The PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s begins this week.
Get excited with the official Hype Reel for 2017! It’s Daring. It’s Emotion. It’s #PS4NPLNSW.
View below or watch here…
Live Stream – Sydney FC vs Rockdale City Suns – Round 1
Kicking the season off with a bang, Round One of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s is confirmed to be live streamed.
Sydney FC open their campaign at home to Rockdale City Suns and fans of both teams will be able to enjoy the fixture live on their screens, free of charge.
Following Round One, the fifth round clash between Sydney United 58 FC and Bonnyrigg White Eagles will be streamed, with further games to be unveiled as the season progresses.
The push towards increasing broadcast content is acknowledgement of the huge interest in the competition both in New South Wales, interstate and overseas.
Coupled with the brand new NPL Live Show, airing Thursdays 6pm on the NPL New South Wales Facebook page, this marks a new era in the coverage of the competition in our state.
The PlayStation 4 NPL NSW forms an important part of the football landscape in Australia and as such the demand for regular live streaming of the competition matches is high.
Football NSW is in the process of seeking a broadcast partner for the PlayStation 4 NPL NSW and is currently speaking with interested parties on how this can be achieved to ensure maximum benefit to football.
In addition, this season Football NSW has given clubs the opportunity to apply for permission to broadcast their own home games and looks forward to the great initiative shown by clubs in this space.
Newly promoted Sydney FC will be out to upset their more favoured opponents, especially considering captain/coach of Rockdale City Suns Paul Reid is also a staff member on the Sydney FC community team.
Tune in on the NPL New South Wales Facebook page to watch Sydney FC vs Rockdale City Suns, 7:45pm Saturday 11th March:
fb.com/nplnsw
Sutherland Sharks FC sailing for new heights in 2017
Sutherland Sharks FC have been a solid outfit in the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW over recent years, but there is a sense of impatience around Seymour Shaw heading into 2017.
The Sharks are hungry for post-season football in 2017 and with coach Carlos Villazon set for his second season in charge, the club is hoping for an improvement on 2016’s seventh-placed finish.
The Coach
Carlos Villazon is entering his second season at the Sharks, with the coach being credited for being a new energy and style to the Sharks in 2016.
The transition has not been without hiccups, but the Sharks shown signs of improvement under Villazon.
Defence will remain his major concern after the Sharks conceded 40 goals in 22 games last season however will rely on the experience of their big defender Nick Littler who had a sterling year.
Objectives
If the Sharks can add goals to their possession-based football and add some defensive steel to their game, then there is no reason to think that Villazon’s men cannot go deep into the finals this season.
That will surely be the objective for a team representing one of the biggest footballing areas of the country and hungry for recognition in any upcoming Hyundai A-League expansion talks.
Having pinched Nathan Elasi back to the Shire as well as the exciting Kevin Lopes from Hakoah Sydney City East, the thirst for goals may roll through with these two key men.
Player To Watch
Tomohiro Kajiyama established himself as a firm fan favourite at Seymour Shaw in his debut season with the Sharks and after a year acclimatizing to his new surrounds, he will be aiming to take the competition by storm this season.
The Japanese star did not miss a game last season, scoring eight goals in the process and he will hope to smash the double-figure barrier in 2017.
Rising Star
Chris McStay managed to make 20 first-team appearances last season and the young midfielder is highly-rated within the Sharks set-up as he hopes to build on a strong 2016 and drive the Sharks’ drive up the table from midfield in 2017.
Coaches Comments
" I think Carlos’ vision is great and this season he wants to improve the transition moments in the game. We are trying to play a proactive and entertaining type of football that is possession-based. We’ve had a bit pre-season and the players are ready, we want to have a big season." – Allan Edmondson (Assistant Coach)
Ins
Nathan Elasi (APIA Leichhardt Tigers)
Kevin Lopez (Hakoah Sydney City East)
Wade Oostendorp (Mounties Wanderers)
Outs
Perry Moustakas (Bankstown Berries)
Steve Hayes (Wollongong Wolves)
Jordie Figon (Rockdale City Suns)
Lucas Stergio (Wollongong Olympic)
Andreas Gomez
Round 1 Preview – PS4 NPL 2 NSW Men’s
It all starts this Sunday as the PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s competition comes to life with 14 teams chasing that one ultimate dream; to be crowned Champions and to win promotion into NSW’s elite league in 2017.
Round 1 is upon us and below are the first round match-ups that will take shape across NSW with some enticing fixtures that are sure not to be missed – so get out and support your local clubs!
North Shore Mariners FC v. Mounties Wanderers FC, Sunday 1 pm at Valentine Sports Park No. 2
The 2017 season begins at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday afternoon, where North Shore Mariners take on Mounties Wanderers FC in the first game of this year’s 2017 PS4 NPL 2 NSW Men’s competition.
This fixture ended 3-3 at Northbridge Oval in 2016, with two goals from Michael Cole helping to cancel out a hat trick from Matthew West. Both sides will be without these goalscorers this season – Cole has stepped down to play local football due to family commitments, while West has moved on to APIA Leichhardt. Joe Haywood continues with Mariners after a disappointing 2016 season, his side having finished bottom of the NPL 2 despite conceding the least goals of any team in the competition. Haywood stressed an emphasis on improving his side’s attack in the preseason, and believes that Mariners "can definitely improve at both ends of the park this year.”
Mounties, meanwhile, begin the 2017 season under new management, with Lee Sterrey joining from Macarthur Rams after David Perkovic moved to Spirit FC. Sterrey is aiming for an improvement on Mounties’ third place finish in 2016, and stated his new side are "good enough" to win the NPL 2, but admits they’ll likely miss West’s goals – "he was maybe three-quarters of the attack last year."
Central Coast Mariners FC v. Marconi Stallions FC, Sunday 1.30pm at Pluim Park No. 1
Central Coast Mariners clash with Marconi Stallions in a repeat of a fixture that finished 4-5 to the visitors last season, with two goals apiece from Marko Jesic and Mirjan Pavlovic helping Marconi across the line in 2016. The Stallions hold onto these two players moving into the new season, adding a number of players an already strong team which finished fourth last year – most notable among the new recruits is former Socceroo defender Michael Beauchamp, who joins from Bankstown City.
Coach Tony Candy retains much of the 2016 squad after taking over from Jeff Suzor, and is hopeful that Stallions will be able to make a serious push for promotion back to the NPL 1 this season.
Central Coast Mariners have lost Nathan Verity and captain Liam O’Dell due to the age restrictions that apply to the A-League academy sides, but welcome Brenton Fox from Western Sydney Wanderers and James Enticknap from Queensland to strengthen Ben Cahn’s young side, who have promoted talent from within the club in preparation for the 2017 season. Cahn’s priority remains producing players for the Mariners’ senior team, but says he and his side are aiming to reach the finals series this year: "We believe we can be there or thereabouts – we’ll see what happens."
Bankstown City FC v. Bankstown Berries FC, Sunday 6.30pm at Jensen Park WASHED OUT
Bankstown City FC hosted Bankstown Berries late in the 2016 regular season at Jensen Park, running out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Gerard Ouffoue and Christopher Gomez. City will be without Gomez, who joined Spirit FC in the offseason, and will line up against former teammates Nicholas Mouzourakis and Dominic Hudap on Sunday night, the pair having joined Berries for 2017.
They are strengthened by the arrival of Bruno Pivato from St George FC, Hussein Akil from Hakoah and David McMurray from Macarthur Rams, three players who coach John Caruana will hope can make up for the valuable experience that Michael Beauchamp brought to Bankstown City; the former Socceroo having left for Marconi at the end of 2016.
Alex Becerra, too, has moved from Berries across to Bankstown City, ensuring an intriguing reunion for both sides at Jensen Park over the weekend. Berries begin 2017 with new coach Perry Moustakas, a player at Sutherland Sharks last year. Moustakas is optimistic that the mix of youth and experience in his squad will pay dividends for Berries this season, after a disappointing showing in 2016 saw his side – then under the management of Wally Savor – finish second-to-last in the NPL 2.
"We’ve been training well, and training hard," he stated to Football NSW,
"We’re all really looking forward to the first game of the season."
Macarthur Rams FC v. Spirit FC, Sunday 7pm at Lynwood Park
Macarthur Rams met Spirit FC in Round 8 of the 2016 NPL 2 NSW Men’s season, with Rams edging a 1-0 win after Elid Barkhousir scored the only goal of the game for the home side.
These sides meet again in the opening round of the 2017 season, though Rams will be missing their match winner and top goalscorer from last season, after Barkhousir sustained a season-ending injury in preseason. The team from Lynwood Park will begin the new year under Bill Pilovski, as Lee Sterrey moves to Mounties Wanderers, and will be looking for improvement on a season which saw them finish in eighth place, just five points outside of the top six – "I think we might surprise a few people," Pilovski stated to Football NSW.
Spirit FC also welcome a new coach into the ranks, with David Perkovic arriving at Christie Park from Mounties Wanderers. Perkovic has brought in Christopher Gomez and Jack Musgrove from Bankstown City, along with 2016 NPL Goalkeeper of the Year James Webb from Stanmore Hawks, as he looks to move Spirit up the ladder after they finished 12th last season, just seven points off the bottom of the table. An attacking coach, Perkovic has brought in players to improve Spirits’ product in the front third of the pitch, and is hoping that his new side will be able to make a push for the finals in 2017.
St George FC v. Blacktown Spartans FC, Sunday 7pm at Seymour Shaw
St George and Blacktown Spartans meet at Seymour Shaw on Sunday night for the first time since 2014, when Spartans ran out 6-1 winners over a St George side which was relegated to the NPL 2 at the end of the season. It’s Spartans who find themselves down a division in 2017, taking on a St George team which had a strong 2016 season as they finished amongst the three teams that just missed out on finals football, along with Northern Tigers and Macarthur Rams.
St George coach Terry Palapanis is "quietly confident" that his side can make the jump into the top six this season, having recruited Jacob Bandur from Hakoah, Andrew Depta from Sydney United, and Zac Riberio from Fraser Park.
Also joining St George in 2017 is Juan Carlos Romero, who arrives from Spain’s third division. Blacktown Spartans prepare for the new season in the NPL 2 with an entirely new first grade squad, having been unable to retain any players from the 2016 side. Still, Luis Contigiani remains positive: "It’s a brand new team," he was quoted. "[and] a genuine rebuilding process for us. We’ve got the foundation for a good first grade side and I’m optimistic that we’re on the right path forward."
Western Sydney Wanderers FC v. Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC, Sunday 7pm at Sydney United Sports Centre
The Wanderers begin their 2017 season with a match at home against Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC, a fixture that they lost 3-4 last season despite a hat trick from club top scorer Kyle Cimenti. Western Sydney lose Keanu Baccus, Lachan Scott and Abraham Majok to Tony Popovic’s first team this year, though Baccus and Majok are still expected to play some role in coach Trevor Morgan’s plan in 2017.
Morgan has largely promoted talent from within the club, with Emmanuel Gonzalez headlining the few arrivals at the Wanderers over the offseason, coming in as the top goalscorer for Sydney FC’s 20s side last year. Mt Druitt Town Rangers, meanwhile, are looking to improve on their sixth place finish in 2016 – culminating in a loss to eventual competition winners Sydney FC in the semi finals – under Aiden Desmond, who has brought in a number of talented players from across the NPL NSW system, including Lachlan Roberts who arrives from Western Sydney Wanderers. Roberts’ new side will line up against the Wanderers on Sunday night hopeful that they can go one better in 2017, and at the least claim a spot in the finals again.
Hills Brumbies FC v. Northern Tigers FC, Sunday 7pm at Valentine Sports Park No. 2
Hills Brumbies arrive in the NPL 2 NSW Men’s competition after a successful 2016 season which saw them finish top of the NPL 3, eventually succumbing to a 4-1 loss to the Rydalmere Lions in the grand final.
Dan Sheppard remains in charge of the Brumbies as they begin their campaign in the NPL 2 in 2017, and retains much of the same squad that achieved promotion, along with a few new faces which he hopes will help the Brumbies cement their place in the second division, including Nathan Rayner, Eoin Montford and Matthew Viera who join from Bankstown Berries, Sydney Olympic and Prospect United respectively. Paul Down, instrumental in the Brumbies’ 2016 campaign, steps down from the field to the bench as he begins his coaching career with the club’s 16s side. Northern Tigers, meanwhile, will be hoping that they can make a serious push for finals football this year under John Comito, who is expecting big things from his young side.
With Paul Davies having retired, and Steven Baveas choosing to help with the coaching staff rather than play, Tigers have looked to their 20s and 18s sides to bolster their team in 2017, with Harry Mears returning from APIA Leichhardt and Joshua Tanner arriving from Blacktown Spartans.
-By Max Grieve
Football NSW launches PlayStation®4 NPL 2017 season
The PlayStation®4 (PS4™) National Premier Leagues NSW 2017 Season was launched by Football NSW at Waterview in Bicentennial Park on Wednesday where media and representatives from the NPL community attended.
A cocktail function for 150 guests with Master of Ceremonies and Fox Sports’ very own Simon Hill took control of proceedings which also included representatives from all Football NSW National Premier League Clubs, FFA, Hyundai A-League and W-League clubs, Major Sponsors, and Managing Director of Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia, Michael Ephraim, celebrated the fifth year of the National Premier Leagues in NSW.
There were also cameo appearances from a couple of ex-Socceroos with Paul Okon, Ante Covic, David Zdrilic and Gerry Gomez on hand to support the competition as well as former Socceroos coach form the famous 1974 World Cup squad, Rale Rasic.
The 2017 season will again see the National Premier Leagues benefit from the association with PlayStation4 with the powerhouse sponsor throwing its full support behind grassroots football in Australia.
“I’ve often been quoted as stating PlayStation’s passion for football has always lived both on and off the field and it is true – whether it be literally by strapping on a pair of boots, or picking up a controller,” commented Michael Ephraim, Managing Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia.
“This year, we are celebrating three years of partnership with FFA and we’re incredibly proud to see how the strength of our collaboration has contributed to the growth of the PS4 NPL into a true breeding ground of Australian football talent,” Ephraim concluded.
Two special panels took place on the evening as the first took centre stage from all five NPL competitions with Rockdale City Suns’ prized new signing Ante Covic, Sydney University inspirational captain Elizabeth Grey, Marconi Stallions’ master midfielder Peter Triantis, Nepean FC’s talented skipper Desiree Vassallo and charismatic Gladesville Ryde Magic’s Kiriakos Tohouroglou all promoted the key role the NPL has played with the continual development of the world game in NSW.
The second panel saw the Central Coast Mariners’ Blake Powell, a former Sutherland Sharks and APIA Leichhardt Tigers product, Sydney FC’s Westfield W-League star and current Macarthur Rams player Leena Khamis as well as Western Sydney Wanderers’ Lachlan Scott, a former Wollongong Wolves and APIA Leichhardt product, chat about their involvements with the NPL.
Football NSW interim Chief Executive Officer Stefan Kamasz stated that the event accomplished its intention in celebrating the launch of all PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues NSW competitions.
“I’m thrilled to be able to enjoy the launch of this season with so many of those that champion this competition. The PS4 NPL in New South Wales is a very important part of the football landscape and player pathway in Australia, and in the room tonight are the heroes of our game that ensure it continues to be so.
“Season launches are wonderful occasions to come together socially and catch up with old friends, and even adversaries, but in football terms they are a time for optimism, for positivity, for anticipation, for expectation and hopefulness for the coming season.
“I would like to thank the league sponsors PlayStation4, especially Micahel Ephraim, who is not just a sponsor but a wonderful friend of football. Michael’s enthusiasm for PlayStation4 and football is infections and it is a delight having such an individual involved with our wonderful sport.
“I would like to wish all the clubs the best of luck and we look forward to seeing another NSW club being honoured as the National Premier League Champions following in the footsteps of Sydney United 58 FC (2013, 2016) and Blacktown City FC (2015).”
The PS4 NPL NSW Men’s commences on Saturday the 11th of March as Sutherland Sharks host Manly United, Bonnyrigg White Eagles take on Sydney Olympic, Parramatta FC tackle Wollongong Wolves and the new kids on the block Sydney FC battle Rockdale City Suns. Two matches will then take shape on Sunday to conclude Round 1.
The PS4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s competition kicks off this Saturday the 4th of March while the PS4 National Premier Leagues Women’s (Sunday 2nd April), Women’s 2 (Sunday 9th April), and Men’s 3 (Saturday 11th March) conclude the PS4 NPL competition openers in NSW.
Don’t forget to tune in each and every Thursday’s at 6pm, kicking off on Thursday 9th of March as a brand new show the PS4 NPL Live Show takes off hosted by Srine Demachkie.
Viewers can tune in via the PS4 NPL New South Wales Facebook
For more information on the 2017 PS4 NPL NSW football season check out the official website