Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Getty Images

Brisbane Strikers’ Jonti Richter says his club will be flying the flag for Queensland football when they face Victorian club Hume City in the Westfield FFA Cup.

Strikers discovered they will travel to Melbourne to face the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria outfit yesterday in the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 Draw.

Richter said he was conscious that the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 and beyond offered qualifying clubs a chance to represent their state against some of the best clubs in Australia.

For Strikers that opportunity takes on extra importance as one of only four Queensland clubs to ever win a national title alongside Brisbane Roar, Brisbane City and Lions FC.

“For any club, and obviously Strikers being a former national league side, we want to do well to carry on that legacy,” he said.

“But from a club standpoint at the moment the further we go the better it looks for Brisbane Strikers and for the Queensland NPL and Queensland as a whole.”

Unlike many clubs in the competition, Hume City have only come to prominence in the past decade after working their way up the Victorian tiers to reach the state’s top flight for the first time in 2008.

Despite admitting that their opponents remain a somewhat unknown quantity at present, Richter said his teammates are at the least aware of former PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland players Daniel Clark and Jai Ingham who switched to the Victorian club this season.

“From them being in the Queensland NPL last year we’ve probably got a little bit of information on those players,” he said.

“But I think as a whole that’s the great thing about this competition - you get to play up against teams you don’t know much about which is exciting and very challenging for the squad.”

Richter won’t be able to take the pitch as he continues to recuperate from a season ending knee injury sustained earlier this year.

However, he said the demands on the players as they simultaneously negotiate a PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Premiership tilt is a challenge that will need to be carefully managed.

“Looking at the schedule there are a lot of big games in there for us in terms of our season but we’ve been quite lucky this year in we’ve got a few young guys who have been able to fill in and done quite well.”

“It’s going to be tough and the guys will probably do a lot more playing than training during that time but sometimes you just got to do what you got to do.”

He added, “A bit of extra strapping tape here and there just to get through and you might have to do it on a bit of adrenaline but it’s FFA Cup and you wouldn’t want to miss it.”

The venue, date and kick-off time for Strikers’ match against Hume City will be confirmed this Friday.

Who are Hume City FC?

Founded: 1979

Current division: PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Victoria

Honours: none

Notable past players:

• Ersan Gülüm(Turkey national team)
• Jason Davidson (Socceroos)
• Aziz Behich (Socceroos)

Trivia:

• Former PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland stars Daniel Clark (Moreton Bay United) and Jai Ingham (Olympic FC and Brisbane Roar Youth) are currently members of Hume City’s senior squad
• In 2014 the club opened a new $12 million home ground, ABD Stadium, which has a capacity of 5000 people with seating for 580 spectators.
• Founded as Holland Park Football Club and also previously known as North Coburg Soccer Club (1993-2006) and Coburg United Soccer Club (2006-2009) before taking on their current moniker