Caspers And Rose Ready For Biggest Chapter In APIA-United 58 Rivalry

APIA Leichhardt and Sydney United 58, a rivalry built on silverware, fierce contests and meetings on both the state and national stage, will face off in the 2026 National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW Grand Final this Sunday afternoon.

This weekend’s final will be the fifth time the two sides have faced each other this year. For APIA midfielder Eddie Caspers and Sydney United 58 defender Dylan Rose, however, the next instalment between these two historic giants will be the biggest encounter yet.

“It’s always a good game against them; they’re always a tough opponent, and it’s been us two at the top really the whole year. We’re looking forward to it; we know they’ll put up a tough challenge,” Rose said.

“Every game that we’ve played them in has been in a big game, top of the table, Waratah Cup Grand Final, Round of 16 Australia Cup and then we had to win the league,” Caspers said.

“So four massive games and now we’ve probably got the biggest game of them all, the [NPL NSW] Grand Final, so we do know what it’s like to run into them in big games.”

Both APIA and United 58 are chasing history in this weekend’s Grand Final. APIA will be hoping to become the first team to win back-to-back Grand Finals since Bankstown City FC completed the feat in 2003/04 and 2004/05, while also completing the Premiership and Championship double for the second time in their history.

“We’ve done the Championship last year, Premiership this year, so that’s a good feat in itself, but to do two Grand Finals, it’d be an awesome feeling and something that, we’ve been working towards this whole season,” Caspers said.

“Even to do the double as well. That hasn’t been done in a while, and I think we’ve got the squad to do it.”

For Sydney United 58, a first Championship title since 2020 and a Waratah Cup and NPL Men’s NSW Championship double is on the line.

It is a remarkable turnaround for the five-time NSW champions, who welcomed back Miro Vlastelica at the start of the season.

With Vlastelica back at the helm, Rose praised the transformation and how the standards and expectations Vlastelica has brought back to Edensor Park have paved the way back to the Grand Final.

“I think discipline first and foremost, the way we play each game, we have his approach, game plan, we nail that, we get the job done, that’s the main focus,” Rose said.

“In training also, the sessions are another level, the energy, the intensity, everything has to be top standard because that’s the way it is on the weekend and that’s what he brings out, and his man management of people is unbelievable.”

Having played each other so many times in recent history, both Caspers and Rose spoke highly of their opponents and know that whoever wins the Grand Final on Sunday afternoon will have thoroughly deserved it.

“They’re (Sydney United 58) a squad that rises to the occasion when big games are present. So we understand that it’s going to be challenging and very tough,” Caspers said.

“[It is going to be] a very good footballing game, that’s for sure, and also a physical contest; everyone’s going to be up and at it, and the fans are going to add another layer to that from both sides,” Rose said.

“It’ll be a very physical contest, so whoever really wins that battle, I think, will have the upper hand in the game.”