Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Steven Gibson Photography/Brisbane Roar FC

Brisbane Roar Youth star Nick D’Agostino has his sights set on the Hyundai A-League after winning the PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland 2015 Young Player of the Year award.

D’Agostino won the award after receiving the highest number of Most Valuable Player points by a player under 20 years of age throughout the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland regular season.

Despite making only nine appearances for Brisbane Roar Youth this season, the 17-year-old striker proved a constant threat to opposition defences and delivered seven goals.

He said he hopes the recognition will help him replicate the progression of previous Young Player of the Year recipients - 2013 recipient Kenneth Dougall (Brisbane City) currently plays professionally in the Netherlands and last year’s winner Braedyn Crowley (Northern Fury) earned a Hyundai A-League debut with Newcastle Jets last season.

“I feel privileged and honoured to win the award and seeing those names that have won it before me - you know that it really means a lot,” D’Agostino explained.

He also acknowledged previous standouts for Young Roar in PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland who advanced to the Hyundai A-League - including Brandon Borello, Devante Clut, Shannon Brady and Jai Ingham.

“I hope I can do the same as they have and emulate them and achieve the best I can do like they have.”

“It’s always good to win awards but really you just do what you can to help the team - work hard every day in training and hopefully that pays off both on the field and off the field.”

D’Agostino is set to figure prominently in Young Roar’s upcoming Foxtel National Youth League campaign, but said the contrast between the national elite youth division and PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland provided a rounded education as an aspiring professional footballer.

“It’s good to mix it up and have a variety of the players you play against,” he explained.

“In the youth league the players are all about my age group and it’s more technical and working on skill acquisition, whereas in the NPL it’s more physical with the older players.”

“They are a lot more controlled in the way they play the game and smarter than the players our age. It’s tough trying to transition between the leagues but it’s good, especially when we get a result and play good football."

Hailing from the Gold Coast, D’Agostino is a product of the Queensland Academy of Sport and played his junior football with community club Runaway Bay.

He is currently part of Roar’s full-time extended train-on squad and says he is focused on constantly improving ensure he is ready should an opportunity present in the top tier.

“I’m training with the A-League squad now full-time and I just have to keep training well and hopefully break into the A-League and get some minutes,” he concluded.