Rockdale Ilinden crowned 2024 NPL Men’s NSW Premiers following 40-year wait

It’s been 40 long years since Rockdale Ilinden tasted Premiership success and this dream was realised on Saturday as the club were officially crowned Premiers of the 2024 National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW season.

Having been the most consistent team throughout the course of the season, Ilinden have stayed true to their commitment in playing their own brand of football that has seen them reach the top echelon of NPL football in NSW.

Their nearest rivals Marconi Stallions huffed and puffed but were brought down by a spirited Blacktown City outfit on Saturday that gifted Ilinden the Premiership title, an achievement that was well celebrated by the entire team and coaching staff at it’s home base in Rockdale right up to the early hours on Sunday morning.

The victory meant so much to the playing group, coaching staff, board as well as its supporters following years of hoping to fill its trophy cabinet.

A project that kicked-off two years ago, the club hired Paul Dee along with assistant coach Nick Stavroulakis in the hope of creating something special.

Two years later, that dream was realised when the coaching duo collected the club’s first piece of major silverware in 40 years.

Currently on work commitments, Dee has been unable to witness the success his side had achieved however his counterpart Nick Stavroulakis alongside fellow assistant Vedran Jaganjac have been busily pulling the strings as the club set its course in achieving its major objective this year in pushing for the Premiership.

An emotional Stavroulakis, a former NPL Men’s NSW Premiership and Championship winner himself, was visibly proud of what the club and his players accomplished following a phone call he received from Dee two years ago.

“It all started two years ago when I received a phone call from Paul (Dee) to start up this ‘project’,” the 39-year-old stated to Football NSW.

“We spoke for an hour about this ‘project’ and fast forward two years and we’ve delivered the Premiership to Rockdale Ilinden.

“This Premiership means many things for me and the club for a number of reasons.

“To bring a big piece of football history in this state to the club who have waited 40 years for this makes it a lot sweeter for all the hard work Paul, myself and Vedran have put into this ‘project’ for the last 2 seasons.

“Having won this as a player, I understand the difficulties to get over the line with 30 league games to prove your worth week in week out to lift this trophy.

“One off games can allow for many different scenarios, but to be consistent week in week out is a major task we have tried to pride ourselves on.

“This trophy is dedicated to the ones that fought tirelessly for the cause.

“I would also like to make a special mention to the El Hafiane family on days like today. I’m sure Idriss is smiling down on his favoured group and club.”

Littered with some great pedigree across the playing group, one name stands above the rest, that’s their club captain who lives and breathes Ilinden, star striker Alec Urosevski.

The ‘Baker’ has delivered on so many fronts throughout the course of his playing career at Ilinden and apart from smashing the club’s all-time goalscoring feat as well as being the reigning NPL Men’s NSW Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner which he may well do a second time this season, one thing that was missing was a Premiership title.

Along with Urosevski, fan favourite Blake Ricciuto, Brayden Sorge and Bai Antoniou have stayed faithful to the club alongside some new faces that boosted the side’s stocks in the past two years.

Goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares who has since signed with Sydney FC’s first team squad was immense prior to his departure but the addition of Nick Sorras during the recent transfer window has assured that the club had safe hands for the remainder of the season.

The major influence of the Speranza brothers Giorgio and Roberto has been telling while fellow defenders Daniel Collins and Lachie Griffiths have also played key roles in the club’s defensive displays this year. Midfield maestros Dean Pelekanos, Isaac Danzo, Lachie Constable and Brendan Cholakian have really shown the way in adding to Ilinden’s DNA.

Let’s not forget Mathieu Cordier, a talented player that was on course of landing an A-League contract this year, an unfortunate leg injury suffered a month ago sidelined the star for the year but his amazing performances were there to be marvelled by all – no doubt he will come back bigger and stronger in 2025.

The next objective the club hopes to achieve is the Championship and with so many other rival clubs now wanting to have a piece of Ilinden following their Premiership triumph, football fans in NSW are in for a treat as the season transforms into finals football fever.

One thing’s for sure, the 2024 season will be long remembered by Ilinden as the year they broke their hoodoo in winning the Premiership in its 55-years of existence.