Words: Michael Flynn

Clubs will be able to sign an Australian Marquee Player under changes to the Player Points System for the 2015 PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues season.

The addition of the Australian Marquee Player category has the potential to shake-up next year’s competition as clubs consider the impact a high profile Australian signing might make to their fortunes both on and off the pitch.

An Australian Marquee Player is defined as an Australian player that was registered as a professional player for a Hyundai A-League or overseas club immediately prior to registering with the NPL club.

They will incur a maximum of 10 points on the playing roster and will not otherwise be subject to points incurred for switching clubs.

The Australian Marquee Player can also benefit from other categories within the Player Points System (PPS), including being a designated Homegrown Player.

Several PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland clubs have previously signed high profile players with professional experience, including Alex Smith, Zenon Caravella, Matt Mundy, Matt Byrne, Jarrod Kyle, Antonio Murray, Kristian Rees and Royce Brownlie.

Newly appointed Moreton Bay United coach Adam Piddick said he would be eager to make use of the marquee spot in his first PlayStation 4 NPL campaign.

“If you have the opportunity to bring a professional footballer into your environment and the club can afford it, then I’d assume every club will be looking to take advantage of that,” Piddick explained.

“Since it won’t add extra points to your quota, well I can’t see any reason why clubs wouldn’t do it,” he added.

That sentiment was echoed by Redlands United coach Matt Chandler.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for us, and I don’t know if we are quite in that position yet, but we are still looking at it,” Chandler said.

“There’s a couple of names I could throw at you that we would love, but I guess it comes down to dollars as well,” Chandler further clarified.

Premiership winning Palm Beach coach Grae Piddick said while he was open to the possibility, several factors would need to align to allow for a marquee signing.

“You’d love to have one, but from our point of view it would be likely to be a professional player looking to move back to their home town that still wants to have a kick,” Piddick said.

“But I don’t think we would go chasing players from elsewhere. We really couldn’t afford it,” he clarified.

However, Northern Fury coach Ian Ferguson was more strident, saying a marquee signing wasn’t high priority for him and he instead preferred to provide a pathway for North Queensland’s young, local talent.

“We won’t go down that route. We don’t need a marquee player,” Ferguson said.

Several other PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland coaches declined to comment as they continue to digest the PPS changes.

In further changes for the 2015 PlayStation 4 NPL season, players over the age of 25 will no longer incur additional points based on age.

However, players under 23 years of age will receive PPS deductions to further encourage youth development and opportunities for young talent within the elite player pathway.

Clubs will also be restricted to two visa players for the 2015 PlayStation 4 NPL season.

The PPS was a key outcome of the National Competitions Review (NCR) undertaken in regard to the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues.

The PPS encourages NPL clubs to simultaneously promote greater focus on youth development whilst delivering the outcomes and objectives of the NCR.

For more detailed information on the PPS, please follow this link.