Football West News

The PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues WA 2016 season will kick off on Saturday with an exciting new initiate for aspiring young football stars.

Football Federation Australia recently announced the inaugural PS4™ Player Pathway Award, which gives 24 aspiring footballers (aged 16-20) around the country a shot at a professional football career.

The aim of the award is to uncover some of Australia’s hidden football talent to become Hyundai A-League stars of tomorrow.

Entering its third season since inception in WA, the semi-professional PlayStation 4 NPL WA spans eight State and Territory competitions across Australia.

It is already the main stepping stone for aspiring players to break into the Hyundai A-League, with 35 players from the various PlayStation 4 NPL competitions signing professional contracts with Hyundai A-League clubs this season.

Former Floreat Athena defender Aryn Williams has made the transition this season after signing with Perth Glory.

Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, Michael Ephraim said: “The PS4 NPL is widely recognised as the engine room for the future of professional league football in Australia.

"By introducing the PS4 Player Pathway Award we are offering another opportunity for players who have missed selection through traditional routes to follow their dreams into the A-League.”
 
As official spokesperson for the award, Adam Peacock will front a new show called “The Ones to Watch” where he will follow some of our brightest PS4 NPL stars from all around Australia on their journey through the Player Pathway Award.

“I am really looking forward to following the PS4 NPL talent as part of the Ones to Watch series because football is about more than just a sport – it’s about the players’ stories, the communities, the determination and the passion for our beautiful game,” Peacock said.

PS4 NPL Season Launch Video

This week, Football West determined the voting mechanism for eligible PS4NPLWA players with approval from FFA.

All players competing in the PS4 NPLWA First Team will be judged on best and fairest votes from the match referee.

At the conclusion of the season, the three eligible players (under 20 years of age) who have received the greatest number of votes during the season will be offered the chance to join the PS4 Player Pathway camp.

The two-day camp will be held at Football New South Wales’ state-of-the-art training ground, Valentine Sports Park, where the selected players will vie for a spot to trial with Sydney FC’s Youth Team.

The PS4™ Player Pathway Award programme incorporates Australian football’s elite coaches and personalities, with the judging panel including FFA Technical Director Eric Abrams, former Socceroos skipper and NPL ambassador John Kosmina, and Sydney FC Youth Coach Rob Stanton.

The winner of the PS4 NPLWA competition will complete in the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 Finals Series against the winners of other state competitions to determine the national champions.

NSW club Blacktown City were crowned PlayStation 4 NPL Champions of Australia by beating WA outfit Bayswater City in Perth in 2015.

PS4 NPLWA Round One Fixtures
Saturday, March 19
Stirling Lions v Subiaco (Macedonia Park, 3pm)
Sorrento v ECU Joondalup (Percy Doyle Reserve, 3pm)
Cockburn City v Balcatta (Dalmatinac Park, 3pm)
Bayswater City v Perth Glory (Finance 365 Stadium/Frank Drago Reserve, 3pm)
Armadale v Perth (Alfred Skeet Reserve, 5pm)
Inglewood United v Floreat Athena (Inglewood Stadium, 7pm)