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The return of the Major set to spark Blacktown City

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Travis Major marked his return to the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition with a hat-trick on the weekend, making a big statement of his intentions after rejoining Blacktown City for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Having spent some time with RoundGlass Punjab in the I-League, Major had an interesting experience in India with heavy restrictions due to Covid, but was excited to return to Blacktown.

“I’ve done a few times before so I’m used to coming back and having a bit of an offseason and then getting back into it,” Major said of returning to the NPL NSW Men’s competition.

“I’ve been back for about five weeks now and had a two-week break in Bali as well, just to have some freedom because I was in a quarantine bubble the whole time I was in India for eight months so I didn’t really have any freedom, so it was nice.

“I didn’t really get to experience India as a whole because for the eight months, we were in a hotel quarantine bubble the whole time so the only way we could leave the hotel was for training or a game.

“I didn’t really get to experience any of the culture, but the football was definitely different.

“It was so hot and humid when we played that the tempo was a lot slower so that took some time to get used to but it was a good experience all in all.”

When it was time to return to Australia, there was no doubt that he would play for Blacktown City, with a long history and strong connection to the club.

“The only team I’d play for the NPL is Blacktown – everyone probably knows that by now,” Major said.

“I’ve got such a close relationship with the club and Critto [Mark Crittenden] being my stepdad, it’s a pretty seamless thing to go straight into, he’d probably kill me if I went elsewhere.

“It’s always Blacktown for me in the NPL and they’ve always got that relationship with me that they say if anything comes up at a higher level, you can go the next day.

“They’ve never held me back and they’ve done that three or four times now.

“It’s always good to have such a close relationship with them where they do what’s best for me and obviously I’m always doing my best when I’m playing for them.”

Speaking of the support Blacktown City has shown him, Major said the club is supportive of everyone when they have an opportunity to play the next level of football.

“Critto is the first one to say, ‘you’ve got to go for it, if this is what you want to do go for it and there’s always a spot back here for you’, because no one ever really leaves on bad terms.

“If anyone ever comes back, the door’s always open for them and it’s always been like that for me as well.”

The culture at Blacktown is something the players and staff often speak of, with a strong team mentality the cornerstone of their success over the years, and Major said it hasn’t changed since he first joined the team.

“I came in 2010, that was my first year and there were senior boys at that time who had that culture down pat, and then by the time myself and Zach Cairncross and Matt Lewis were 23 to 24, they had taken off and then we kept that culture going, and then any of the new boys that have come in have just kept it up,” he said.

“Lynchy [Grant Lynch], Daniel Collins, Lewy [Matt Lewis] and Tristan [Prendergast] are still there and they carry on that culture and anyone that comes in gets introduced to it and it’s sink or swim.

“If you don’t buy into it, then you’re not part of it and you’re welcome to leave the club at any time.”

Joining the team with only six regular season games to go is an exciting prospect for the striker, and an opportunity he has relished.

“It’s exciting to come in because obviously last year we were six or seven points ahead with a few games left, so we had that wrapped up as far as I’m concerned,” he explained.

“This year is completely different, where instead of being the hunted, we’re hunting down the top couple of teams because we’re a couple points off, so it was enticing to come back.

“I think the pressure is on everyone else in front of us, because we’re chasing them down and we’re pretty confident we can do that.

“At the end of the day, we’ve still got to get the points on the board and see how we go in finals.”

Having spent a lot of time with Blacktown in the NPL NSW Men’s league, Major couldn’t recall another time where the competition was so tightly-contested at this point in the season, with 2014 the only season that came close.

“The only one that comes to mind was 2014 I think, when Blacktown Spartans, ourselves and Bonnyrigg were all fighting for the top three and it came down to the last day where Blacktown Spartans just needed a draw to win and I think we beat them 7-0 and they lost it on the final day to Bonnyrigg,” he recalled.

“That’s the only one I can really think of, in the last few years it’s been the first position that’s run off and won it by five or six points – I’ve never seen it this close with six teams in the race.

Having made his return to the league with a very successful performance, Major said it was a bit of luck that helped him with his hat trick.

“It was a bit of luck to be honest, obviously getting a penalty after 20 seconds, it sort of fell in my lap,” he explained.

“We got another penalty, which again fell in my lap and then got one straight after half time, so it was good to get some goals straight away and just shake off the cobwebs, because I think it’s been six weeks since I’ve played a game.

“It was nice to get out there injury free, get some goals, win the game and we just to carry on the next week now.”

With five games remaining and the Premiership in reach, Major is determined to succeed in the remainder of the season and hopefully return to playing football overseas afterwards.

“Personally, I just want to come back, stay injury free, do as well as I can, score goals and get as far as we can into the finals and win it all and if anything comes up from that, then we’ll take it from there,” he said.

“I definitely want to go back to Asia, I’m just not sure what country that will be, it just depends on what opportunity presents itself.

“Five of the last six years I’ve been over there and I’ve been happy with how it went so I definitely want to go back over there and test myself again.

“I’m lucky I’ve got a supportive partner who is happy to travel with me, which makes it a lot easier.

“If something comes up that’s definitely something we both want to pursue, but it has to come up first.”

-By Madeline Riley

Round 17 NPL NSW Men’s Team of the Week’

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The talk of this week’s was the return of Blacktown City FC’s favourite son Travis Major who made a stunning returning netting a hat-trick in the club’s 3-0 victory over the Northbridge Bulls on Sunday.

The inclusion of Major has certainly injected more life into the Blacktown City squad, he along with Grant Lynch were standouts against the Bulls.

Veteran APIA keeper Ivan Necevski did his bit to ensure the Inner West club picked up a point against a tough Sydney FC outfit while it was a maiden run for Sydney United 58’s Tariq Maia who was the best on field in Sydney United 58’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Rockdale Ilinden.

Mt Druitt Town Rangers battled well against the Marconi Stallions and with that came the inclusion of two players in this week’s Team of the Week, a first in a while.

Defender Solomon Vaiika and the ‘Mayor’ of Mt Druitt Town Rangers Jack Stewart played their part in grabbing a 1-1 draw at the Palace.

Sydney Olympic also had two inclusions following its comprehensive 4-1 win over the Sutherland Sharks with Adam Parkhouse showing yet again his good return to form following an injury layoff while defender Benjamin Van Meurs was also solid at the back as well as getting amongst the scoresheet.

There were also appearances from Stallions’ hard working midfielder Connor Evans, Wollongong Wolves’ young gun Jake Lavalle and Manly United’s Bruno Mendes.

Congrats to all players for their inclusions in this week’s Round 17 NPL NSW Men’s ‘Team of the Week’.

Monahan-Vaiika rallies behind strong Mt Druitt Town Rangers finish to season

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Mt Druitt Town Rangers’ Solomon-John Monahan-Vaiika scored his second goal of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s season, knocking home a clinical header to earn a point from his side’s hard-fought battle with Rockdale Ilinden on the weekend.

After being sidelined for six games throughout the season due to injury, he made his return off the bench in the Rangers Round 10 clash and settled back into his starting position in their Round 11 draw with Sydney FC.

Having spent a large portion of the season so far, Monahan-Vaiika has been able to keep his spirits up through the morale of the team, despite their campaign not going the way they had planned.

“I got injured in our third game that we played, so the team morale is everything,” he explained.

“I think we started off very slow and it’s taken us a while to regain our composure but at the moment we’ve got a good thing going and it’s been good for the past couple of weeks.

While their 2022 season has seen them with only two wins, the Western Sydney outfit have held off some tough competition to remain undefeated in four matches heading into Round 17.

“At the moment we’re just proving that we also belong in the league,” Monahan-Vaiika said of the current mentality of Mt Druitt.

“At the moment when teams come to play us, I don’t think they’re coming in with the mentality that we’re a lesser team than others, but I think teams are scared to play us and we’re just coming in with the underdog mentality.

“Everyone’s pushing to prove their position for the next year and hopefully players in our team retain their spot for next year.”

With dynamic striker Jack Stewart leading their attacking charge, the Rangers have amassed a respectable 27 goals for their 2022 campaign.

“There’s a lot of confidence with Jack going forward, you can always kind of rely on him to bring about great moments that probably wouldn’t be there otherwise,” Monahan-Vaiika explained.

“I think he’s also gotten a lot better in the second half of the season. In scenarios where he could have passed the ball but he chose to get on a different route, he’s maturing in that sense.

“It’s comforting knowing that going forward we have someone like that to rely on.”

Having been part of the team at Mt Druitt Town Rangers for four years now, Monahan-Vaiika praised the welcoming nature of the club for new players.

“I think the club as a whole is very welcoming,” he said.

“I think they’re very good with the new players that come in.

“The staff that are around and Robbo [Mark Robertson], our president, make it very comforting when you join the club.

“It’s good to have a chat with all those types of people around the grounds and it’s very comforting, for me especially considering that they’re my first NPL team.

“It’s kind of like home.”

With their 2022 aspirations all but ruled out, the Rangers are using the remainder of the season to focus on proving they deserve a place in the competition and preparing for next season.

“I think we’re definitely looking towards next season,” Monahan-Vaiika said.

“At the moment for the players, it’s kind of proving a point that we definitely belong in NPL1.

“I think for everyone, we’re looking to prove a point for this year, and I think everyone’s playing to better themselves for next year.”

 

Round 16 NPL NSW Men’s ‘Team of the Week’

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What a weekend Round 16 was as the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition continued to provide more talking points with the league being tighter than it’s ever been.

Performances from some key individuals were paramount in some of the club’s successes and thus we have selected our NPL NSW Men’s ‘Team of the Week’ following the Football NSW’s journalists 3-2-1 player ratings.

Blacktown City’s rising young keeper Alex Robinson did his bit to keep a clean sheet as well as push his side towards a vital 1-0 away victory against Sydney United 58. Robinson has been one of the finds of the 2022 NPL NSW Men’s season since taking over the number one spot that Tristan Prendergast filled due to injury, and City have not looked back since giving this young gun a go.

The defensive stocks were boosted this week with 4 inclusions including Manly United’s Seiya Kambayashi again getting the nod for a spot alongside Marconi’s other Speranza, Giorgio, Wollongong Wolves’ classy Japanese defender Banri Kanaizumi and APIA’s Yianni Nicolaou.

Manly United’s Jesse Piriz impressed as did Blacktown City’s goalscorer Mario Shabow who hit his first goal in 2022 while Sydney Olympic’s Adam Parkhouse turned back the clock and put in a great shift for the Blues.

Sydney FC’s young ace attacking midfielder Adrian Segecic was in fine form and showed again why so many punters are talking about him alongside his teammate and current joint top goalscorer Jaiden Kucharski who also gained a mention.

Finally it was a maiden appearance from Mt Druitt Town Rangers’ John Roberts with the former Australian Youth international displaying some of the talent many people know were accustomed to.

Congrats to all players for their inclusions in this week’s Round 16 NPL NSW Men’s ‘Team of the Week’.

 

The only way is up for Perkatis and United 58

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Sydney United 58’s Yianni Perkatis scored a world-class goal in Round 15 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition that shone the spotlight on his talent for fans and spectators of the league.

While the 28-year-old is currently impressing in the NPL, his experience expands beyond that, with experience in Australia’s top competition, and overseas.

“Highlights in my career would definitely be representing Australia in the Under 17 FIFA World Cup, that’s definitely a highlight for me, winning the AFC Asian Champions League with the Wanderers in 2014 and winning the NPL season with United in a pretty dramatic fashion with the game against Marconi – I think that was part of the COVID season part one where I had just come out of out of Perth Glory,” Perkatis explained.

“Probably one of the biggest highlights was the debut match against Newcastle where we won the A-League minor premiership, and then playing two weeks later in the semi final against Brisbane Roar where Shinji Ono scored a left-foot chip that sent us into the final.”

While he’s had a taste of the A-League and professional football, Perkatis, like many NPL players, has struggled to stay in the top tier of football.

“It’s down to luck and being in the right place at the right time for a lot of people,” he said.

“Playing for Wanderers, I’d be lying to say it was a dream come true, because the Wanderers didn’t always exist and I was always a Sydney FC fan growing up because that was our local team.

“When the Wanderers were created in 2012 I knew it was the club that I wanted to represent.

It meant a lot to be involved, and to then get my first professional contract with them – I can’t describe what it did mean at the time.

“Then to be let go was very unfortunate, that was definitely a kick in the guts and that’s the setback that I had to deal with at the time.

“They’re memories that stay for a lifetime and I do cherish them, even though it ended on bittersweet terms.”

While unable to find a long-term place in the A-League, the NPL NSW Men’s competition has proven to be the perfect platform for the talent lost by the A-League, like Perkatis, to thrive in a talented and competitive environment with passion driving the players to balance work and football.

“There are definitely a lot of players that if given the opportunity would perform and excel within the A-League if not overseas,” Perkatis said.

“A lot of it does come down to the determination and the mindset of where they want to be and what they want to do in life.

“Work does get into the way of things and life does get into the way of things and people do weigh up their options whether they go into a full-time environment in the A-League or if they work and play football at the same time.

“I think if particular players and particular teams were given a full-time environment in the A-League, or whenever the ‘B-League’ gets created, there’s no doubt that we can challenge and we can compete in it.

“I believe there’s a good solid four or five teams in the NPL that definitely could compete week in, week out, given a full-time environment and training schedule because the talent is there, the commitment is there.

“We don’t train three or four times a week and work 40-hour jobs, if not more, to just play bad or not care about it.

“The passion is within everyone otherwise we wouldn’t have that talent and that competitiveness in the league.”

While Perkatis is giving his all to Sydney United 58, his hopes are still set on returning to the A-League if the opportunity arises.

“Football is a crazy game, you never know who’s watching, you never know who’s keeping an eye on you.

“I just try to perform the best I can for the club, for myself, for my teammates and make my family proud at the end of the day.

“I know if I take care of those aspects things will hopefully eventually come, and if they don’t, I know I’ve given everything that I have to the game and I can keep my head up high if it doesn’t happen.”

United 58 have been a heavyweight of the league for many years and the stability of the playing group has been one of their biggest strengths.

“It comes down to character,” Perkatis explained.

“You chop and change when players don’t work together or don’t work for each other, but we’ve got a squad that, on and off the field, we’re very tight.

“Everyone gets along very well and it’s a joy to be going to training, it doesn’t seem like it’s a mission or a chore, it’s getting together with a group of friends and kicking the ball around and enjoying it.”

This year the team struggled to find consistency early on and ultimately coach Joe Haywood, who was appointed during the preseason, stepped down from his position as coach, with former coach Miro Vlastelica stepping back in an interim position.

“Tom [Tomi Vidovic] left us early in the preseason to join the Wanderers – credit to him, he deserves to be in a position like that.

“We tried our hardest to make things work under Joe but unfortunately things that would normally go our way just weren’t going our way at the time.

“Obviously you don’t ever want to give up or you don’t want to be the reason someone loses their job, but that ended up happening at the end of the day which no one takes lightly at the club.

“Working back with Miro [Vlastelica] again, the tables have turned.

“We’re heading in the right direction now and everyone is getting back to the confidence levels & aspirations that the club deserves to be at, and wants to be at.”

Despite the lacklustre start, United 58 have picked up momentum in recent weeks and still have their eyes on achieving as much as they can in 2022.

“Finals are always a minimum,” Perkatis stated.

“Sydney United being the club that they are, even when we’re losing we still believe in ourselves.

“We still have confidence, we know what we’re all capable of, what we can achieve and we’ve all done it as a group before.

“We never ruled out making the finals because we know how much the NPL can chop and change.

“Previously we’ve gone through our slump and it’s just been a roller coaster over the season with results and how teams have performed and how we’ve performed.

“The main thing is that we’ve all grouped together, we’ve kept the belief even though we went through that struggle, and we’ve just worked hard to get ourselves out of it and there’s definitely still a very long way to go, we aren’t content with where we are at the moment.

“To say we’re in a better position than we were a couple of weeks ago, that’s great, but we’re definitely not in the position we want to be.”

While the club’s ambitions are clear, Perkatis’ ambitions are much the same, with a focus on doing the best he can for his club and hopefully a return to the A-League in the future.

“I’d love to score another one of the goals I scored on the weekend, if I could grab another one or two of them that’d be great.

“For me it’s all team goals, I’m just there for the team, I want us to win, I want us to do well, I want us to have a great [Australia] Cup run and get into the finals for the NPL and if we can win it that’s definitely the goal.

“Personally, it’s just to keep positive, keep working hard and keep performing well and doing the best I can for the team.

“I’d love to get back to the A-League if possible, but I’m enjoying my time now with United and we’ve got a great group that have been together for a long time now.”