Football Wagga reporter Rebecca Fist has cast her eye over what has been and what could be in store for the rest of the first-grade men’s season.
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Cootamundra Strikers
Don’t be deceived by Cootamundra’s position on the ladder. Yes, the team has earned its spot, knocking off some challenging opponents, but injuries and lacklustre attack could be its undoing.
The Strikers had an encouraging run of three wins at the start of the season, but when it came to the grittier encounters against top-four teams, they didn’t have the gumption.
The squad appears to be more dangerous than last year’s with Adam McPhail and Josh Purtell making welcomed returns to the fold. Goalkeeper Kayne Cassidy has also lifted the team’s profile, and Brent Farnsworth has remained a crucial link in the centre.
The squad’s strong in stature, aggressive on the ball and smart enough to keep their thoughts to themselves. They have a winning mentality, which is half the battle in any sport.
It should be smooth-sailing for a few weeks, but take a look at their goal count, 28, they haven’t been capitalising on their chances the way that the Sharks, the Hawks and the Wolves have.
Unless they find a magic bullet upfront, the elusive Pascoe Cup will slip from the Strikers’ grasp, into the hands of more potent opponents.
Pre-season tip: Fourth
Current position: First
Prediction: Fourth
Tumut Eagles
The Eagles celebrate small victories, whether it’s a string of good passes or a break towards the goalmouth. This positive energy could unlock great success in the years to come.
Sit among their spectators, experience the game from the Eagles’ perspective. Though they’re positioned towards the bottom end of the ladder, though they’re losing the game more often than not, the team has fun, and their supporters remain positive.
The coach knows the game inside-out, and the men are playing to their strengths. It’s an uplifting experience for the players. The friendly club culture fosters loyalty, and is likely to bring successful results in the years to come.
Core players Matthew Lopez, Mitch Ferguson and Bailey O’Neil have kept them in the game. Tumut can score, but the team has been bleeding goals, making them an easy target for teams like Lake Albert, that are merciless in attack.
For now Tumut has its sights set on the Pascoe Plate. The Nomads are the only team they have beaten so far, and though they’ve had some close encounters, they’ll have to beat Young if they want to play in the Football Wagga finals.
Pre-season tip: Last
Current position: Eighth
Prediction: Ninth
Wagga United Crows
The Crows aren’t exactly the tall poppies of the competition, but they have been competitive each week, despite being one of the most injury-riddled squads. They're likely to thrive now, after a month of rest.
This injury-plagued squad has not crumbled.
For the first six games of the season, the Crows were undefeated, but Cootamundra proved the Crows can be beaten in round eight.
Goalkeeper Andrew McCracken missed round six and seven due to injury and returned despite niggles in round eight. Defender Lachlan Schwarz returns from a calf injury sustained in round one, Damon Hardinge returns from an ankle injury sustained in round eight and Daniel Lawrence returns, having served a two-week suspension. Canberra-based Jarrod Bennett has been injured, his return, unlikely.
McCracken has an impeccable record in goals, and his saves have devastating for opposition strikers and jaw-dropping for spectators.
As players recover and return to the park, with any luck, Wagga United, yet to meet its full potential, will skip up the ladder.
Pre-season tip: Seventh
Current position: Sixth
Prediction: Fifth
Tolland Wolves
Coach Dave Antill has tried to fly under the radar, but the team has showed its true colours, dominant from the get-go, undefeated for five consecutive rounds and consistent ever since.
Tolland’s keeper Callum Beattie has improved throughout the season.
Tolland has leaked 13 goals, but it has also scored its fair share; 39 for the season, second only to the Sharks.
In round seven the squad lost key striker Alex Rudd for the season, who broke his leg during play. But having recruited well in the off-season, Antill has a whole squad of young, fast and adaptable enough to fill Rudd’s shoes upfront.
The Wolves are dangerous on the counter-attack and opponents that haven’t fine-tuned their ball-skills will suffer at Tolland’s hands in upcoming weeks.
The Wolves have faced one of their toughest opponents twice, and look forward to hosting Cootamundra, a team that tends to deliver more impressive results at O’Connor Park.
Pre-season tip: Sixth
Current position: Second
Prediction: Third
Northern Riverina Nomads
Their pleas to play a more social level of soccer fell on deaf ears and, as predicted, the Nomads have struggled in the first grade comp, experiencing one brutal loss after the next.
A heap of factors are preventing the Nomads from reaching their potential.
Most of the players are old enough to play in the over 35’s competition. This has been a liability as they’ve struggled to field a team, due to injury and availability.
Though most of the squad hails from Temora, they don’t play in Temora. They have a number of ‘home’ grounds – Burns Park, Forest Hill and Rawlings Park – but nothing regular.
Coach and goalkeeper Chris Marsh has assured the Daily Advertiser that morale’s as high as ever.
Their maiden win appears to be as elusive as the Pascoe Cup itself, but the focus has always been on enjoyment
“They were all aware it wasn’t going to be pretty; they all registered on that basis,” Marsh said.
“The core people are social, motivated, that’s what sport’s all about; the results are secondary.
“Hopefully we can negotiate with Football Wagga on a better solution for next season.”
Pre-season tip: Ninth
Current position: Last
Prediction: Last
Henwood Park Hawks
It could be a case of déjà vu this season for last year’s runners-up. The team's in good form, having overcome big pre-season losses thanks to club depth and consistent coaching.
Winless after two rounds, the forecast looked grim for last year’s grand finalists.
In round three the squad lost its captain, Chris Oczkowski, to an ankle injury.
But the boys recovered and by round five the squad appeared to be well-drilled, fit and furious in attack.
They’ve have been playing a classy brand of soccer, building gradually towards goal and keeping control of the ball in attack. It’s exciting to watch and frustrating for opposition teams, who chase all game and suffer in the final minutes, all puffed-out.
In the absence of 2015 lead goal-scorer Jake Ploenges, Sam Thompson has thrived upfront.
Veterans Nathan Bowman and Nathan Trinder have been role models for the young, yet experienced squad. Trinder’s work in goals has been hard to fault.
It may take some time for the Hawks to pick up where they left off after a long break due to wet weather but they’ll hard to beat in the business end of the season.
Pre-season tip: Fifth
Current position: Fourth
Prediction: Second
South Wagga Warriors
Their wins and their losses have been incredibly tight, which suggests that South Wagga can compete with every team in the comp. But they’re losing the mental battle and unless this changes they will continue to have a mixed bag of results.
The first half of the Football Wagga season has been tough-going for the Warriors.
Players were troubled by on-field tensions, and then four of their best served suspensions.
The squad prevailed without any serious injuries and now their suspensions have been served.
South Wagga has excelled in dry weather conditions. The brand of soccer they play, involving explosive counter-attack methods, persistent shots on goal, and short, sharp passing, has been awe-inspiring to watch.
But in the wet, they have floundered. The Warriors almost lost to Young in round eight and to Junee in round 10.
If they adapt to the conditions and learn to contain their passion, this squad could be in the running for the Pascoe Cup, but at this rate, their chances are slim.
Pre-season tip: Third
Current position: Fifth
Prediction: Sixth
Junee Jaguars
Oh how the mighty have fallen. The defending premiers knew they’d be weaker in 2016 but no one expected Junee to slip to seventh spot. With a suite of players injured, Junee’s losing its race against the clock.
The sun has set on Junee’s glory days.
Their losses have been more frequent than their wins, and their opponents have revelled in beating a club that had the upper-hand in recent years.
2016 was always going to be a time to rebuild for the Jaguars.
But it’s been tougher than anticipated, and, only now are they beginning to get the mental edge over their opponents.
Keeper Robert Fry, centre-back Matt Carvosso and defender Adrian Weir have kept the carnage to a minimum, and midfielder Adrian Merrigan has been effective in attack.
Remaining team members are young, injured or inexperienced. Isaac Cooper, Lincoln Weir, Travis Weir and Nick Jones have been sidelined due to injury.
The injured players must recover in time for finals if Junee wants a crack at the silverware.
Pre-season tip: Premiers
Current position: Seventh
Prediction: Seven
Lake Albert Sharks
Lake Albert has risen from a couple of early losses to enjoy a perfect run of wins, becoming the benchmark team of the competition, with premiership success in its sights.
Sharks players talked the talk in the pre-season, setting tongues wagging with claims that a team that was lucky to qualify for the Pascoe Plate in 2015, will take out the Pascoe Cup premiership in 2016.
Their doubters were smug in round one and two, as Lake Albert suffered two consecutive losses.
But the doubters fell silent a week later as they delivered a harsh 21-0 blow to the ill-fated Northern Riverina Nomads.
Since then, the team has demolished every team in its path, including fellow top-four teams Henwood Park, Cootamundra and Tolland.
The club’s plans to prevent injuries have come into fruition; a couple of players sustained minor injuries
Attacking trio Matt Hof, Fred Gardner and Henri Gardner are gaining infamy in the competition for their relentlessness on goal and Jamie Rankin has been a powerhouse in the midfield.
At this stage they look unbeatable; shoo-ins for the premiership.
Pre-season tip: Second
Current position: Third
Prediction: Premiers
Young Lions
The Lions have managed to preserve their dignity despite a run of losses. With a bit of luck and continued efforts, they’ll emerge victorious from more than one future encounter.
New coach, new team, similar results.
Yes, Young did well at the start of the season in 2015, but the injury-plagued squad slipped down the ladder, and it hasn’t recovered since.
Young is a small country town, two hours drive from Wagga, so when the club lost most of its senior players and struggled to entice new recruits, it drew from its base of junior players.
The squad is packed with players that participated in the junior comp last year. Talk about a baptism of fire!
Undersized and outplayed, the team has held its own. Opposition coaches have come back from Young raving about the squad’s vitality and flair in attack.
It’s hard not to barrack for the underdogs, especially when they’ve been gracious in their losses. They’ve copped a flogging in some of their losses, but the balance of their losses have been marginal.
There’s room for improvement and they’re still in with a chance to contend for the Pascoe Plate.
*Report published in The Daily Advertiser on June 24.
