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Welcome to footballwa.net! Here you will find all the latest football news from Western Australia, current tables for the state's top four Leagues, archived tables and results dating back to 1950, the Western Australian Club Directory which includes honour lists and divisional movements for each club and much, much more.
11.5.2025
BELT-UP AMATEUR PREMIER DIVISION – ROUND SIX REVIEW
North Perth United unbeaten start to the Belt Up Amateur Premier Division has come to an end, after a 4-1 defeat against second placed Emerald at Woodville Reserve on Sunday afternoon, in our week six ‘Match of the Round’. “We are delighted with the win, and the level of intensity, focus and determination from the lads was unbelievable,” Emerald coach Shane Dineen said. “It’s another three points on the board so hopefully add to that in two weeks’ time against Maccabi.” Emerald secured the win with goals from Conor Hogan, Shane Young, Oisin Pennycook and an own goal while Niall Kennedy scored for North Perth.
Maccabi are up to third after an 8-0 win against Jaguar at Maccabean Memorial Oval. A comprehensive win for the hosts, Dion Berman bagging a hat trick, Henry Wilkinson-Derums added a brace, with others to Zac Rosenberg, and substitutes Jonah Froman and Kovi Leib. Maccabi coach Ricky Berelowitz was delighted with the win. “Obviously very happy to get such a big win after the disappointment of last week. It was tough at first and we had to figure out where the spaces were with how they were set up, but once we got going, we were very hard to stop,” he explained. “Some really great goals and good performances all over the pitch and with players impacting from the bench too.”
Olympic Kingsway moved to fourth, returning from Wotton Reserve with the points after a thrilling 4-3 win against Morley Windmills. “A proper back and forward game that probably could’ve gone either way. Neither team could really take full control of the game and although we scored some quality goals, we conceded three that we believe we should’ve dealt with better,” Olympic coach Jason Stern explained. “Credit to Morley, they made it tough for us, and after conceding the equaliser in stoppage time, we were so pleased with the resolve of the group to go again and find a way to get the winner in the 96th minute, to get us a big three points.
The visitors were ahead when a neat through ball found Niall McGurk, who was able to race away and finish past the keeper. But Morley were level when John Monterosso was brought down by Andy Nicholson, and Steve Kirk made no mistake from the resulting penalty. Olympic were back in front when Jack Hailstones was picked out on the edge of the box, and his curling effort found the top corner. But once again Morley hit back, a scramble in the box resulted in a great double save by Daniel Higgins, but Olympic couldn’t clear and it was fired home by Faustinho Machochi.
But on the stroke of half time Olympic regained the lead, Nathan McManus firing home from the edge of the box, to send the Green Machine into the break with the lead. The second half was a tighter affair, with Morley pressing for the equaliser, but their cause wasn’t helped in the first minute of stoppage time when Isaac Toah-Ntow was sent off. But the ten-men did restore parity moments later, the referee spotting a handball and pointing to the spot again, and Kirk fired home. It looked like the points would be shared but there was one final twist. Olympic won a free kick just inside half way. The ball into the box from Adam Taylor evaded everyone and a great touch and finish from Josh Booysen sealed the three points.
Hamersley Rovers have leapfrogged Kelmscott Roos, after beating them 3-1 at Frye Park. “A good win away from home, and very pleased with second half performance,” Rovers’ coach Nigel Smith said. “This has been where we have been faltering in previous big games, so pleased to come away with all three points.” The visitors were ahead when a good ball from defender Carl Ennis sent Jordon Cook racing in on goal and he finished well. Loris Tommolini doubled their advantage finishing clinically past Taylor Warwick. They could have added a few more, but it was Kelmscott who reduced the arrears before the break, Ahmad Bakhtyar Rahimi made a great save to push the ball on to the post, but Chad Samuels was quickest to the rebound to score, and at the break it was 2-1. Rovers added a third early in the second half, Hunter Murphy tapping home from close-range to seal the points. The game ended a sour note for Rovers with substitute Jack O’Donnell suffering a bad knee injury, moments after coming on for just his second appearance, and he will be out for the rest of the season.
North Beach have won for the second time this season, with a 7-2 win against South Perth United at Charles Riley Reserve. “It was a really dominant performance from our boys, we started a little slow going 1-0 down but we re-grouped and really put the pressure on them in the last 15 minutes of the first half with three going in the back of the net,” North Beach skipper Luke Wearing explained. “The second half was much of the same with us scoring some really well worked team goals. I’m really happy with how we didn’t let them back into the game and put the game to bed quite convincingly. I’m looking forward to a competitive game next week in the cup against Morley.” Alex Kretowicz was the star, bagging a hat-trick, with Josh Marocchi added a brace, while Bailey Simon and Luke Jones added the others, while Sheldon Mulholland scored both for South Perth. It was a comprehensive win for coach Nick Di Carlo, who was absent, attending the birth of his second child – Congratulations Nick!!!!!
In the final game Kingsley Westside have won their first game of the season after a 4-0 win against Peel United at Bortolo Park. “Great to comeback from a long trip to Peel with all three points and we deserved it. It was a good all round team performance and we didn’t really give them a sniff of goal,” Kingsley coach Sam Ellis explained. “The league this year is throwing up some surprise results and we’ll just keeping going about our business and developing every week. We have a tough run of games coming up but the lads are improving each week.” The visitors were ahead after some good build up in the middle ended with neat chip from Josh Hall found Bailee Yeomans, who chipped the oncoming keeper. It was 2-0 when Yeoman’ and Nathan Griffiths combined, the later rolling the ball into the path of Yeomans, who fired home from just outside the box. They added a third before the break, Bailey Salmon heading home a corner. They sealed the points after the break, a scramble in the box fell to Charlie Gent and he finished neatly.
11.5.2025
NPL W ROUND EIGHT REVIEW
Balcatta Etna have turned their season around with a 4-2 win against Hyundai FW academy at the Home Group Stadium at Grindleford Reserve on Sunday afternoon. “This result was so important for us considering our poor start to the season, but I'm confident now that this will set the tone moving forward for the standard we uphold and the level of intensity I expect when we face every opponent,” Balcatta coach Peter Rakic explained. “It was a war out there and both teams were fighting for everything, I'm just really proud that we didn't give up until that final whistle was blown and the girls were finally rewarded for their persistence in front of goal, which is something that we've struggled with in recent weeks.’
It was the visitors who made the breakthrough on seven minutes, with Cate McAuliffe on target, and they held that lead at the break. But the hosts were on the front foot after half time and they levelled early, Abbey Meakins lofted shot beat Sofia Borg. Balcatta hit the front nine minutes later, Meakins’ cross was turned home by Alyssa van Heurck. But the FW Academy weren’t finished and restored parity on 68 minutes, Nelli Johnson firing home a screamer from distance past a Rebecca Bennett. It looked like the points would be shared, but Balcatta had other ideas, and in the final minute Carys Davis lashed home after the FW youngsters failed to clear their lines from Jamie-Lee Gale’s corner. Then deep into stoppage time the hosts sealed the points with a fourth, Monique D’Opera finding Meakins, whose shot beat Borg.
Perth RedStar have continued their recent good form, beating UWA Nedlands 6-2 at the RedStar Arena in Joondalup. After Renee Leota bagged five last week against Balcatta, the New Zealander scored three in this one, while Caitlin Doeglas also grabbed three to keep tabs on the top two. “Today was a positive result for the team. Credit to UWA—they kept us honest throughout the match. They have a knack for capitalising when you’re not fully switched on, and they certainly took their chances,” RedStar coach Chris Atturo explained. “At times, we were a little careless in possession; there’s a fine line between being adventurous and being reckless, and we didn’t always manage that balance. That said, Dougie and Kiwi are firing on all cylinders, and their performances are a reflection of the collective effort from the entire group. There are definitely areas to tighten up as we prepare for Mandurah in the cup, but overall, I’m pleased with the result.”
The home side found the opener on 11 minutes, Leota pouncing on an errant pass by Isabelle Dadswell to turn the ball into the net. Leota, who celebrated for 300th game for the club last week, added a second on the half hour mark, getting on the end of a Doeglas cross to score from close-range. But UWA, who were coming off their first win of the season, were back in the game shortly after. Chloe Rodrigo’s free-kick found Hannah Seeley, who’s first shot was blocked, but she made no mistake with the second. Then in the shadows of half time, the hosts regained their two-goal advantage, Doeglas again the provider, crossing from the left for Leota to complete her hat-trick. RedStar added a fourth ten minutes into the second half, a great ball from Abbey Woolley sent Doeglas clear, and she finished with aplomb. It was 5-1 when Grace Monteiro picked out Doeglas on the left and her first time shot flew across Janina Sauer and into the net, and two minutes later, Doeglas completed her hat-trick, scoring from the spot after handball by Ginger Cain. UWA pushed to the end and scored a consolation goal in stoppage time, a clearance from RedStar keeper Gabby Dal Busco fell to Melina Franklin who fired home.
The return of Perth Glory striker Ella Lincoln couldn’t help Perth SC to victory, having to settle for a 1-1 draw against Fremantle City at Dorrien Gardens. “A game I thought we dominated in terms of possession and chances created. We defended well when we needed to and didn’t give them much many clear-cut chances and our goalkeeper wasn’t called upon very often,” Perth assistant coach Fernando Barreiro said. “For us we’ll look back at the footage and analyse it but it was quite clear that we just didn’t find the back of the net when needed to. It feels like two points dropped and the players are aware of it and understandably frustrated. But some good news for us going forward with Ella Lincoln back and we now just need to get her match fit and firing in front of goal. It was clear today how her movement and ability to put defenders under pressure is and now just getting her sharpness back in front of goal and she’ll be banging them in soon. But no time to dwell. We’ll be back to training next week and fully focused and raring for our next game.”
Both sides had early chances, Sophie Meaden denied by Azzurri keeper Dayle Schroder, before Perth’s Daisy McAllister fired wide. But the host started to get on top, and they were rewarded with the opener on 24 minutes. Lincoln was involved, playing a neat one-two with Jessica Flannery, before finding Sam Mathers, she in turn found Flannery who turned her marker before curling home superbly from the edge of the box. Fremantle hit back but Schroeder saved to deny Mikayla Lyons, but two minutes from the break they levelled. A long clearance was allowed to bounce by the Perth defender and the impressive Leyna Wood played in Lyons, who raced into goal and finished low past the oncoming Schroeder. The second half was a real arm-wrestle, with both sides creating chances, but failing to take them. The best for the hosts came from the lively Lincoln, who was denied by Phillips, while Catherine Adams almost won it for the visitors late, but she couldn’t keep her shot down.
“Playing Perth at Dorrien Gardens is a tough fixture for anyone. Not to mention they had dropped points in just one game this season making them undoubtedly the most in form team. For us, we knew it was always going to be a game of fine margins. We wanted to leave everything out on the pitch and not come away thinking of the what ifs,” Fremantle skipper Annabelle Leek explained. “The two goals in the first half were class finishes and set the game up for an intense second half. For those 45 minutes it felt like the momentum continued to swing back and forth between the two teams. Whilst we always push for more, we were happy to grab a point away from home against a strong Perth side.”
In the final game Subiaco AFC proved to strong for Murdoch University Melville running out 3-0 winners at Rosalie Park. “We started the match well and created good chances whilst also maintaining good amounts of possession,” Subiaco coach Greg Farrell said. “I believe we hit the crossbar on five occasions, so we certainly need to be more clinical, but we were defensively solid and were more offensively creative than we have been, so it was a good performance and result.” The hosts found the opener on 12 minutes, Greta Bailey crossing to Soyi Kim who found the net. She was in again on two minutes before the break, lobbing over Kaitlyn Mohan, with the Subiaco defence looking for the offside flag that never came. Kim completed her hat-trick early in the second half, racing clear to seal the points and a completing a superb display from the South Korean.
10.5.2025
NPL-WA ROUND SEVEN - REVIEW
Our NPL M week seven ‘Match of the Round’ between league leaders Bayswater City and Olympic Kingsway was a tight affair, with both sides sharing the spoils after a 0-0 draw at Kingsway Reserve on Saturday afternoon. “It was a good game to be a part of, two top quality teams going at it,” Bayswater winger Sean McManus said. “I thought the first half they had the better of chances and it flipped the second half with us getting more chances. We are still disappointed in a draw at the end of the day which shows the mentality in our dressing room at the minute, but to still be sitting at the top of the league is a positive we will take and prepare again for next week with another hard game to follow.”
It was a game of many chances that weren’t taken, Kingsway had the best chances of the first half, with Bayswater having them in the second half, but a draw was probably a fair result. The hosts, who would close the gap on leaders Bayswater with a win, went close early, when Joe Hobson was played in by Jayden Gorman, but his shot drifted past the far post. Gorman was next to threaten, when the former Perth Glory striker latched onto a ball over the top to race clear of the defence, but his shot found the side netting. City opened the second half the brighter, and Patrick Loughrey’s header from Thomas Southgate’s cross was well saved by Adrian Sinagra. The visitors were pushing for the win, but a second yellow card for midfielder Declan Hughes saw him sent off. But the ten men could’ve won it in stoppage time when Loughrey picked out McManus, whose curing effort was saved by the alert Sinagra.
The round started on Friday evening, with a ten-man Perth SC scoring in stoppage time to salvage a 3-3 draw against Western Knights at Dorrien Gardens. It started so well for the hosts with Ethan Banks opening the scoring on 22 minutes, but former Azzurri midfielder Kristian Santich levelled six minutes before the break, after nicking the ball off Luca Hirninger and finishing low past Mark Birighitti. Santich gave the visitors the lead early in the second half, with a stunning free kick. It was 3-1 when Jesse Lazzaro scored from the spot on 67 minutes, after his cross hit the arm of Hirninger, and it looked all over when Perth substitute Sean O’Connor was sent off. But Kenny Lowe’s side weren’t finished, and reduced the margin seven minutes from time, with Gordon Perkins scoring. The final twist came deep into stoppage time, David Ninkovich finding Josh Cala, who finished with aplomb to give the hosts a dramatic draw.
Balcatta Etna have secured their second win of the season, after beating Sorrento 1-0 at the Home Group Stadium, Grindleford Reserve. “It was nice to be back home, it’s been a strange season for the lads playing away for this long. But the facilities and the clubhouse we seen today was worth the wait, it was great to see,” Balcatta midfielder Declan Hargreaves said. “The game I thought we dominated the first half but just couldn’t finish our chances off. The second half was much the same but they brought Kilkenny on which brought them more into the game, but we managed to get a goal for a win I think we deserved.” The hosts, who were playing at home for the first time this season, sealed the points six minutes from time, Hargreaves sent Ben Hinshelwood down the right, and his low cross was turned home by Jon Stynes at the back post. “A massive win for us today,” Stynes said. “I thought we played some really good football as well.”
The points were shared at Alfred Skeet Reserve, as Armadale and Perth Glory fought out a 2-2 draw. “We kept pressing and felt we’d done enough to win the game and had a great chance late but unfortunately didn’t take it,” Armadale coach Alun Vernals said. “But credit to Glory, they were resilient until the last kick, so in the end a fair point.” The visitors were ahead early, with the unfortunate Luke Collins turning home Max Naylor’s low cross from the left into his own net. But Alun Vernal’s side hit back immediately, Hamish van Dieken’s ball over the top was misjudged, and Pieter Jacobsz pounced to fire home. Glory regained the lead in the first minute of the second half, Naylor rising highest to head home. But three minutes from time Armadale restored parity Jacobsz, who trained with the Glory A-league side in off season, saw his glancing header at the front post find the target. Jacobsz went close to a hat-trick late, racing in on goal, and he was clipped by keeper Ryan Warner and the referee sent him off. Having used all their substitute’s Malise Mpunga went in goal, and he saved Collin’s free kick, before Chrie Fleming headed over the top with the goal at his mercy late, but it ended 2-2.
Tough game for us away at Armadale, the lads had to dig deep to hold on for a point in the end,” Glory coach Joe Heath said. “Armadale played the pitch better than we did and caused us problems with their direct style of play. We had opportunities to go 3-1 up but didn't capitalise on them, and them moments in games change momentum. However, I was happy the team dug in and held on for a point and great to see 16-year-old Max Naylor get on the score sheet, I thought he ran himself into the ground and fully deserved his goal. We will continue to work hard this week leading into Bayswater.”
Fremantle City have produced a stunning second half comeback to secure back-to-back wins in the competition after a 4-2 win against Perth RedStar at Hiton Park. “We were a bit off in the first half and struggled to get to terms with the tempo of the game. Our opponents on the other hand came out with vigour and were two up at the half,” Fremantle assistant coach Dale Wingell explained. “Despite the fact we were poor we still managed to create a couple of clear-cut chances that we failed to convert. The second half was a different story though, we made some tactical adjustments which enabled us to expose them.
“The players showed great accountability, and there was a real sense of purpose in everything that we did. We executed the basics extremely well and that combined with the energy, endeavour and belief allowed us to achieve the result we desired. Really proud of the boys today, we were in a difficult position at half time but we were able navigate our way out. A real gritty performance to fight back, score four and win the game, I’m absolutely buzzing and so happy for the group in the manner we achieved it.”
Trailing 0-2 at the break with goals from Daryl Nicol and Joe Pollard, the hosts pulled one back early in the second half with Riley Woodcock’s corner going straight in. The home side were level on 64 minutes, Woodcock raced down the left, his cut back was left by Charlie Chechlacz and Taj Bingwa shot on the turn flew into the bottom corner. The port side were ahead five minutes later, Woodcock found Nick Ambrogio, who laid it back to Karl Moody who made no mistake. Scott Miller’s side sealed the points late, Chechlacz’s free kick was we tipped onto the bar by Liam Reddy, but Moody pounced on the rebound to head home.
10.5.2025
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND SEVEN REVIEW
Curtin University have bounced back from their midweek defeat by Subiaco in the State League Division One, after a 1-0 win against Inglewood United in our week seven ‘Match of the Round at Proto DPS Inglewood Stadium. “I thought it was a well-deserved win. We got off to a great start, scoring early, and we created several chances and could have gone into the break with a bigger lead,” Curtin coach Troy Reid said. “Defensively, we were solid for most of the game and limited them to few clear opportunities. We had some excellent chances late on to seal it, but overall, I’m pleased with the three points. Hopefully, this can be the start of a good run for us.” The only goal of the game came on five minutes Alfie Bryant heading home a corner at the near post.
Gwelup Croatia moved to the top of the table after a 4-2 win against Subiaco AFC at Rosalie Park. “Super impressed with our opening 30 minutes today, as we played some excellent football. Really created some good chances and scored excellent team goals,” Gwelup coach Basil Lenzo explained. “A really solid all round team effort. Credit to Subi who came out and pushed us hard in the second half.” The visitors made the perfect start, with early goals from Jeremie Mba and Jacob Rossi. It was 3-0 on 24 minutes, Jack Bardsley heading home, and two minutes later Christos Vaenas volleyed home a fourth. Subiaco scored a couple of consolation goals after the break, first on 56 minutes Dean Evans’ corner picked out Chris Harradine, his header was saved by Rocco Liberti and Tarek Atta fired home the rebound. Then three minutes later they added a second, Kaleb Morrison scoring, but it was Gwelup taking home the points.
Murdoch University Melville are up to fourth after a 2-1 win against Gosnells City at the Besteam Stadium. “Happy with the result, I thought we could have been a bit more clinical in stages and been three or four up,” MUMFC skipper Patrick Sara said. “But it’s a good result after a couple of weeks that we feel we shouldn’t have dropped points. It’s good to stay touching distance with the top of the table and hopefully we can string a few results together.” MUMFC were ahead on 23 minutes, neat build-up ended with Gustavo Giron-Marulanda who’s neat through ball found Charie Breen who beat the offside trap and fish low past the keeper. It was 2-0 early in the second half, Sara sending Breen down the right channel and his low cross was turned home by Eddie Wynne-Willson. Gosnells reduced the margin four minutes from time, with Scott Pereira converting from the spot but it was too little too late for them, and they drop to the foot of the table.
Dianella White Eagles have scored a stoppage time goal, to savage a 2-2 draw against Joondalup City at the Illuka Sports Complex. “Devastated to have come away only with a point I think we created loads of chances again but couldn’t capitalise which give gave Joondalup the ability to grow into the game. Disappointed to have missed the chance to level the score at 1-1 by unfortunately hitting the post from the penalty that was awarded to us, feel as this would have helped us reset going into the second half,” Eagles striker Abert Luwi explained. “Credit to Joondalup they capitalised on our mistakes and made us pay, so was an uphill battle going into the second half but testament to our character we came out the second half and managed to rescue a point.”
The hosts were ahead early, the visitors turned the ball over, and after some clever work from Mason Gallagher and Harry Edwards in the corner, the ball was cut back for Jaxon Temata to finish. Dianella had the opportunity to level when they were awarded a penalty, but Luwi saw his spot kick crash off the post. Joondalup made them pay and doubled their advantage in first half stoppage time. Gallagher forced an error from Dianella trying to play out and squared the ball for Sam McKearnen to finish into an open net. Dianella were back in the game on 69 minutes, Cory McNeil cutting in from the left and finishing well. It looked like City would hold on to the win, but deep into stoppage time Dianella levelled. George Ballah’s cross into the box and Franc Gamiz Quer was on hand to score. “I’m so proud of the boys for competing so well against the best side we have played all year,” Joondalup coach Guy McDonald said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t hang on for the win, but a draw is probably a fair result, so we will build on this and focus on going head first into next week.”
UWA Nedlands good season has continued after 3-0 win against Kalamunda City at the UWA Sports Park. “Kalamunda was tough to deal with as they are very physical but the boys class showed through,” UWA’s Jack Hilaire said. “And we started playing our game and dominating the second half and when we scored one, they just kept flowing.” A tight first half burst into life after the break, and it was UWA who found the opener on 68 minutes, with substitute Ilijas Ahmadov on target. The visitors were reduced to ten men shortly after and substitute Mitchel Foley doubled the home sides advantage. Ahmadov sealed the points ten minutes from time with a third, the win moving UWA into second pace on the table.
“It was a frustrating first half which was very scrappy and a lot of stop starts with no real football being played from either team, but credit to the boys they went out the second half and showed a really strong industrious performance,” UWA coach Kris Donnell explained. “We took control of the game and were more patient with our build up. The substitutes all made a great impact in the game and it shows we have good depth with key players still being out of the team injured and suspended, but more importantly another clean sheet against a tricky side.”
In the final game Kingsley Westside have put a tumultuous week behind them, earning a hard-earned point after a 0-0 against a ten-man Mandurah City at Chichester Park. “The 0-0 draw was a solid performance, and I thought we showed great defensive organisation throughout the match,” new Kingsley coach Ben Andrews said. “Stepping into the first team position has been an exciting challenge, and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to contribute at this level. The players worked incredibly hard, stuck to the game plan, and we created some high-quality chances that, on another day, could have seen us come away with all three points. There’s a lot to build on, and I’m excited for what the rest of the season holds.”
10.5.2025
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND SIX REVIEW
Our State League Division Two week six ‘Match of the Round’ was a thriller with East Perth beating Wembley Downs 3-2 at Butlers Reserve on Friday evening. “A massive result and I could be prouder of the lads and coaches tonight,” East Perth coach Colm Costello said. “Wembley had some great spells and we got punished. They deserved the leads after some great play, but credit to our lads who I thought were excellent tonight. The winner involved three substitutes and we had a whole new midfield tonight, so I’m delighted the lads all stepped up. A cracking game at Butlers and was like a cup game tonight, but really delighted to grab the points and sets up another huge game next week against Carramar Shamrock Rovers.”
The visitors were ahead on the half hour, a great ball from David Brooks found Andy Keogh who in turn laid it off to Gavin Dillon, his shot was parried by the keeper but Ryan McGready made no mistake from the rebound. Wembley levelled after the break, a clearance hit the referee and East Perth didn’t clear their lines, and Josh Chalmers fired home. The home side hit the front when a great move and cross was well finished by Lachie Chamberlin. Costello went to his bench and it paid dividends five minutes from time, a corner from Stewie Mills found McGready again to restore parity. But the action wasn’t over yet and East Perth kept probing and a move involving three of their substitutes, found its way to James Burt who buried it home to seal the win in stoppage time.
“It was an amazing night at the club. Such a huge crowd and support for both teams. We welcomed back two club legends who are a huge reason we are where we are now in Bob and Colm and they were acknowledged at the end of the night,” Wembley coach Luke Thompson explained. “It was the best match we’ve been involved in all season credit to both teams on putting on a great performance. It’s one of those that could have gone either way and I think their experience showed out in the end and managed to score an injury time winner. This one is tough to take as we played well and deserved a lot more from it.”
Cockburn City continue to lead the table after a 2-1 win against Rockingham City at Dalmatinac Park. “I felt second half was scrappy from both teams. We had a couple of chance to increase our lead but our final execution let us down,” Cockburn coach Paulo Basto explained. “Overall, not the best of games with us conceded too many free kicks which we’ll need to work on, however we managed to secure the win which was a positive.” The hosts were ahead on 13 minutes, a high press caused panic at the back, and back pass from a defender went into his own net. They doubled their lead eight minutes later, Alessandro Basto raced forward and picked his spot from 20-meters, the ball flying into the net. Rockingham found a lifeline 20 minutes from time, a free kick wasn’t dealt with and the unmarked Shaun Mukwevho headed home, but they couldn’t find the equaliser.
Quinns have dropped their first point of the season, after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Wanneroo City, in the local derby at Stylish Park, Gumblossom Reserve on Saturday evening. “Always disappointed after taking the lead and not winning, I do feel the officials played a role in this with a couple of highly debatable decisions going against us,” Quinns coach Nick Jennings explained. “However, upon reflection a draw was probably the fair result in a very even contest with few clear-cut chances for either side.”
The hosts were ahead after good work down the left by James Elkington-Soan led to a delivery from wide to Jamie Gardiner at the far post, who laid the ball into path of Ben Wyeth to smash home. But Wanneroo levelled when Josh Allum was fouled in area after a corner, and Kane Fitch scored from the resulting spot kick. “Spirited performance and good character to come from behind,” Wanneroo coach Howard Tweats said. “For what is an entirely new squad the group is starting gel, expectations are growing with a lot more evolvement to happen.”
Balga have also continued their good start to the season with a narrow 1-0 win against Carramar Shamrock Rovers at Grandis Park. “The game was completely packed by constant challenges and duels which hindered the teams to create a lot of chances. While we had two chances in the first half through Lucas Reid, Shamrock had one chance of high-quality in the second half, when our goalkeeper Jason Madureira showed his quality in a one in one situation,” Balga coach Gerhard Janssen explained. “We were able to control the game defensively but because Shamrock was highly organised, we did not create our usual number of chances. In the end the result was deserved for our boys who delivered 95 minutes of fighting football.” The only goal of the game came on 67 minutes, Silver Kelder eased past two Rovers’ defenders, before finishing with aplomb from the edge of the box in to the bottom corner of the net, the win consolidating fourth spot.
The points were sharded at the Paintseal Arena, Ashfield Reserve, with Ashfield and Canning City playing out a 1-1 draw. “First half we were pretty dominate and probably should have been 2 or 3-0 up,” Canning coach Lee Hayward said. “The pitch was very wet at one end and the players were slipping over a lot so second half I asked the guys to avoid playing out from the back and that played into Ashfields hands and they scored a goal late on after a much more even second half. We had couple of chances second half but couldn’t take them.”
The visitors hit the front when Alex Guzman scored from close range after good work from Bill Orr. But Ashfield levelled after the break, Ben Entwistle swung in a corner that Ravi Singh headed home from four meters. “I thought we were very poor for most of the first half today. We changed a few things at HT and credit to the lads how they came out in the second half,” Ashfield coach James Sammut explained. “Ravi has been working really hard for us all season and it was good to see him rewarded today.” Meanwhile in the final game, a brace from Austin Reynolds has seen Forrestfield United secure their first win of the season, after a 2-0 win against Swan United at the Swan Italian Cub, Francis Street. The result sees Forrestfield leapfrog Swan on the table.
9.5.2025
FERGUSON ANNOUNCES HIS WA STATE SQUAD
There were a few surprises when WA State Head Coach Ian Ferguson named his 27-player squad for the international friendly against Indonesian Liga 1 outfit Persebaya Surabaya in July. The Scotsman, who is coach at Division One side Dianella White Eagles, has brought in a number of Division One players, which has raised a few eyebrows around the NPL clubs, but it is a strong squad. They will have three training sessions together, before the squad is trimmed to around 18 players prior to the game.
There will be a few disappointed players, but there usual is when state squads are selected, but he has included seven players from NPL leaders Bayswater, six from champions Olympic Kingsway, and three from Perth RedStar. There is a spot for former Persebaya and Perth Glory defender Aryn Williams, now with Olympic, while last year’s NPL Gold Medal and Golden Boot winner Pieter Jacobsz from Armadale has also been selected.
There are also five players from State League clubs, including Peter Pilkadaris, Franc Gamiz Quer and Sasa Njegic from Ferguson’s Dianella club, while Jeremie Mba of Gwelup Croatia and UWA Nedlands’ Jack Hilaire have also been selected, after good starts for their club in the league this season. “This is a game I’m really looking forward to and I’ve no doubt the players are, too,” Ferguson said. “I’ve selected a strong group of players, including some I admired from when I was in the NPL with Stirling.”
The game will be played at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Wednesday 9 July (Buy your tickets here: https://megatix.com.au/events/persebaya) and will be broadcasted on national TV in Indonesia. “This is great exposure for the boys and we will all want to put on a show," Ferguson said. “We will be organising videos to look at their team, but we already know they will be pretty strong.”
FULL WA STATE TEAM SQUAD - Keepers: LEWIS ITALIANO (Bayswater City), PETER PILKADARIS (Dianella White Eagles), ADRIAN SINAGRA (Olympic Kingsway) - Defenders: JACK HILAIRE (UWA Nedlands), SAM POLLARD (Perth RedStar), FRANC GAMIZ QUER (Dianella White Eagles), BRENT QUICK (Stirling Macedonia), JACKSON STEPHENS (Bayswater City), ARYN WILLIAMS (Olympic Kingsway) - Midfielders: CHARLIE CHECLACZ (Fremantle City), JONATHAN CORNESS (Bayswater City), DEAN CUMMINGS (Sorrento FC), TYLER GARNER (Olympic Kingsway), DECLAN HUGHES (Bayswater City), LAAT MATHIANG (Olympic Kingsway), DAVID NINKOVICH (Perth SC), SASA NJEGIC (Dianella White Eagles), JOSH SAMSON (Olympic Kingsway) - Forwards: JAYDEN GORMAN (Olympic Kingsway), PIETER JACOBSZ (Armadale), OLI LA GALIA (Bayswater City), THEO LEEMING (Perth RedStar), SEAN McMANUS (Bayswater City), DARYL NICOL (Perth RedStar), GORDON PERKINS (Perth SC), JEREMIE MBA (Gwelup Croatia), CAMERON TEECE (Bayswater City
9.5.2025
NPL W ROUND EIGHT PREVIEW
After back-to-back wins in the NPL W competition, Fremantle City are starting to hit their straps, but they will face a tough test in week eight when they travel to Dorrien Gardens to take on the unbeaten Perth SC on Sunday. (All games kick off at 3:00pm unless stated) The port side are coming off a hard-fought win at Subiaco last week, the three points moving them to fourth, while the Azzurri ended the winning start to the season for the FW Academy with a 3-0 victory, so with both teams in good form it should be a good contest.
Perth’s Jess Flannery said last week’s win was pleasing, against a good Academy side, and everyone in the squad played their role. “We knew going into the game against the FWA that is was going to be really intense, and it was,” she said. “It was great to be able to get such a convincing win as a team where every player had a super important role and executed it perfectly.”
The win made the Azzurri the only unbeaten team in the competition, and Flannery said it’s great achievement, but they will need to be at their best against an improving Fremantle side on Sunday. “It’s definitely a great feeling for us to know we are currently the only unbeaten team, but I don’t think it’s at the forefront of our minds. As a team we just go into each game with a fresh mindset wanting to play our game and do each other proud,” Flannery explained.
“Although maintaining an unbeaten streak would be ideal, I think our main goal is to play for each other and do ourselves proud regardless of the result. They (Fremantle) is always a challenging team to play, so I think all of us are going into the game this weekend with a massive respect for our opponent and understanding that it isn’t going to be an easy three points.”
Fremantle skipper Annabelle Leek said both wins (against UWA and Subiaco) were important for their season, and they need to carry on against Perth this weekend. “We were really pleased to get a win and a clean sheet last week against a well-structured Subiaco side. We felt we dominated possession for most of the game and created a number of great chances that may have gone in on another day,” the defender said. “This game and our game against UWA have been important wins for us as we cement our style of play.
“Our movement on and off the ball, the number of chances we’ve created, and our passages of play have continued to improve since the start of the season, which has given us more confidence heading into a second fixture against Perth. It’s always tough heading to Dorrien Gardens, let alone playing the inform team in the league. However, we’re more than ready for the challenge and are excited for what will be a great showcase of football in the NPL W.”
In the other games this weekend, Subiaco welcome Murdoch University Melville to Rosalie Park (3:45pm), while Perth RedStar host UWA Nedlands to the RedStar Arena in Joondalup, the visitors buoyed by their first win of the season against MUMFC. In the final game both the Hyundai FW Academy and Balcatta Etna will try to return to winning ways when they meet at the Home Group Stadium, Grindleford Reserve. The Academy side were beaten at Perth, and Balcatta at RedStar, and defender Frankie Murray said it was a game they had chances but failed to take them. “It was a tough game, RedStar are a good team and clinical in front of goal,” Murray said. “I thought we had some great moments as a team, but we need to be more clinical at the other end too.”
Murray, who joined the club from Subiaco this season, said missing two consecutive games (postponed) wasn’t ideal, but they are hoping to turn things around against a good Academy side. “It’s not ideal to have two games postponed, it mentally becomes hard it’s like restarting the season again, but we are looking to come back and build momentum,” she said. “FW Academy have shown they are a team to compete and going into this weekend we have to be prepared for that. They are a resilient side and we need to be our best from the start and I think the teams knows that.”
9.5.2025
BELT-UP AMATEUR PREMIER DIVISION – ROUND SIX PREVIEW
North Perth United lead the way in the Belt-Up Amateur Premier Division, winning all four games to start the season, and on Sunday they welcome second placed Emerald to Woodville Reserve for the top of the table clash, in our week six ‘Match of the Round’ (1:00pm) The hosts are coming off a big win against Peel last week, while Emerald were too strong for Jaguar, and with only three points separating them on the table, three points will be massive in this one.
The last time they met at the venue was in round 16 last season, when Emerald left with the points after a 2-1 win. It was a quiet first half with both sides having half chances, but on the hour the visitors hit the front. Andrew Patton scoring from close-range. But North Perth were level five minutes later, after a sustained period of pressure, Kyle Jackson on target. But two minutes from time Emerald found the winner. Andrew Wood racing onto a through ball from Conor Hogan to score.
Emerald coach Shane Dineen said the win against Jags was important, and he is hoping his side can perform the same on Sunday against the league leaders. “It was a great result last week, attitude and performance were what we spoke about and everyone played their part so hoping to continue that this week against a very strong North Perth side,” he said. “We know it will be a tough game and with a large Irish connection in both sides it will be a good battle. We are really looking forward to it.”
Skipper Shane Young said it’s an important game for both clubs, and a challenge they are relishing. “We’re all looking forward to the game on Sunday against North Perth, and like you said it’s a huge game for both clubs,” he said. “We had a good win against Jaguar last week and we’re hoping we can continue the winning streak and close the gap at the top of the table.”
North Perth coach Jason Winter said Sunday is a game they can’t wait for, against the most consistent club in the Amateur Premier Division for many seasons, and hopes for a big crowd down at Woodville. “We all know that Emerald have been the most consistent team in the division since they joined a few years ago, they have finished in the top two for the last two seasons,” he explained. “We know Sunday is going to be a tough game, we will go out and play our way and to our strengths and hope get a result.”
North Perth skipper Eoghan Rea said it’s been fantastic start to the season, but knows there is a long way to go. “Yes, brilliant start for the lads this season, and there’s great atmosphere in the club at the moment and we want to keep our momentum going,” he explained. “We know ourselves it’s been a dream start to the season, but also know there’s lots of football left to play so we are just focused on our next game. Full focus now turns to Emerald the weekend. We know they are a good side, but so are we, so it should be top quality game on Sunday.”
In other games, third-placed Kelmscott Roos welcome Hamersley Rovers to Frye Park, North Beach host South Perth United at Charles Riley Memorial Reserve, Jaguar visits the Maccabean Memorial Oval to meet Maccabi, while Kingsley Westside entertain Peel United at Chichester Park. In the final game Olympic Kingsway make the trip to Wotton Reserve to take on Morley Windmills. The hosts are yet to win on home soil, the latest a big loss against Kelmscott, while Olympic sit fifth after tight win against North Beach.
Olympic skipper Scott Bushby said last week’s win was important after a couple of below par performances. “It was a much better performance from us on the weekend, we’d been a bit below our usual standards the two weeks earlier,” he said. “But we feel we bounced back with a good win against a good North Beach side and controlled the majority of the game, even after going behind, we didn’t stop working and pushing and eventually turned the game round and got an important win.”
Bushby said despite the recent results, Morey are a decent side and he knows Olympic will need to be at their best to claim the points. “It will be another tough game away at Morley this weekend, we know they’re wanting to get back into Saturdays and push up this league and look for promotion. We’re expecting a strong, physical performance from them so we’ve got to be at our best to get something from the game,” the defender explained. “Every game in this league will be a fight, so we we’ve got to be on it at weekend from the first whistle and if we can perform to the standards that we’ve set ourself and know we can hit, we are confident of getting three points and moving up the league ourselves.”
9.5.2025
NPL-WA ROUND SEVEN - PREVIEW
Our week seven NPL M ‘Match of the Round’ is the top of the table clash between leaders Bayswater City and third placed Olympic Kingsway at Kingsway Reserve on Saturday afternoon. (All games kick off at 3:00pm, unless stated) The visitors have won all their games this season, the latest a 4-0 win against Balcatta, while Olympic have lost just the once this season at RedStar in round four, but they are also coming off a big win last week at Armadale, so it should be a cracker. The last time these sides met at the venue was in week 13 last season, when the hosts ran out 3-1 winners. A first half goal from Aryn Williams set them on their way, but Bayswater, hit back midway through the second half with Cameron Teece levelling. David Tough’s side won it with late goals from Joe Knowles and Joe Hobson.
The win at Armadale kept Olympic in touch with the top two, and assistant coach Ross Edwards said it was a good three points at a difficult place to win at. “It was a great win away in the last round, and we all know it’s not an easy place to go,” he said. “We’ve worked hard on certain areas of our game, and the lads have been great, so we were happy with the points and pleased with the clean sheet, something we take pride in as a team.”
Olympic have a settled side this season, and there is a great atmosphere around the group. Striker Joe Hobson is coming off four goals in the cup win last week, and midfielder Laat Manyec has been tremendous form in the middle of the park and Edwards said all the players have worked hard to start the season “We’ve been delighted with the whole squad, after winning the title last season every game is tough, with sides wanting to knock us off,” he said.
“Yes, both Joe and Laat have both have been great for us. Laat adds something different to our team which we felt was missing, so his recruitment was important, some of the most difficult things to do in football he finds easy. Hobbo, trains like a gun every week and does so much right. He has been focusing on his strength and is now reaping the rewards, I’m very pleased with both of them, and also very happy for them both.”
It’s a top of the table clash on Saturday against the unbeaten Bayswater City, and Edwards said it should be a great contest and a big day for the club. “They are undefeated and had a great start. Their squad has good depth, with good individuals, and so do we, so we are looking forward to the challenge,” Edwards explained. “Saturday is a big day at the club with the junior parade day, it’s set up for a great atmosphere and we are hoping the main event is exciting and entertaining for everyone there.”
The latest win for Bayswater was the Italian Derby against Balcatta, and assistant coach Matt Lenzo said it was another pleasing display. “Yes, it was a great performance. Balcatta moved the ball well and caused us some issues early on but I felt we were defensively solid at not allowing many shots and keeping the game in front of us,” Lenzo explained. “Then going forward we were fast, direct and clinical which is all the things you love to see as a coach, so it was fantastic to take three points and keep the momentum rolling.”
Lenzo said they have a strong squad this season, and spots in the stating side are in demand, but it’s great to have the depth. “The squad is brilliant, the boys in the starting 11 are working super hard and playing for each other and then anyone who has come off the bench is doing the same and making a massive impact as well,” the coach said. “This has been something we have spoken about all year, and the squad whether at training or on match days are all together working hard and it’s paying off.”
A trip to the champions on Saturday and Lenzo said they go there full of confidence. “It is no secret that Kingsway are the benchmark after what they did last season. They have had a good start to the season as well so it should make for a great game of football,” he said. “We know that they are strong especially at home, but we are fully prepared for them and plan on keeping our good run going - it should be a cracking game.”
The round starts on Friday when Perth SC welcome Western Knights to Dorrien Gardens. (7:00pm) The Azzurri sit fourth on the table, while the Knights are tenth and are still searching for a first win on the road this season. In other games on Saturday, Perth Glory, who are the other unbeaten team in the league this season, welcome Armadale to the Sam Kerr Football Centre. Sorrento hit the road to take on Balcatta Etna at the Home Group Stadium, and Steven McGarry’s side will be buoyed by their first win of the season in the last round, while Fremantle City, also won their first game of the season at Floreat in the last round, will look for back-to-back victories when they host Perth RedStar at Hilton Park. In the late game Stirling Macedonia host Floreat Athena, who are still looking for a first win of the season, at Macedonia Park. (5:00pm)
9.5.2025
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND SEVEN PREVIEW
It’s week seven in State League Division One this weekend. The week six fixtures will be completed on Wednesday June 4, which was due to the Hahn Australia Cup round last weekend, the only game played was Mandurah City’s 2-1 win against Joondalup City. Our ‘Match of the Round’ takes us to the Proto DPS Inglewood Stadium, where Inglewood United entertain Curtin University. (All games kick off at 3:00pm) Curtin were involved in a week two catch up game on Tuesday night, and were beaten 3-1.
Ben Bathgate gave Subiaco the lead at Edinburgh Oval on 15 minutes, but Kieran Witt equalised four minutes later. Dean Evans regained the lead for the visitors, before Bathgate sealed the points in first half stoppage time. Curtin’s Jude Baillie said it was good to win at Gosnells last week, but disappointing to lose on Tuesday. “Yes, obviously a big win for us getting our first three points against Gosnells, it was a tough game with both teams not really making any clear-cut chances and then Kieran’s wonder goal to win it,” he said.
“It’s been a tough start, after a good preseason. But we have been in games and just narrowly losing, so to lose against Subiaco on Tuesday was disappointing.” Baillie said Saturday’s opponents have also had a tough start to the season, so they head into the game looking for a good performance and getting back to winning ways. “We know they (Inglewood) have had a tough start like us but they do have a good squad and NPL experience so it should be a hard-fought game,” he said “Hopefully we can get another three points and kick start our season.”
It's been back-to-back wins for Inglewood, in the league against Kingsley and cup against Fremantle, the atmosphere around the club has lifted, and striker Harry Evans said having a near full squad has helped. “Yes, there is a good buzz around the squad, three wins in our last four games,” he said. “The pleasing thing is the togetherness of the team and it also helps having a near full strength squad after injuries.”
It has been a tough start for Inglewood after relegation from the NPL last season, but Evans believes they are improving each week and will be aiming for three points on Saturday. “You’re right, it was never going to be straightforward after getting relegated from the NPL, the club needed a big re-build which takes time and doesn’t happen overnight but now it’s starting to click,” he explained. “No games are easy in this league as we’ve found out in the opening fixtures, and Curtin will be no different.”
In the other games this week, league leaders Dianella White Eagle head up the Mitchell Freeway to take on Joondalup City at Iluka District Open Space. The hosts late loss at Mandurah last week left them sixth, while the Eagles are the only unbeaten team in the competition, and are coming off a big win at Gwelup last time out. In other games Kingsley Westside play their first game since the departure of coach Richard Abrams, when they host Mandurah City at Chichester Park, with Ben Andrews as interim coach. After their midweek win at Curtin, Subiaco AFC welcome second-placed Gwelup Croatia to Rosalie Park, Murdoch University Melville host Gosnells City at Besteam Stadium, while in the final game Kalamunda City travel to the UWA Sports Park to meet third-placed UWA Nedlands.
9.5.2025
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND SIX PREVIEW
The State League Division Two week six kicks off on Friday evening with our ‘Match of the Round’ taking us to Butlers Reserve where Wembley Downs host East Perth. (7:00pm) The visitors sit third on the table, and are coming off a loss against Cockburn, while Wembley sit 11th and were beaten at Balga last week, so both will be looking to get back in the winner’s circle. The last time the teams met at the venue was in round five in 2023, when the pair were in the Amateur Premier Division, with East Perth winning 2-1.
The visitors were ahead on seven minutes, Dean Wall racing one-on-one with Jeff Cornez, and he lobbed the on-coming keeper. The hosts levelled just before half time, a first-time volley from Luke Thistlethwaite sending the teams in to the break all-square. The hosts had the perfect opportunity to take the lead ten minutes into the second half when they were awarded, but Luke Green guessed the right way to save Thistlethwaite’s spot kick. But it was East Perth who won it ten minutes from time, Deane McFeeley and Stephen Henry combined, the latter crossing to Wayne Carter, whose cross shot was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Daniel D’Avoine.
Wembley coach Luke Thompson said there was no excuses for last week’s heavy defeat at Balga, but he is confident they have the experienced players to turn things around. “We were poor in the last round, and got what we deserved, no sugar coating the performance, we have to better and start executing our plans,” he said. “We have a lot of quality, but it’s about improving our consistency. When we have played well, we have been very good but we've also had some poor performances, you can't afford to drop your level too much in this league.”
Friday’s game against East Perth is another tough contest, and Thompson said it will be good welcome Colm Costello back to the club. “Very much looking forward to the game. The club will be welcoming back Colm but have also invited Bob Jackson as well and hope to acknowledge all the work both coaches have contributed to getting Wembley to this point,” he explained. “For me, East Perth are one of the favourites for the league and we know all about their quality. We will know we will have to be at our best and execute what we plan but most of all you have to match their intensity. We are really looking forward to the challenge.”
East Perth skipper Chris Smith said the loss against Cockburn was tough, but they will look to make emends on Friday. “On another day we could have got three or four goals and won the game, but Cockburn keeper was in top form that day, so credit to him,” Smith explained. “Wembley are good side and after a good result at Wanneroo showed that, and the league has shown anyway everyone can beat each other in this division. We know we will have a tough game ahead of us and look forward to try add another win.”
It’s a return to Butlers Reserve for East Perth coach Colm Costello and he said it will be a tough encounter. “I had four brilliant years at club, brilliant memories and a very successful time. Wembley has great people involved there and it’s brilliant to see them take the step into state league and fair play to Luke he is doing a great job with them after filling big shoes with Bob and Gary stepping away,” Costello explained.
“Although I had a great time there it’s all about us getting a positive result on Friday and although I’m away for training both Sully and Adam will get the boys ready for it. I think every evening games will bring a cup feel and it should be a cracker. They will rely on home form and won’t be wanting any more than three points. We are also coming off a defeat and the boys will be ready for a huge battle as always, like all games are in this league, but we approach every game the same and Friday we want to go there and go for it.”
There was a week two catch-up game in midweek with Ashfield and Balga drawing 3-3 at the Paintseal Arena on Tuesday evening. Takumi Kambai gave the visitors the lead from the spot on five minutes, but Blake Pritchard leveled on the half hour. An own goal gave the hosts the lead, but Nicholas Bahr Pike restored parity on the hour. It looked like Ashfield had won it when Charlie Watt made it 3-2 five minutes from time, but another penalty deep in stoppage time from Seamus Edwards gave both sides a share of the spoils.
In the late game on Saturday, Quinns will be looking for a fifth straight win to start the season, when they host Wanneroo City in a local derby at Stylish Park, Gumblossom Reserve on Saturday evening. (5:00pm) After a good start to the season the visitors have lost back-to-back games, while the hosts are going from strength to strength with four straight wins to start the season. In other games on Saturday (All games kick off at 3:00pm), second placed Cockburn City welcome Rockingham City to Dalmatinac Park, Swan United entertain Forrestfield United at Swan Italian Club, Francis Street. Canning City travel to the Paintseal Arena, Ashfield Reserve to take on Ashfield, while in the final game Balga will hope to build on last week’s big win against Wembley, when they travel to Grandis Park to meet Carramar Shamrock Rovers.
9.5.2025
TAGGART AND DALTON TAKE OUT GLORY AWARDS
Perth Glory skipper’s Adam Taggart and Izzy Dalton have both won their respective Men’s and Women’s Most Glorious Player Awards at the club’s annual end-of-season night, which took place at Perth’s Heath Ledger State Theatre on Monday evening. It’s been a tough season for David Zdrilic’s side, collecting a second consecutive wooden spoon, while Stephen Peters’ side just missed out on a finals spot, but their supporters have stuck by the club.
More than 400 guests and supporters were on hand to see striker Taggart become just the third Glory player to go back-to-back as a stand-alone MGP, along with Boby Despotovski and Diego Castro. Meanwhile midfielder Dalton claimed the club’s most prestigious individual award for the first time at the end of what was her second season in purple.
Taggart added the ALM Members’ Player of the Year and Golden Boot to his trophy collection, while midfielder Nicholas Pennington capped off his debut Glory season by being named Players’ Player of the Year. Another recent midfield recruit, Luke Amos, picked up the Goal of the Season Award for his stunning strike against Brisbane Roar in Round 23 and there was joy too for rising star Jaylan Pearman, who looks set to join English championship club Queens Park Rangers, who was rewarded for a breakout campaign by being crowned the DT38 Young Player of the Year.
For the Women, it was a night to remember for 20-year-old Perth local Tijan McKenna who took out the ALW Young Player and ALW Players’ Player of the Year trophies, with fellow-West Australian midfielder Georgia Cassidy receiving the Members’ Player of the Year Award and the Golden Boot going to New Zealand international forward Kelli Brown. The ALW Goal of the Year Award, meanwhile, went to Ella Abdul Massih for her sensational free-kick which sealed a dramatic, last-gasp victory over Brisbane Roar at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Australia Day.
9.5.2025
BURGESS TALKS CONTINUE
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna says contract talks with defender Cameron Burgess haven’t been affected by the Blues’ relegation to the Championship. Burgess’ current deal is up at the end of the English season with the Socceroo having already been linked with a free move to La Liga side Girona.
Burgess, Luke Woolfenden, Jack Taylor and Conor Chaplin helped Ipswich progress from League One and the Championship and all have featured in the Premier League without being regular starters. McKenna was asked how valuable this season will be in terms of them being better equipped to deal with next season back at a lower level.
“I'd like to think they've improved a lot over the last three years and developed a lot those who have been on the journey with us,” McKenna said. “I thought pretty much all of them now have had some really good exposure to the Premier League level and there are some good characters in there and some good learners, as we know, and that's what's helped them make the step so far.
“I know they’re really eager to use the lessons that they’ve picked up this year, the increased competition in the building in training day to day and the big jump in the competition that they're facing on matchdays, to make them all stronger individually and those who remain at the club to help us move forward as a club”
8.5.2025
GILSENAN TO DEPART BLACKBURN
Attacking midfielder Zak Gilsenan will depart Blackburn Rovers at the end of the season after his club chose not to activate the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months. The 22-year old will complete his rehabilitation from a thigh problem at Blackburn while considering his future playing options.
Gilsenan’s time at Blackburn has been plagued by injury. In mid-2021 he was sidelined for the best part of a year with an ACL issue and, upon his return, spent time around the first team and made a handful of appearances, scoring goals in Carabao Cup ties against Walsall and Harrogate Town.
However, injuries continued to hamper the development of the former Sorrento junior. Gilsenan returned to training with the youth team last November and a loan was potentially on the cards to get him back up to speed. But disaster struck with the midfielder learning he required surgery to address a thigh muscle problem, which meant another spell out of action.
8.5.2025
IREDALE TALKS OF EUROPEAN DREAMS
Hibernian defender Jack Iredale admits he’s finally allowing himself to enjoy “incredible” European dreams as the Easter Road side lead the race to finish third in the Scottish Premiership. And he’d love to tie up qualification with a statement win over Celtic in Glasgow on Saturday.
Iredale, who turned out for ECU Joondalup before heading abroad in 2017, joined Hibernian on a “stressful” summer deadline day with the season already underway. Forced to bide his time in pursuit of playing time, the 29-year old is now established as a cornerstone on the left of a back three.
If Hibernian can hold onto third in the Premiership they'll be guaranteed Europa Conference League group stage football next season. “Yeah, that would be absolutely incredible. And it's not really something I've ever thought about until I realised it might actually be achievable here. And then when you think it is achievable, it's something that you really want to do.”
“Because even when you play at a good level down in England, it's not even part of the thought process. You play against some really massive teams down in England and it's frantic, it's Saturday and Tuesdays all the time and you're travelling all over the country.
“But when you come up here at a club the size of Hibs with the advantages of finishing high at the table and having a chance to play in Europe, it would be a dream. Incredible. But we're not getting ahead of ourselves. We know where we were four months ago, so we know how quickly it can turn.”
Iredale is well aware how difficult this weekend's clash at Celtic will be. “We've got three cup finals left to go, we've got a bit of a tough one this weekend at Parkhead and we'll see what happens there. The excitement's there, the confidence is there, but we know we need to keep our feet on the ground until what we want to achieve has been achieved,” he said.
With wins at Ibrox, Tynecastle, Pittodrie and Tannadice all in books this season, Hibernian could complete a clean sweep of Scottish football’s most traditionally difficult away days. “It'd be absolutely massive. I don't know if that would quite clinch third, but it'd be obviously the step in the right direction,” Iredale said.
“But you know how hard playing against Celtic is at their own turf, especially when the sun's out. No-one wants to go there when the sun's shining, because it's chaos! We know how tough it's going to be, but we've shown that we can turn up in the big moments in this season and hopefully the boys can do that again on the weekend.”
7.5.2025
JONES SEEKS GREENER PASTURES FOLLOWING BOLTON RELEASE
Bolton Wanderers have confirmed long-serving defenders Gethin Jones and Ricardo Almeida Santos will leave the club upon the expiry of their current contracts. The departure of the defensive duo - both 29 – spells the end of a five-year period which saw the two become central figures during a significant time for the club.
Jones and Almeida Santos, who signed within a day of each other in August 2020, were instrumental in securing automatic promotion from League Two at the first attempt in 2020/21 as they went on to serve Bolton with distinction and provide leadership both on and off the pitch.
Both players performed key roles in the club lifting the Papa Johns Trophy at Wembley Stadium following a commanding 4-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in April 2023. Jones scored the fourth goal that afternoon, while Almeida Santos had the honour of lifting the trophy in front of over 34,000 jubilant Wanderers supporters.
During his time at the club, Jones – who joined the Whites on a free transfer from Carlisle United – made 188 appearances and scored 8 goals. His consistent performances also earned him senior international recognition, winning six caps for Australia while registered as a Bolton player.
“Decisions like these are always difficult, particularly with players like Geth and Rico who have given so much to Bolton Wanderers over the years,” said Bolton coach Steven Schumacher. ??“They were central figures in the promotion from League Two and the EFL Trophy success at Wembley and have conducted themselves with great professionalism throughout their time here.”
“Their seniority was important for the group and they have been fantastic for me since my arrival. On behalf of everyone at the club, I thank them for their considerable efforts and wish them both the very best in their future careers, along with all the other players leaving the club this summer.”
6.5.2025
TAGGART REVEALS DESIRE TO BRING GLORY TROPHY SUCCESS
Perth Glory captain Adam Taggart has a need to win silverware with the club to properly feel fulfilled in his career before he retires. The 31-year old cemented his place as a Glory great by winning the men’s Most Glorious Player award, becoming the fifth player in history to win the club’s highest individual honour in successive seasons.
After going scoreless through the first five games of the season, Taggart netted ten times in the remaining 20 games, including a brace in Glory’s 2-0 weekend win over Wellington Phoenix. But while the Socceroo striker expressed his pride at winning the prestigious honour, he did not hide his frustration over Glory’s second successive wooden spoon.
As a proud, lifelong Glory fan who idolised Bobby Despotovski growing up, Taggart said he needed to win a trophy with his hometown club to feel a sense of contentment in his career. “Personally, it would be an absolute disaster if I ended up retiring without winning something as a team for Perth Glory,” he said.
“That’s something that obviously brings out a lot of frustration and things like that, which you can see sometimes, because I feel like I need to win something with this club. Otherwise I’ll never be satisfied. It’ll be something that plays on my mind for the rest my life.”
While Taggart admitted he was a hard taskmaster on his teammates at times, it came from a desire to see the club reach the heady heights he knew it was capable of. “We all need to create higher standards for this place, because I believe in it so much; in the potential, in the support, in the grassroots, in terms of the players coming through in our academy.
“But we all need to hold higher standards, create an elite environment to make this place reach the potential that it could reach. It’s important to start off having the drive and determination and belief that this place needs higher standards and can definitely be a lot better than what it is.
Taggart said having fellow West Australians at the club like Josh Risdon and Brandon O’Neill was important to drive the club forward, because they understood the connection between the team and its fans. “I think sometimes, you know, people can get lost in the fact that this club is a little bit more than just a football team,” he said.
“There’s people who genuinely care about it. There’s people who have grown up their whole life supporting it, seeing it at the best time, seeing it at its worst time and they’re still here today, supporting it week in, week out. There’s something so much more to this place that everyone who’s supporting it for a long time can see.”
“Those people around the club who understand that are so important in relaying those messages to people who come from the other side of the country or overseas, or who don’t understand the full potential of this club.”
6.5.2025
DALTON EAGER TO STAY AFTER MOST GLORIOUS WIN
Freshly minted Most Glorious Player Isobel Dalton says Perth feels like home, and she wants to stay with Perth Glory long-term. The English-born midfielder ended her second season in purple with the club’s highest individual A-League Women’s honour around her neck after playing 19 games in the 2024/25 season.
Dalton said she had loved her time at Glory and was already excited to be returning to Perth next season. “When I asked for my new contract, I asked for a three-year deal; I want a lifetime contract,” Dalton said. “Anybody who knows me knows how much I speak so highly of Perth. I love it here, it feels like home for me, and I’ve never felt that at any club I’ve been at.”
Glory finished 10th last season with 24 points and 32 goals conceded; this year, in new coach Stephen Peters’ first campaign in charge, they also finished 10th but with two fewer points and 11 more conceded. “Ladder position, we’re exactly the same as what we were last year, but in terms of the vibe of the group, there’s a lot more young players that are coming through now, and I think that’s huge for Perth Glory,” Dalton said.
“For this club, that’s what it needs. You can see that a lot of those young players are thriving in this environment. It’s only positive things, and to retain a lot of the players we’ve had this year will also help us onto bigger and better things next year.”
Dalton, who struggled with a hamstring issue mid-season, admitted she was surprised to win the award given the strong performances of her some of her teammates. “It’s always hard when you’re missing games and even training sessions, it’s so hard to put something into the group and put your energy into the group,” she said. “That was obviously difficult for me, and I think the team held it well.”
5.5.2025
“WE HAVEN'T BEEN GOOD ENOUGH” SAYS GLORY’S TAGGART
Perth Glory's season from hell has ended on a high with a classy Adam Taggart double catapulting them to an upset 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand. Glory entered yesterday's A-League Men match already knowing they had collected the wooden spoon for a second consecutive season.
Taggart ensured Glory fans had a little something to smile about by scoring his ninth and tenth goals of the campaign to lift his team to their first win over Wellington since 2020. Glory finished the season with four wins, five draws and a whopping 17 losses to their name. The for-and-against goals tally makes for ugly reading: 22-56, and Taggart spoke some hard truths after the match.
"We apologise for this season and wish we could have given more performances like tonight, because I thought tonight everyone was fantastic, from start to finish," Taggart commented. "They're the sort of things we needed throughout the year. We're looking forward to being better. No excuses, full accountability."
"Putting in a performance like tonight is our base and kicking off from that. It was clear this year we weren't great going forward. We leaked a lot of goals. From top to bottom we haven't been good enough. I think everyone's sick of hearing all the words. They want action, and so do I. (It's about) more actions, less words, and keep trying to push and move forward."
4.5.2025
PERTH IN THE MIX TO HOST A SERIE A
One of the world’s biggest leagues is weighing up an offer to bring a competitive match to Perth in what would be a world-first move. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo received an offer to play a competitive league game in Australia. Further reports say Perth would host the game off the back of an offer presented by WA’s State Government.
The match could include one or both of Italian giants and inter-city rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan and would be played early next year, midway through the Serie A season. The State Government have not confirmed the reports but did point to its strong record in bringing major events, including some of the world’s biggest football powers, to Perth.
“We’re always looking for unique major sporting and cultural event opportunities for WA to drive visitation, inject millions into our economy and support local jobs,” a WA government spokesperson said in a statement. “We have a track record of successfully hosting a variety of world class sport and entertainment content, including European football teams, FIFA Women’s World Cup matches and more recently, Italian powerhouses AC Milan and AS Roma.”
AC Milan are no strangers to Perth, having played fellow Italian powerhouse AS Roma at Optus Stadium in a post-season friendly last May, a match which drew 56,522 fans. Milan and Inter both play games at the San Siro Stadium, which will be unavailable for most of January and early February as it prepares to host the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Since 2018, Perth has hosted games including Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, West Ham United, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. In a month’s time, Optus Stadium will host the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against Japan while next month it will host the Matildas’ opening game of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
4.5.2025
NPL W ROUND SEVEN REVIEW
The winning start for the Hyundai FW Academy in the NPL W has come to an end, after a 3-0 defeat by Perth SC in the week seven top of the table clash at Dorrien Gardens on Sunday afternoon. “Such a fantastic team performance today to get the win. I am so proud of the girls and their effort and a special mention to Ruby Marshall who I thought played excellent,” Perth defender Epril Nossent said. “The FW Academy are a talented squad and a threat going forward, but I thought we moved the ball well and our movements off the ball lead to some excellent goals.”
The hosts made the best possible start and were ahead on five minutes. A superb ball from Nossent sent Daisy McAllister into the box and her shot on run beat Daisy McGreadie-Cole. The Academy youngsters looked to hit back, but Hannah Collins effort flashed wide, before Lacey Heys was denied by Azzurri custodian Dayle Schroeder, but at the break the hosts held a narrow lead. It was a tight tussle after half time, but Academy keeper McGreadie-Cole was the busiest, as the hosts looked to add a second.
The good start to the half from Azzurri was rewarded with a second on 57 minutes. A quick counter-attack from Maja Archibald saw her find McAllister, whose flick sent Louise Tana racing clear, and she kept her composure and finished with aplomb. The hosts wrapped up the points 11 minutes from time, and maintained their unbeaten start to the season. Sam Mathers through ball sent Jessica Flannery racing clear, she cut inside Daniella Santich and finished superbly.
The round started on Saturday afternoon, with UWA Nedlands winning their first game of the season, after a 2-0 win against Murdoch University Melville at the UWA Sports Park. “It was great for us to finally grab some points, I think the girls have shown they can score goals against pretty much every team in the league and we did that again in this game,” UWA coach Lawrence Lewis explained. “With goals going into the back of our net quite a few times recently, we wanted to make sure that we pushed for a clean sheet also, which I’m so glad we achieved also. Let’s hope we can take the confidence of that game through the next couple of fixtures.”
Both sides went into this one searching for a first win of the season, but it was the hosts who found the opener just before the half hour. MUMFC didn’t clear their lines from a corner, and the ball fell to Andrea Preiato, whose first time shot from distance looped over Kaitlyn Mohan. UWA dominated the first half, and it was more of the same after the break, and it wasn’t a surprise when they doubled their advantage ten minutes from time. Samara Riches sent Melina Franklin down the left, her low cross wasn’t dealt with by the MUMFC defence, and Amy Hartley’s ball across the box was turned home by fellow substitute Hannah Seeley.
It was a special day for Perth RedStar striker Renee Leota, the former New Zealand international making her 300th appearance for the club, and they celebrated in style with a 5-0 win against Balcatta Etna at the RedStar Arena in Joondalup. RedStar coach Chris Atturo said it was a great performance from his team, and was fitting to celebrate Leota’s milestone game. "Really disciplined performance from the group today. Balcatta are a quality side, and to control the tempo of the game like we did, it's a credit to the players,” he said. “Dougie (Caitlin Doeglas) was exceptional and it was fitting to celebrate Kiwi's (Leota) 300th game with such a strong team performance. It was a performance that reflected the standards we've been working hard to uphold.”
RedStar found the opener on the quarter hour mark, and the milestone players was in the thick of it. A clearance from Abbey Woolley was flicked on by Leota, and Caitlin Doeglas spotted Rebecca Bennett off her line, and the Perth Glory striker lobbed over the Balcatta keeper from distance. Doeglas doubled their advantage on 33 minutes, the striker curling home superbly from the left of the penalty area. Then four minutes before the break it was 3-0, with Leota pouncing on a poor back pass from Abbey Meakins, before rounding Bennett to score her eighth goal of the season.
The points were sealed eight minutes into the second half and the hosts were given a helping hand again, a poor clearance from Bennett went straight to Sarah Carroll, who raced into goal and finishing into the bottom corner of the net. It was five just after the hour, Grace Monteiro’s ball into the box was turned into her net by the unfortunate Frankie Murray. The win for the hosts keeps them in touch of the top two, while defeat for Balcatta sees them slip to seventh, but they do have two games in hand.
In the final game Fremantle City have moved into fourth place on the table, after a hard fought 1-0 win against Subiaco AFC at Hilton Park. Fremantle coach Samantha Geddes was pleased with the performance, making it back-to-back wins for the port side. “I’m happy with today’s result against a well-organised Subiaco side. I thought we played some really good football at times as we continue to build momentum in the league,” Geddes explained. “It’s great to secure the three points as our focus now shifts to next week’s match against Perth SC.” The only goal of the game came on six minutes, Catherine Adams picked out Leyna Wood in the middle of the park. She played the ball out to Mikayla Lyons, who played the ball to Wood, who had continued her run, and her shot on the turn beat Monique Todd.
4.5.2025
BELT-UP AMATEUR PREMIER DIVISION – ROUND FIVE REVIEW
Our Belt-Up Amateur Premier Division week five ‘Match of the Round’ was a seven-goal thriller, with Kelmscott Roos returning from Wotton Reserve, with a 5-2 win against Morley Windmills. “It was a really good performance from everyone involved today. We didn’t start the game off the way we wanted to, conceding early, but after the goal, we came out guns blazing and took control of the game in important moments,” Kelmscott keeper Taylor Warwick explained. “I thought we were clinically when we needed to be and solid at the back for majority of the game. It’s really nice to see things finally come together and really proud of the boys today for the way we played and never stopped working.”
It was the hosts who hit the front early, with Stephen Kirk on target, but midway through the first half the visitors levelled. Isaac Koomson found space on the edge of the box, before laying the ball to Ishmael Greywood who’s first time from 18-meters found the top corner of the net. That was the score at the break, but two quick goals after half time had Kelmscott in control. First on the hour, Koomson cross from the right was flicked on by Jordan Armstrong to the feet of Greywood at the back post who finished smartly.
Then five minutes later it was 3-1, good pressure by Bryan Mashingaidze saw him win possession from a defender, sending him through on goal one-on-one with Nick Stone, and he made no mistake. A comeback for the hosts wasn’t helped when Oliver Simpson was sent off, and from the resulting free kick Koomson fired home a fourth. John Monterosso pulled on back for Morley ten minutes from time, but it was Kelmscott who had the final word with a fifth. Justin Samuel turned his defender and played in Koomson who raced one-on-one with Stone and clinically dinked it over the onrushing keeper.
League leaders North Perth United have continued their winning start to the season, with a 6-1 win against Peel United, in the early game at Woodville Reserve. “A great performance by the lads today every single one of them put it a top-class shift,” North Perth assistant coach Kevin Flavin said. “From the start we dominated the game, but we were patient early on when Peel tried to frustrate us defensively but the lads took their chances when they fell to them. Overall great performance again by the lads and now we move onto next week against Emerald. The home side were ahead with Dean O’Meara firing home from outside the box, and it was 2-0 on 25 minutes, Lawson Smith scoring from a set-piece.
The visitors were back in the game four minutes before the break, with Sam Arthurs scoring. But North Perth regained their two-goal advantage moments later, with a clinical finish from Yanich Jordan. It was 4-1 early in the second half O’Meara beating a couple of players before finding the bottom corner. Niall Kennedy added a fifth from the spot after a handball, before O’Meara completed his hat-trick from a free kick in the final minutes to seal the 6-1 win.
Emerald have bounced back from their defeat at Peel last week, beating Jaguar 3-0 at Fraser Park. Skipper Shane Young gave them the lead early, before Shane Hickey added a second before the break. They sealed the points 12 minutes from time with Young bagging his second. The skipper was pleased with the performance. “The boys were excellent today from the first minute until the last, and we knew we needed a reaction after last week’s performance,” he said. “We now move on and we’re looking forward to next week against North Perth.”
Maccabi missed the opportunity to move into second place, after conceding a late goal to draw 3-3 against South Perth United at Challenger Reserve. “Not much to say, we’re very disappointed with the performance and how we kept letting them back into the game,” Maccabi coach Ricky Berelowitz said. “We played well in patches but didn’t make the most of our chances and gave them a sniff and to be fair to them they took the game to us and really made it difficult especially in the last 15 minutes or so. They’re a much stronger side than last season and will cause team’s trouble.”
The visitors found the opener on five minutes, winning possession high up the pitch, Jonah Froman played Dion Berman in and he finished well off the inside of the post. But South Perth were level soon after, Tawanda Madzikanda on target. Maccabi regained the lead on the quarter hour mark, Robert Pattison was played in behind on the right and he squared it Henry Wilkinson-Derums who made no mistake. South Perth wouldn’t go away and restored parity three minutes from the break, with David Cristancho scoring. Berman regained the lead for Maccabi early in the second half, converting from the spot after a handball. It looked like the winner, but South Perth had other ideas, with substitute Isaac Gwolo earning them a point in the final minute.
Olympic Kingsway are also back in the winner’s circle, after a hard-fought 2-1 win against North Beach at Kingsway Reserve. A tight first half was scoreless, but it was the visitors who stuck first on 52 minutes. A long ball into the channel was picked up by Alex Kretowicz, he cut inside the defender and squared to P Morrison, who made no mistake. But Olympic levelled things up 18 minutes later, a ball to the back post by Jamie Kalaher picked out Jake Lynch who volleyed into the top corner from inside the box. Both sides pressed for the winner, but it was the hosts that found it ten minutes from time. Some good work in the middle of the park, led Niall McGurk being slipped in behind, and he squared the ball back to Jack Hailstones, who fired home to win it.
“I was really happy with how we approached the game today after the last couple of weeks where our energy wasn’t as high as it needs to be. We played on the front foot in the first half but couldn’t manage to find the opener despite creating a few good opportunities,” Olympic coach Jason Stern explained. “We spoke about staying switched on at half time and we knew that North Beach had the capability to hurt us if we were sloppy. The first real chance we allowed Alex (Kretowicz) the space to run at us he created the opener for them. We were really happy with our response we didn’t drop our heads and we continued to press forward and scored twice to pick up an important three points. It’s such a competitive league and most games are six pointers, so we’re really happy with our start to the season.”
In the final game the points were shared at Chichester Park, with Kingsley Westside and Hamersley Rovers drew 2-2. “We had a great response after losing last week, the lads that came in were excellent. We showed good character to get the equaliser and had chances to win the game,” Kingsley coach Sam Ellis explained. “We’re building each week and it’s the whole amateurs squads’ effort that is helping.” Kingsley hit the front after only four minutes, Sam Church hit a hopeful ball over the top and a mix up between defender and keeper thanks to Kai Main-Nyckowski’s pressure allowed him to score. But Rovers hit back with two quick goals from Jordan Cook and Jack Mahon. But the hosts found the equaliser midway through the second half, Ross Forrester played a through ball and Main-Nyckowski showed good strength to hold of two defenders and slot the ball home to give both sides a share of the spoils.
4.5.2025
FERGUSON TO COACH MEN’S WA STATE SIDE
The Men’s WA State team will take on Indonesian top-flight side Persebaya Surabaya at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Wednesday, 9 July. Today, Football West announced that Dianella White Eagles coach Ian Ferguson will be the head coach. The passion for football in Indonesia is immense, and the match will be broadcast live on prime-time national television to a potential audience of millions. Persebaya Surabaya currently sits fourth in the Indonesian Liga 1 and is coached by Northern Irish former striker Paul Munster. Olympic Kingsway skipper Aryn Williams, a former player for the club, was part of the team that finished second in the league in 2019 and remains a fan favourite.
Ferguson said he’s looking forward to coaching the best players in WA football. “I’m relishing the challenge, and I’m sure the boys are as well. It’ll be a fantastic occasion. We’ll give it everything—we won’t leave anything on the table,” said Ferguson, whose squad will be announced at the end of the week. “This is a massive opportunity for the boys. It’s a game against a professional outfit that will be broadcast across Asia, so I’m sure they’ll want to impress. I know I do—it was an exciting opportunity when I was asked, and I’m looking forward to leading the WA State team.”
The Scot boasts a strong CV both on and off the pitch. He played over 200 games for Glasgow Rangers, won ten league titles with the Scottish giants, and earned nine caps for his country. He was assistant coach at Central Coast Mariners before joining North Queensland Fury. In 2010, he headed west to become Perth Glory assistant coach under David Mitchell, later taking over as head coach and leading the club to the A-League Grand Final in 2012. He then coached Northern Fury in the NPL QLD, with further stints at Quinns, Stirling Macedonia, and Dianella.
Ferguson noted that preparation time is limited due to players' and coaches' other commitments, but he and assistant coach John Lavery are ready for the challenge. “We’ll have the players for four sessions over four weeks, so we’ll need to hit the ground running,” he said. “The biggest challenge isn’t fitness—the players are already in-season with their clubs—so that’s not an issue. It’s more about how we want to play, the shape we want to use, and defining their roles. It won’t be difficult, and we want them to enjoy it. They’re intelligent players.”
The match comes as part of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2024 between Football West and Persebaya Surabaya, and focuses on talent development and exchange between the two organisations. Football West Chief Operating Officer Perry Ielati said Ferguson is the ideal coach for the occasion. “It’s fantastic that Ian has agreed to become the State Team head coach, and I’m sure the players will love playing under him to represent Western Australia,” Ielati said. “This is going to be a special event, and we look forward to seeing a large crowd at the Sam Kerr Football Centre to support a strong local side competing against one of Indonesia’s best clubs.
“We’ve already seen strong interest from the Indonesian community in WA, and over 100 supporters from Surabaya are flying in for the match. Football West is committed to building strong ties in Asia and creating opportunities for our players, coaches, and match officials. Matches like this allow us to showcase our work. We also thank the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries for their continued support.” Ticket details for the game will be announced later this week.
4.5.2025
A WIN AND LOSS FOR GLORY ON NEW ZEALAND TRIP
Perth Glory have ended their 2024-25 Isuzu Ute A-League season with a win and a loss in their two-game swing in New Zealand. Last week they were beaten by the Premiers Plate winners Auckland FC, the 1-0 defeat consigned Glory to their second consecutive wooden spoon. The hosts dominated throughout, with Glory not registering a shot on target. It could have been worse on the day if it wasn’t for New Zealand international keeper Oli Sail, who made a number of fine saves, the best to deny Max Mata. But the Glory custodian was finally beaten on 63 minutes, Marlee Francois’ in-swinging corner from the left evaded everyone and deflected into the net via the back post to seal the win.
David Zdrilic’s side had one last chance to give their supporters something to cheer, when they eventually travelled to Wellington to take on the Phoenix at the Sky Stadium on Sunday. The game had been cancelled on Friday due to the bad weather in the country, and the coach made one change to the side that lost to Auckland, with Takuya Okamoto coming in for Josh Risdon, while on the bench NPL star Seb Despotovski was in the game day squad for the first time.
It was an even opening to the game, with the small pocket of Glory supporters in the stands in full voice. They were rewarded when Glory found the opener on 34 minutes, Yuto Misao found skipper Adam Taggart down the left, he eased past Alex Rufer, and finished clinically past Josh Oluwayemi. The visitors thought they had doubled their lead moments later, Jaylan Pearman racing through to score, but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ruled out for offside.
The hosts were out of the blocks early in the second half, but Glory stood firm, and with Nix pushing players forward looking for the equaliser, Glory sealed the points in stoppage time. A quick counter-attack saw Adam Bugarija race away, and he fed fellow substitute Khoa Ngo, who sent Taggart in on goal, and the Socceroos striker beat Oluwayemi to the ball and clipped the ball over the Phoenix keeper for his tenth goal of the season. Moments later Despotovski came off the bench for his A-League debut, which was a special occasion for his dad, and Glory legend Bobby, who was in the crowd.
The Glory must now prepare for the Hahn Australia Cup play off on Tuesday 13 May, when they take on Central Coast Mariners at the Darwin Football Stadium at Larrakia Park - Kick-off: 7.00pm local/5.30pm WST. Glory skipper Adam Taggart gave an honest appraisal of the season post-match. “It’s been a difficult season for us, so these little wins across the season are really important for us, our fans and the club, so it’s fantastic to end the season on a high and looking forward to an improvement next year,” Taggart said.
“From top to bottom we haven’t been good enough this season, but it was important going into this last game to put our best foot forward, I would like to apologise for this season and we wish we could’ve given more performances like tonight, because everyone was fantastic tonight from start to finish. We want to take accountability on our performance, make no excuses and strive to be better all the time, more action less words and move forward.”
3.5.2025
HAHN AUSTRALIA CUP (WA) – ROUND FIVE REVIEW
Bayswater City were the first team to move into the next round of the Hahn Australia Cup, after a 7-0 win in Friday’s opening fifth round (WA) tie against Division Two side Quinns at Frank Dargo Reserve. Chris Jackson bagged four goals on the night for the NPL leaders, with Gordon Smith, Charlie Garnham and Jackson Stephens adding the others. City head coach Matthew Sparrow was pleased with his sides work. “Really professional performance from the boys, I thought we controlled the game from the first minute,” he said. “The boys were excellent, some really well taken goals but for me it was important everybody got some minutes into their legs and we managed to get through the game unscathed.”
The big upset of the round came at the Proto DPS Inglewood Stadium on Saturday evening, when Inglewood United knocked out Fremantle City, the Division One side running out 3-2 winners. “A great gritty win for the club. I thought we started really well and put them under pressure going forward,’ Inglewood skipper Ciaran Salinger said. “We knew they would respond after that and they did with some great movement off the ball. Luckily our third gave us a bit of breathing space to set up and prepare for the second half. Fremantle had a lot of the ball in the second half, but I thought we defended and managed the game really well as a unit.”
The hosts made the best possible start, and were ahead on five minutes. Good control by Jordan Black, saw him find Dean Hurley who challenged Ben Steele and the ball fell to Matthew Keith who finished low past Luke Radonich. They doubled their advantage fifteen minutes later, good work down the left saw the ball cut into the box, and Black finished with aplomb. The NPL side were back in the game moments later, Nick Ambrogio on target and it was game on. But two minutes before half time Inglewood added a third, a great run in behind by youngster Daniel Nikoloski, and his cross to the back post was headed home by Keith. Fremantle found a lifeline on 66 minutes, with Sam Cook scoring, but Inglewood held firm to secure the win.
There wasn’t and upset at Macedonia Park, where Stirling Macedonia beat Kingsley Westside 7-1. “A complete performance from the boys today, we played some great football and to be honest could have scored few more,” Stirling coach Ago Mujic said. “We now build on from here with confidence into the league.” The game was over by half time, Alex Tanevski opening the scoring early, and further goals from Asher Nelson, Sam Wynne, Josh Bilaloski and Kade Fearnall had them 5-0 up at the break, and it could have been more but Bilaloski saw his penalty crash off the post. But second half goals from Euan Cameron and Hugo Snowden completed the rout, before a late consolation own goal made the final score 7-1. “A very good performance from the boys,” Stirling keeper James Bosdet said. “I thought from start to finish we were clinical and played very well and now look forward to the next round.”
Current holders Olympic Kingsway moved into the next round with a 4-2 win against fellow NPL side Perth SC at Kingsway Reserve. “It was a tough game. and we knew Perth could move the ball around with quality and play through us if we got our press wrong. But I think we had really good pressing shape yesterday and dealt with their rotations well,” Olympic midfielder Joshua Samson explained. “In possession we were really positive and put them under pressure for large portions of the game. Everyone contributed positively in defensive and offensive actions and we are really happy to keep our cup run going.”
The host found the opener on nine minutes, they won possession from a Perth throw-in, and Tyler Garner flicked the ball on to Joe Hobson who made no mistake past Azzurri keeper Mark Birighitti. It was 2-0 on the half hour, again the press worked, winning the ball back in the final third, and Garner’s low cross was turned home by Garner under pressure from Sami Riak. The tie was put to bed on 58 minutes, when Olympic added a third after Laat Manyec was brought down in the box by Sean O’Connor, and Hobson competed his hat-trick from the resulting penalty. Hobson added his fourth ten minutes from time, Manyec sent Garner down the right, and his low cross was turned home by Hobson. Perth scored two late consolation goals, first Joshua Cala with a fine solo goal moments later, before David Ninkovich added a second, but it was too little too late.
In the other all-NPL clash, Balcatta Etna beat Floreat Athena 4-2 at the E&D Litis Stadium. A brace from Jon Stynes had the visitors in control at half time, and Luke Hudson added a third early in the second half. Noah Shamaki pulled one back for Floreat on the hour, but Stynes completed his hat-trick 11 minutes from time to secure the tie, with substitute Jesse Roberts scoring a late consolation goal for the hosts.
Western Knights have won a hard-fought tie against Curtin University, running out 2-1 winners at Nash Field. Goals either side of half time from Dylan White and Kosta Sparta had the Knights in control, but Janno Saks gave Curtin a lifeline on the hour, converting from the edge of the box. They pressed for the equaliser but the hosts held firm to move through to the next round. “It was really important to get a result today, as we have been below our best in our last few games. We created many chances and when Dylan White scored, followed by Kosta Sparta I thought we’d go on with it,” Knights’ assistant coach Carl Medica explained.
“But credit to Curtin, they made it difficult for us. They also had chances, and Sam Reilly had to make a couple of smart saves. And when they scored to make it 2-1, it made for a nervous finish to the game. Pleased to come away with a 2-1 win and happy to progress to the next stage.” Curtin coach Troy Reid said his side gave a good account of themselves on the day. “I thought we pushed Western Knights and were unlucky not to at least force extra time,” he said. “We gave them two very soft goals, and had a decent couple of chances ourselves.”
In other games on the day, Subiaco AFC beat Kalamunda City 2-1 at Sutherlands Park. A brace from Rubens Faure, in between Gaston Bazet’s equaliser, saw the visitors move through. Meanwhile in the final game Murdoch University Melville returned from Burrendah Reserve with a 3-0 win against Canning City. Eddie Wynne-Willson gave Marc Anthony’s side the lead early, before Gustavo Giron-Marulanda doubled their lead on the hour. They sealed the tie three minutes from time, with substitute Thomas Maycock-Hansen added the third.
3.5.2025
MANDURAH LEAVE IT LATE TO BEAT JOONDALUP
Mandurah City have won their first time this season, coming from behind with two late goals to beat Joondalup City 2-1 in the State League Division One week six clash at the Poolmart Mandurah Stadium on Saturday afternoon. It looked like the visitors would leave with all three points, when Callum Stocks scored ten minutes from time, but Louie Evans equalised five minutes later, and player coach John Baird won it three minutes later. “Yesterday isn’t something that’s we’ve done for all our points so far this season, showed great resilience again,” Baird said. “We’ve performed better this season and not been rewarded, so to get the result was more than needed especially when no other team in the league was playing, so the three points was needed.”
All the goals came late in this one, and it was Joondalup who found the opener on 80 minutes, Jamie Sinnott found space on the left and his cross caused panic in the Mandurah box, and keeper Alfie Brincat’s attempted punch fell to substitute Stocks who tapped home from close-range. The hosts were staring at another defeat, but they leveled soon after. Joondalup failed to clear their lines, and Craig Barker shot was deflected into the path of Evans, who controlled well and fired low past Joe Smith.
Mandurah had the ball in the net again moments later, Barker racing clear to score, but the flag was up for offside. But they did find the winner in controversial circumstances two minutes from time. Brad McDonald won a 50-50 challenge in the middle of the park, the ball rolling back to Joondalup keeper Smith, who picked the ball up, and the referee blew saying it was a back pass and awarded an indirect free kick in the box.
It looked a harsh decision, but from the resulting free kick the ball was rolled back to Baird, and the Scottish midfielder curled home superbly to seal the win. Joondalup pressed for the equaliser and they almost found it in stoppage time, skipper Liam Peacock’s header was well saved by Brincat at his near post. The win moves Mandurah up to ninth, and the defeats leaves Joondalup in seventh.
Joondalup coach Guy McDonald was left frustrated post-match. “That’s a tough one to take. 1-0 up with five minutes to go and to lose 2-1,” he said. “We started slow and weren’t brave enough to play and take the game to Mandurah in the first half. Second half was much better but we need to be smarter to close out games and not allow it to get to the referee making a decision that I’ve never seen in my life that decides the game.”
3.5.2025
BORZECKI AT THE DOUBLE FOR SWAN
Swan United and Rockingham City have fought out a 2-2 draw in the week two State League Division Two catch-up game at the Swan Italian Club, Francis Street on Saturday afternoon. “Mixed feelings about the game really, obviously really pleased to see us come back from two goals down to get a draw, and thrilled to have Brennan (Borzecki) back in the side for the first time this season and bag a double,” Swan coach Niall Hughes explained.
“However, we are disappointed to have started the game poorly and allowed Rockingham to have a two-goal head start. If the game had gone another five minutes, I feel we would have got the winner but that’s football and we move on to next week’s game against Forrestfield.” The hosts, who were coming off a home defeat last week, found themselves behind on the half hour, with Dylan Rogers scoring. It got better for the visitors nine minutes later, with Harry Geeves doubling their advantage.
Swan made a double change at the break, and both of them were involved when they reduced the margin just after the hour. Henri Mulwila’s free kick from the right found Brennan Borzecki, who flicked home just in front of Rockingham’s keeper Phillip Herschell. It looked like the visitors had down enough to seal the three points, but four minutes from time Swan restored parity. A free kick on the left, was delivered deep to the back post which was met by Chris Marshall who headed back across goal to Borzecki who headed home.
2.5.2025
300 NOT OUT FOR LEOTA
It’s week seven of the NPL W, and it will be a first game for Balcatta Etna in three weeks, due to ground issues at the club, and they travel to the RedStar Arena in Joondalup on Sunday to take on Perth RedStar, with both sides looking to close the gap on the top two. (All games kick off at 3:00pm unless stated) The hosts won for the first time in three weeks at MUMFC last week, a game that striker Renee Leota bagging five goals, to jump to the top of the goalscoring chart, ahead of her teammate Cailin Doeglas.
Sunday will be a huge day for Perth RedStar striker Renee Leota, making her 300th appearance for the club. The former New Zealand international played for the Northern RedBacks before they merged with ECU Joondalup, to form RedStar, and Leota has been apart of that journey, and said to reach the milestone is a proud moment. “I’m honoured to reach 300 appearances for RedStar,” she said. “The club has played such a big role in my life here in WA, and I’m incredibly thankful for everyone who’s been a part of the journey so far - teammates, coaches, supporters, and management staff.”
The list of achievements Leota has achieved in WA Football is second to none, winning seven league titles and six State Cups, and on the international stage, winning 15 caps for New Zealand and representing her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 34-year-old said it’s been fantastic journey and she has loved every minute of it. “Honestly, the biggest highlight for me in my career has been the people I’ve met through the game,” the striker said. “Football has given me lifelong friendships, the best memories, and the chance to travel and experience so much.”
Her milestone game on Sunday is a crucial NPL W week seven clash with Balcatta Etna at the Redstar Arena. The visitors haven’t played for two weeks due to ground problems, while Leota is coming off a five-goal haul in RedStar’s win at MUMFC, and she knows the importance of the result. “Sunday’s clash with Balcatta is a big one for us,” she said. “Every point matters and we’ll be looking to continue our momentum from last week and put in a strong performance for the club and each other.”
For Balcatta, having to play two catch up games in midweek is difficult, and coach Peter Rakic said the lack of game time could also hurt them. “As a club we are obviously disappointed that our ground has not been available for use when we initially expected, and it's been difficult to find alternative venues with so many other fixtures also being postponed,” Rakic explained. “I think now we face a level of adversity in both aspects of catch-up games and also not playing any matches for the last two rounds, so any real momentum is well behind us and we are heading straight into a very difficult encounter with RedStar.
Rakic said although their results haven’t gone the way of Chris Atturo’s side, he has no doubt the quality they have in their squad. “RedStar will never be a team that I overlook and I don't believe there's any reason to, their early struggles have not been significant, with narrow losses to the FW Academy and Perth I still think those games could have gone in RedStar’s favour and their position on the table would be very different,” he said. “We always prepare well for them as we know what they bring to the pitch, so it's up to us to start the game strong and try command the ball early otherwise it could prove to be a long 90 minutes.”
The round kicks off on Saturday afternoon, when UWA Nedlands host Murdoch University Melville at the UWA Sports Park. Both sides are still searching for a win this season, but both have been really competitive. MUMFC coach Steve Atkins said despite the results, the performances have improved. “It has been a tough start to our season, results haven’t gone our way, but I feel each week we are developing and understanding the expectations and requirements to compete at NPLW level,” Atkins explained. “The girls are extremely positive and driven and know that all of our hard work and learning will come to fruition.
“It is encouraging however with a young squad mixed with some great experience that things will turn for us and we will be ok. UWA is a tough place to go and like us that first win is being pursued. The girls are confident for this game but know that from the first whistle we have to work hard, implement our game plan and really challenge to get a result. I am sure that it will be an entertaining game with both club’s keen to get on the scoreboard with a win.”
In other games on Sunday, Fremantle City entertains Subiaco AFC at Hilton Park. Both sides have been good in recent games, the hosts securing their first win of the season against UWA last week, while Subiaco recently draw at Perth, and with only two points separating them on the table, three points will be massive in this one. In the final game it’s the top of the table clash, as league leaders Hyundai FW Academy make the trip to Dorrien Gardens to meet Perth SC.
The Azzurri’s clash at Balcatta last week was postponed, and assistant coach Fernando Barreiro said they have prepared well for the game against the league leaders. “Yes, disappointed but we managed to do a training game Sunday just to keep the girls firing and fit,” he said. “The whole teams looking forward to this fixture, coaches, players and the club in general. NTC always gives you a good test, they’re well coached and don’t give you much in terms of space and time on the ball. We’ll have to be at our best to make sure we come away with a positive result.”
2.5.2025
BELT-UP AMATEUR PREMIER DIVISION – ROUND FIVE PREVIEW
It’s week five of the Belt-Up Amateur Premier Division, and for our ‘Match of the Round’ we head to Wotton Reserve in Embleton, where Morley Windmills welcome Kelmscott Roos. (All games kick off at 3:00pm, unless stated) The hosts were back in the winner’s circle last week, with a 2-1 win at Kingsley, while Kelmscott drew 2-2 at North Beach. They sit fourth and fifth respectively on the table, with Morley one point ahead, so both will be doing all they can to get a win in this one, to keep tabs with the leaders.
The last time the two sides played at the venue was in week nine last season, when the Roos left with the points after a 2-1 win. Isaac Koomson stunning free kick gave the visitors the lead early, before Vaughan Audrain doubled their advantage on 25 minutes from the spot. Travis Taylor pulled one back for the hosts, also from the spot on the hour, but Morley couldn’t find the equaliser, with Kelmscott leaving with all three points.
Morley coach Dan Evans said it was good to get back to winning ways at Kingsley last week, but they made hard work of it. “I think we made our win at Kingsley/Westside harder than it needed to be. I felt we dominated the first half but a last-minute goal prior to the break kept them in it and their output seemed to raise second half,” Evans explained. “We still had the better of the chances and Kingsley fought for everything so as I said, the result ended up being harder fought one than perhaps the first half would have indicated.”
The home form of Morley hasn’t been the best, losing both their games on home soil so far this season, and Evans said its testament to the strength of the league. “Yes, our home record isn’t where we want it, which is obvious, so all we can do to fix it is get three points this weekend. Kelmscott have scored goals this season so we have to be able to deal with that first and foremost and then hopefully from there we can insert ourselves on the game,” he said. “There are no real easy games in our league so we know we have to be at our best and I hope that our output on the day matches the work we’ve been putting in during the week, we will have to wait and see.”
Kelmscott will go in search of a first win in three games, and keeper Taylor Warwick said last week’s draw at North Beach was a fair result, but missed chances cost them. “It was a result that matched the flow of the game, both teams had chances to win it in the end, but a draw was a fair result,” he said. “I thought we controlled the game in patches, and if we were more clinical in front of goal it might have been a different story.”
Warwick said they will look to get their season kick started on Sunday, but knows Morley are a decent team, so they need to be at their best. “Morley present a really tough challenge, we have always had some fiery battles with them and expect nothing less this Sunday, especially with both sides having had a tough start to the season, which will make for a good game,” the keeper explained. “We are finding our feet a bit more as every game ticks along, and hopefully we can put a good performance in and get a really important three points against a strong Morley side.”
In other games, Emarald host Jaguar at Fraser Park. The visitors will be buoyed after they secured their first win of the season last week at South Perth, while the hosts were surprising beaten at Peel last week, and head coach Shane Dineen said they will look to bounce back on Sunday. “We are very disappointed with the result and all the players take responsibility from that. We have a great squad and I have no doubt we will bounce back fast,” he said.
“These results happen in football and fair play to Peel on the three points and another day we would have scored a couple bar their keeper making some big saves. But that’s gone now so we will look forward to Sunday when we play Jags which is always going to be a tough fixture. Our lads are fully determined and focused to get the three points and I know if we keep the mind set of this week going into Sunday we will be back to our best.”
In the early game, league leaders North Perth United entertain Peel United at Woodville Reserve. (1:00pm) Peel are coming off their first win of the season, while the home side are flying, having won all three of their games this season. Olympic Kingsway welcome North Beach to the Kingsway Reserve, while Maccabi make the trip to Challenger Reserve to take on South Perth United. In the final game Kingsley Westside host Hamersley Rovers at Chichester Park, with both sides hoping to bounce back from defeats. Kingsley were beaten by Morley, while Rovers lost at North Perth, and head coach Nigel Smith said the result last week didn’t reflect their performance, but they aim to bounce back on Sunday.
“Yes, it was a tough game last week, but wasn’t a 1-4 game, he said. “A 50-50 penalty decision went against us which was the turning point in the game 1-2 to them then a complete fluke of a third went into the far top corner of the net from the touch line. Then a massive mistake from our keeper and another goal in time added on when we were still pressing, so overall they were the better team but we did cause them a few problems hitting post and crossbar and missing one v one with their keeper,” Smith explained. “But we move on to Kingsley, and we know there is no easy games in this league, and I know quite a few of their players, so I’ll be expecting a hard-fought game, and hopefully we can get back to winning ways.”
2.5.2025
HAHN AUSTRALIA CUP FIFTH ROUND PREVIEW
The league campaign takes a break this weekend, with the fifth round of the Hahn Australia Cup (WA) taking centre stage. We have eight ties, with some of the state league clubs looking to beat NPL sides, and many will be hoping the magic of the cup can see them cause an upset. It all kicks off on Friday evening, with NPL M leaders Bayswater City hosting Division Two league leaders Quinns at Frank Drago Reserve. (7:00pm) Both sides go into this in good league form, both winning their opening games of the season, so it has all the ingredients for a great cup tie.
Nick Jennings’ Quinns beat Division One side Gosnells City 3-0 in the last round, while Matthew Sparrow’s Bayswater beat Division Two side Balga by the same scoreline. Both coaches no each other well, with Jennings signing the former Scunthorpe United midfielder when he was coach at Joondalup United in 2017, after a spell at Sorrento, and going on to play two seasons for the club in the NPL. He has been pleased with the start of his tenure at Bayswater, and said the players deserve a great deal of credit. “Yes, we are really pleased of how’s things have gone for us in terms of results so far, winning every game is a small achievement itself,” he said. “We speak about the concentration and focus that’s needed to go into every game at this level and the boys have been superb on switching on and making key decisions throughout the matches.”
Sparrow said Friday is another test, and playing against a former coach will give the game a little more spice, but it’s one they need to prepare well for. “Friday night is another big game for us, everybody loves a cup game and our approach is the same against every opponent we face whether that’s an NPL team or Division Two team, winning games of football breeds confidence throughout the playing group,” he explained. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Nick (Jennings) as he was my old manager when I played for Joondalup a few years ago, we had a good relationship back then and I know he’ll be relishing this game against us. They are flying themselves and no doubt they will come with a game plan so we will need to be ready and prepared as a place in the quarter final awaits either team.”
Quinns sit top of the Division Two table, with four straight wins, and it’s been a good start for new coach Nick Jennings, but he is well aware there is improvement needed. “We’ve had a good start to the league season, but we are under no illusions how difficult and competitive Division Two is this season,” he said. “The club have made no secret that our objective is promotion, but it’s also nice to have a bit of a cup run, so the pleasing aspect of the last round was that we went toe to toe with a team from the league above and not only came out worthy winners but also kept a clean sheet.”
Jennings said up next, they take on one of the best teams in the state, and knows it’s a huge challenge, but one they are relishing. “The prize for our victory against Gosnells is the away trip to the best team in the state Bayswater, under the guidance of a good friend Matty, who I’m sure will look to really put us to the sword,” he said. “A lot of our boys won’t ever have played at the venue, so it will be a new experience playing on a carpet under lights, hopefully one they enjoy. Historically we are aware it is a rarity that teams from our league cause any issues to high flying NPL sides, so with no pressure or expectations let’s see what the 90 minutes brings.”
We have two all NPL clashes, first holders Olympic Kingsway welcome Perth SC to Kingsway Reserve. (3:00pm) The two sides eased through the last round with wins against Dianella and Cockburn respectively, and they also met in last season’s semifinal. Luke Hewings gave Olympic the lead early, but the Azzurri were level moments later with Gordon Perkins heading home. But Aryn Williams won it 12 minutes from time for Olympic, and it will be another close one this time around. In the other tie, 2023 cup winners Floreat Athena entertain Balcatta Etna at the E&D Litis Stadium. The hosts beat Perth Redstar on penalties in the last round, while Balcatta beat Wembley Downs, and they will be looking to reach the cup final for the first time since 2012.
Another intriguing tie is at Macedonia Park where Stirling Macedonia host Kingsley Westside. (All other games kick off at 2:30pm unless stated) Kingsley, who were playing Amateur football seven years ago, are coming off a loss in Division One last week, but ended the cup run of Football Margaret River in the last round. The hosts, who have won the cup on six occasions, go into the game after a loss at Sorrento last week and coach Ago Mujic said they need to improve if they are to progress in the cup. “After disappointing loss on weekend, we hit training ground hard and we need to start being consistent,” he said. “Saturday is a massive game for the club and us as a group against very good opponent in Kingsley and we need to be on our best and show character to bounce back after Saturday’s loss and we all have one goal and that’s to progress into last eight of the Cup.”
Curtin University travel to Nash Field to take on Western Knights, and they will be buoyed after their first Division One win since promotion, last week at Gosnells, while the Knights need to bounce back after back of back-to-back 3-0 defeats in then NPL. Curtin head coach Troy Reid said everyone at the club is looking forward to the challenge of facing Western Knights on Saturday. “Coming up against strong NPL opposition is a great opportunity to test ourselves and hopefully cause an upset. It's a demanding stretch for us with three games in eight days, but these are the games you want to play in,” Reid explained. “We'll aim to be organised, competitive and make life as difficult as possible for them. If we stick to the task, we're confident we can give ourselves a chance.”
In the other games on Saturday, Kalamunda City entertain Subiaco AFC at Sutherlands Park, while Murdoch University Melville make the trip to Burrendah Reserve to take on Canning City. In the late game, Inglewood United welcome Fremantle City to the Proto DPS Inglewood Stadium. (7:00pm) Fremantle needed extra time to beat East Perth in the last round, while Inglewood needed penalties to beat Gwelup, and both are coming off their first wins in the league on Saturday. Inglewood midfielder Harry Evans said a good cup run would be great for the Division One club, but he knows they need to be at their best. “We’re really looking forward to the cup game against Fremantle on Saturday night, but it will be a tough game, they are a good side with some decent individuals, but so are we,” he explained. “It would be great to go on a cup run again with Inglewood, but we will have to be at our best as a team on Saturday to get through to the next round.
2.5.2025
MOUITHYS REWARDED FOR STELLAR SEASON
It's been a stellar season for WA striker Theodora Mouithys, being amongst the goals for the Hyundai FW Academy and a recent call up to the Junior Matildas training camp, is a reward for her superb start to the 2025. She returned from the camp this week, which was held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from 22-27 April, and she said it’s been a huge learning curve for her, and one she grabbed with both hands.
“I’m super honoured to be selected for the Junior Matildas camp, and it’s always been a dream of mine to play in a national team and I’m excited to represent WA and keep learning and developing at the next level,” the talented striker said. “As for the season, it’s been an amazing start for FW Academy. Coming off a tough night series, we were underestimated by a lot of people, but the team has shown so much resilience and belief in each other. Going six from six in the season shows the work we’ve been putting in is paying off, and we’re hungry to keep building from here.”
FW Academy Head Coach Stephen Walmsley said Mouithys deserves all the accolades for all the hard work she has put in. “Theo being invited to the Junior Matildas camp is a reward not only for her talent, but also for her commitment to getting the most out of herself. She’s willing to run and fight in each moment and is serious about her performance level,” Walmsley said.
“We want more Western Australians represented in national teams moving forward and the path to making that happen is by providing a high-performance environment and holding players accountable to that. The beauty of football is that in order to make the next step, you have to do more than what you’ve done before, so as players and staff we have to keep raising the bar.” The striker returns to the squad this week, as the FW Academy take on Perth SC in a top of the table clash.
2.5.2025
NPL SIDES BATTLE OUT FOR AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPOT
The Australian Championship is one step closer for WA clubs after Football Australia today confirmed the group stage draw for the inaugural season. The WA NPL Champions have been drawn in Group D, alongside NPL NSW clubs APIA Leichhardt and Sydney United 58, and the NPL SA Champions. This is subject to compliance, the 2025 Men’s NPL Premier will represent their Member Federation competition. In the case that a Foundation Club finishes as the 2025 NPL Men’s Premier, or the club that finishes as Premier fails to comply with compliance requirements, the slot will pass to the next-highest non-Foundation Club if required.
The Australian Championship will bring together 16 teams in a dynamic and sustainable format, featuring eight Foundation Clubs and eight invited NPL champions from the National Premier Leagues (NPL). This innovative format bridges state-based competitions with the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s pathway, helping reshape the national football pyramid and unlock new opportunities for clubs and players.
Four seeded Foundation Clubs including South Melbourne FC (Group A), Marconi Stallions FC (Group B), Avondale FC (Group C) and APIA Leichhardt FC (Group D), will be joined by the remaining Foundation Clubs and top-performing teams from each NPL division to create four balanced and equal groups. Following six rounds of group stage matches, the top two teams from each group will advance to a knockout Finals Series, culminating in the Championship Final in early December. This structure has been designed to ensure the competition model is sustainable while maintaining a high degree of competitive integrity and commercial appeal.
The Group Stage Draw is as follows: Group A: South Melbourne FC, Sydney Olympic FC, NPL Premier (Football QLD), NPL Premier (NNSW Football) - Group B: Marconi Stallions FC, Wollongong Wolves FC, NPL Premier (Football VIC), NPL Premier (Football TAS) - Group C: Avondale FC, Preston Lions FC, NPL Premier (Football NSW), NPL Premier (Capital Football) - Group D: APIA Leichhardt FC, Sydney United 58 FC, NPL Premier (Football SA), NPL Premier (Football WA)
This is followed by a Knockout Finals Series, where the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, with the higher placed team hosting each crossover encounter: Quarter Finals: A1 v C2, B1 v D2, C1 v A2, D1 v B2. Semi Finals & Grand Final: All matches to be staged at a neutral venue, culminating in the Championship Final on either 6 or 7 December 2025.
Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson said it’s an exciting time for football in the country. “The Australian Championship is an exciting new annual tournament bringing together Foundation Clubs with their rich histories and top-performing NPL Clubs to showcase their talents and culture to our growing national football audience,” he said. “The Australian Championship will bring a sense of nostalgia to our football community. Genuine rivalries will be on full display to supporters of all generations, and new stories will be created on and off the field. Football supporters across the country will get a taste for what our national competitions will look like in years to come, enriched with talented state-based players and aspirational Foundation Clubs.
“The Australian Championship draw strikes the perfect balance with groups made up equally of Foundation Clubs and NPL Champions, delivering a rare combination of unpredictable interstate clashes and traditional historic rivalries. We can expect big crowds for the opening round matches, and excitement will continue to build throughout the tournament with must-win matches played across the group stage draw. The inaugural winners of the Australian Championship will also need to navigate their way through a highly competitive knockout finals series before being crowned Champions. We encourage fans to visit their local clubs and experience the excitement of the Australian Championship and witness the talent and clubs of tomorrow.”
Football fans are encouraged to follow the NPL competitions and Hahn Australia Cup around the country throughout the 2025 season to get a glimpse of the talent and rivalries set to feature in the Australian Championship. Further announcements, including fixtures, participating NPL teams, broadcast details and commercial partnerships will be made in the lead-up to the competition’s historic debut on Friday, 10 October 2025.
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