Yeah 16 teams starting this season, so lots of promotions
Oh no. That means NPL “derbies” (I mean, most NPL NSW teams ar Sydney-based) and more accusations of us “banning their supporters”. For the who don’t know, back in NPL2 FNSW made a call not to have away supporters at Sydney-Wanderers games, apart from the GFs, and our home game was first. They accused us of banning them and the return leg simply being “returning the favour”. They turned up and watched over the fence, then didn’t turn up to the GF. Typical.
I guess it’s, sigh, fair to have Wanderers and CCM in the NPL1 when Bulls basically got in for free. Wanderers were also briefly in NPL1 when Sharks had to withdraw. At least we can always say we earnt our promotion through first place. Also, 16 teams and no Bonnyrigg or Hakoah. They’ve had quite a fall.
Special K makes it 2-0.
Good production quality on the NPL TV by the way, especially for a free service.
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With pause and rewind functionality 
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That’s an incredible square from Kucharski
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JK indeed a little bit special.
Parsons is still out there, right? Very quiet half from him.
We were told that part of the reasoning for VSP is to provide more flexibility/availability of players for the ALM side. Assuming this means a little more control on fixturing at VSP rather than playing at someone else’s ground
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Tarek Elrich went from beating Sydney FC in AL derbies to losing to their youth in the NPL.
Game entry is free.
Cha-ching!
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Ah, Rangers again with the injury time goal.
Still, 4-2 a good first result of the campaign.
Watching AL Premiership winner Elrich losing his shit at the ref while losing to our youth…Hilarity.
To be fair, the referee was hilariously bad. Been a long time since I’ve seen one that far out of their depth.
Like 23 hours?
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If anyone cares we started:
Pavlesic
Fong Gurd Paull Buratto
Gibson Priestman Girdwood-Reich
Parsons JK Segecic
JK was pulled at HT. As was Fong who got a pretty needless booking and then got away with a late foul on half way right before the interval. Very lucky not to collect a second yellow there so not surprised JVW hooked him so as not to risk it. Priestman shifted to RB with Taylor and Scarcella coming on, so second half was:
Pavlesic
Priestman Gurd Paull Buratto
Gibson Scarcella Girdwood-Reich
Parsons Segecic Taylor (w/loads of rotation)
Agosti came on for Girdwood-Reich on the hour mark, Harbas came on for Segecic at 75, and then Mathews came on for Buratto with about 10 to go. Buratto also lucky to stay on, hauled one of them down from behind about 35 yards out, more of a DOGSO than anything we saw yesterday. Again JVW hooked him before he could collect a second yellow, Mathews came on at CB with Paull shifting to LB so we finished:
Pavlesic
Priestman Gurd Mathews Paull
Gibson Scarcella Agosti
Parsons Harbas Taylor (way less rotation)
Similar to a lot of games last year, some champagne stuff going forward, just some poor game management that can cost. Suppose you get that with kids / limited experience, but they don’t know when to settle a game down and would often concede straight after scoring, at the very end of halves (twice again today), or multiple times in quick succession. If they address that they will win more games and be up there again.
Backline wasn’t really tested but Paull the standout. I wonder if we have a lab attached to the gym at Macquarie cos some of these lads look like they’ve been on the juice Last time I saw Paull was on the grass field right next to today’s pitch, 5-0 win against Olympic for the 20’s I think. He didn’t look that big against 20’s but today looked a unit in NPL1. Same with Harbas. 
Midfield all did well and didn’t miss a beat when Scarcella came in for Priestman. Thought Scarcella and Taylor were the most improved throughout last season, the former was excellent again today and the latter had glimpses where things just didn’t come off for him. Potential baller in there though.
JK doing JK things, ice cold finish for his goal (though clear as day FK to Mt Druitt missed in the lead up) and a beautiful assist too. The main one who struggled for mine was Parsons, tap in from JK aside his only real contributions came in the last 10 minutes when their defence was knackered. He seemed to always be high when we were playing out, then always offering a deep option when we went forward, like the game was visibly passing him by. I’d love to see the GPS numbers for him and Gibson who nominally played behind him on the right, but who constantly got back to defend and then made forward runs beyond, would not be surprised if he did double the running.
Some of these lads do seem super versatile. Oscar did well today at both CM & RB, Paull at CB having played LB last year, and I think I’ve seen Gibson play everywhere but CB or GK (definitely FB, WB, MF and at 9). He put in a good shift today too.
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Parsons made TOTW lol
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Lol. Well fair play to him, I didn’t pick that it was him who played the 1-2 with JK, nor that it was his peach of a ball over the top that released Gibson for the 4th goal. I guess you can be as peripheral as you want if you get a tap in, an assist and a secondary assist (forza the Kisel ball) every week.
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I also thought he was the weakest of the 3.
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Guessing few if any saw us dismantled 5-0 last week as it clashed with the derby at Parra.
Was hoping to get out to todays game at Valentine but decided it’s too tight with that finishing at 5-ish to then head back to Substandard Stadium for the Matildas kicking off at 6. Will attempt to catch it on the NPLTV app but appreciate any updates from those in attendance. Hoping to only miss one more game against APIA from here on.