the double last year.
Josh Benson (Cooks Hill United), Sam Donnellan and Jack Pandel (Lambton Jaffas) have left, but New Zealand visa player Seo Ram Lee (WSG Tirol), former NSW NPL duo Ezra Palombini (Manly United) and Jack Simmons (Sydney Olympic), and gloveman Taylor Pate (Maitland FC) have come in as reinforcements as Magic look to reach greater heights.
They will be without suspended duo Nicholas Kacev and James Cresnar for the grand final rematch after they were sent off in last Friday night’s HMRI Charity Shield penalty shootout loss against Lambton, but the team has depth and will be looking to get its defence off to a fast start.
A major boost for Broadmeadow is the retention of their key man Bailey Wells. He banged in 20 goals last year and returns after recently trialling with A-League club Brisbane Roar.
Maitland FC v Valentine FC
Cooks Square Park, Saturday 4:30pm
The two teams with new head coaches will face off at Cooks Square Park on Saturday afternoon as Maitland FC boss Adam Hughes welcomes his former club Valentine FC to town.
It will also be the first time that Magpies recruits Nick Cowburn, Aden Raftery and Tyrell Paulson (Valentine FC) meet their former teammates after moving over with Hughes.
Joining them as new faces at Maitland are Central Coast United duo Matthew Smale and Daniel McFarlane, Taye Power-O’Toole (Newcastle Jets) and Thomas Duggan (Weston Bears), Jordan Lennon (Edgeworth FC) and Sean Pratt (Lambton Jaffas).
Maitland has lost some quality players from last year’s squad following the departure of Zach Thomas (Newcastle Olympic), Matt Hoole, Regan Lundy (Charlestown Azzurri) and Dylan Burston (Weston) but with some new players, a new coach and a new culture, they will be looking to improve on a ninth-place finish and return to the finals.
At the helm of the Phoenix for the first time will be the youngest ever NPL Men’s NNSW coach in Kallum Garbett and he faces the tough task of improving on last year’s eighth-place finish.
With new players onboard like former Cooks Hill trio Daniel Minors, Campbell Ross and Carter Smith as well as the talented Pettit brothers Scott (Lambton Jaffas) and Dean (Charlestown), Valentine are eager to prove that their new era is looking much brighter than Maitland’s is under their former coach.
Newcastle Olympic FC v Cooks Hill United FC
Darling Street Oval, Saturday 6:30pm
All eyes will be on a new-look Newcastle Olympic on Saturday night when the 2024 finalists host Cooks Hill United at Darling Street Oval.
Olympic was one of the most improved clubs last season, finishing fifth before being eliminated in the first week of the finals.
The side has lost veterans Jason Hoffman (retired) and Jacob Pepper (Newcastle Suns) as well as a handful of youngsters but their additions have tongues wagging and some bold predictions regarding premierships being made.
Champion coach Mick Bolch returns to the club from Maitland FC to partner Paul DeVitis as head coaches.
The playing ranks have been bolstered by former A-Leagues striker Roy O’Donovan (Sydney Olympic) and four quality NPL players in Kale Bradbery, Ben Hay (Lambton Jaffas), Zach Thomas (Matiland FC) and Adam Zervas (Sydney United 58).
Jared Muller is also returning to an Olympic side that looks to have strengthened in all areas of the park.
Cooks Hill won nine matches in 22 outings in 2024, and seven of those victories came during their last 10 games.
Captain Daniel Clements admitted that his side had been notoriously slow starters in recent seasons and were determined to buck that trend this season.
“Two years in a row now we’ve had a really strong backend to the season, and this year we’re trying to bring that forward and start a bit earlier to give ourselves a chance of playing finals,” Clements said.
Chris Zoricich is back for a third season in charge at Cooks Hill and has added Josh Benson (Broadmeadow Magic), Jye Bailey, Liam Wilson (Weston Bears) Zachariah Waddell (Valentine FC) and Luke Vallone (Belconnen United) for the 2025 campaign.
Charlestown Azzurri FC v Weston Bears FC
Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 4:30pm
The 2025 season is all about taking the next step for Charlestown Azzurri, and they will be looking to get off on the right foot when they host Weston Bears on Saturday afternoon.
James Pascoe’s men have been beaten in the previous two preliminary finals to fall just short of grand final appearances in 2023 and 2024.
They enter 2025 without former captain Nigel Boogard, who has retired, but still have veteran defender Taylor Regan and have added some handy players including Richie Danquah from Al-Qabila FC in the UAE third division, Archie Parkes (Central Coast Mariners), Reece Papas, Nathan Verity (Lambton Jaffas), Matt Hoole, Regan Lundy (Maitland FC) and Finn Todhunter.
Weston Bears were finalists in 2023 but missed out on the playoffs last year after slipping from fifth to sixth.
They have had a busy off-season and are ready for visa players Burke Fahling (takoma Defience) and Japanese visa player Mana Iwasaki to make an impact. Joining them as new signings are Brock Beveridge (Cook Hill United), Dylan Burston (Maitland), Seamus Corcoran (Mounties Wanderers) and Musa Kamara (Newcastle Olympic), while Zac Sneddon and Jacob Dundas (Adamstown Rosebud) have rejoined the club.
The Bears won six of their last seven games in 2024, and returning coach Kew Jaliens is hoping they take that momentum into their season opener at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday.
Lambton Jaffas FC v New Lambton FC
Arthur Edden Oval, Sunday 6:30pm
This weekend’s opening round will wrap up at Arthur Edden Oval with a blockbuster derby between Lambton Jaffas and New Lambton FC.
There has been plenty of movement at the Jaffas since their championship defence ended in misery last year when they bowed out of the 2024 campaign with a 4-0 minor semi-final loss against Charlestown Azzurri.
The club’s 2023 grand final goal-scorers Kale Bradbery (Newcastle Olympic) and Reece Papadimitrios (Charlestown Azzurri) have departed along with fellow key players Ben Hay (Olympic), Scott Pettit (Valentine FC) and Nathan Verity (Charlestown).
But the club have recruited Shusuke Kirihara, a Japanese visa player previously with the Yokohama F. Marinos academy, Lachlan Graham (Newcastle Jets), Sam Donnellan (Broadmeadow Magic), Joey Langlois, Lachlan Griffiths and Archie Finn (Newcastle Olympic).
The Jaffas’ other major recruit is former New Lambton gun Riley Taylor, which should add spice to Sunday’s derby.
Coach David Tanchevski said that his side’s HMRI Charity Shield penalty shootout win against Broadmeadow last Friday showed they would be competitive this year despite being written off by many after losing several key players.
The Golden Eagles have recruited two overseas players of their own in Zach Verhoven from Vancouver FC and Vali Brandis, a German visa player from the US college system, and coach Shane Pryce has also welcomed Riley Parker, Tom O’Connor, Mathew Honnery (Newcastle Olympic), Tapuwanashe Goora (Lake Macquarie City FC), Sam Donohoe (Jaffas) and Harrison Weir (Azzurri).
Pryce and Golden Eagles head of football Jean-Paul de Marigny have assembled the youngest roster in the competition with an average age of 22.5, but veteran defender and former Jaffas player Josh Piddington provides plenty of experience and could potentially hit the 450-game mark this season.