Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Getty Images

Northern Fury coach Ian Ferguson concedes his club are underdogs in 2016 following a nightmare pre-season – but he isn't shying away from the challenge.

Fury have confirmed their squad for the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues campaign with a host of young players again set to represent the north Queensland region in the national second tier.

The league campaign follows a lacklustre series of pre-season results, which saw Fury unable to notch a win against local third tier clubs and suffering two heavy losses to fellow PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues outfit FNQ Heat.

Ferguson, who enters his third year in the role of Fury Head Coach and Director of Coaching, admitted the scores weren’t impressive but that it is far too early to judge his charges.

“I think the Fury have always been underdogs but want I do want the club to do is compete and try to play the right way,” Ferguson explained.

“We do want to win and we do want to get results but I don’t want to put any pressure on the players.”

“It hasn’t been a great pre-season for one reason or another – through injuries, through work, through people not turning up."

"It’s just been a nightmare this pre-season and there have been some unflattering results in there but this is where it starts now.”

Fury’s squad features a host of players recruited from local clubs preparing to experience PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues football for the first time – including fullback Tom Pearce and midfielders Josh Bowman and Jai Eurell from Brothers Townsville, striker Matt Richard from Rebels and goalkeeper Ryan Murphy from MA Olympic.

Ferguson said he was always willing to back local talent as part of Fury’s ethos, but conceded that some may fail to make the grade at the higher level.

“It’s obviously trial and error. The boys have come in to test themselves and it’s up to them where they want to go.”

“I’m hopeful they will do well and I’m hopeful they won’t find the step from town football up to the NPL too big. We want to give opportunities and hopefully they give me the reaction I am looking for.”

Amongst the higher profile departures from Fury's 2015 side are Ari Isman, who joins FNQ Heat, and midfielder Jacob Crowley and winger Joe Thornton, who both pulled out of the team during pre-season, and promising striker Sean Karambasis, who links up with Western Pride.

Ferguson was pragmatic about their departures but admitted their absence will be felt, especially in the early rounds.

“We’ve got to move on. How do we replace them? Well we can only bring in the kids and give them an opportunity and hope they will perform.”

Ferguson added that he expects some of his returning players such as George Dalton, Hamish Cassady, Samuel Herlihy and Corey Waples to rise to the challenge of assuming more senior positions in the squad.

“I’m hoping that these boys can help guide the younger ones through. The boys that have kept coming back have got that experience and you hope that they help the new players and step up to the plate,” he concluded.

Fury commence their PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues campaign against SWQ Thunder in Toowoomba on Saturday.

Northern Fury FC 2016 Squad – PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues

Ryan Murphy, Caleb Hobson, Kris Dennis, George Dalton, Tom Pearce, Lyndsay Gabiola, Josh Bowman, Jae Eurell, Matt Richard, Michael Eisenhut (visa player), Jonathon Bagley, Ben Stanley, Mitchell Maher, Samuel Herlihy, Corey Waples, Matt Gauci-Martin, Hamish Cassady, Stephen Blackburn (visa player), Nicholas Dunn, Matthew Bolton