Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Anthony Napoli

The Easter eggs are but a memory as PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues action resumes in Queensland with the action spread across six cities.

 

 

Redlands United FC v Olympic FC
Friday, April 1 | 7:00PM
Cleveland Showgrounds, Redland City

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Redlands 1, Olympic 4, Draws 1
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Redlands won 5-2 at Cleveland Showgrounds (19/6/15)

Redlands are out to recapture their early season winning ways when they host the out-of-sorts Olympic in the opening match of the round.

One of the form teams in the opening weeks, Redlands have proved competitive – and arguably unlucky – despite failing to take a point from their last two starts.

They will fancy their chances against an Olympic side that has made a lacklustre start to the season and sits second last – their sole win coming against fellow strugglers Northern Fury.

Key to the contest will be how an Olympic defence that has shipped just under 3 goals per game this season handles a Redlands side brimming with attacking outlets.

Redlands Squad – 1. Brendan WHITE, 2. Michael MCGOWAN, 3. Grant BRIX, 5. Paul O’BRIEN, 6. Gregory WARDEN, 7. Michael LEE, 8. Russell WOODRUFFE, 9. Stephen GREEN, 10. Nico BECHAR, 11. Graham FYFE, 12. Adam CHANDLER, 14. Nicholas DANICIC, 15. Doyle BISSETT, ,16. Igor SAO JOSE, 17. Samuel LANGLEY, 20. James EDGAR
(In – Stephen GREEN | Out - none)

Olympic Squad – 1. Nicholas MOONEY, 2. Liam O’BRYAN, 3. Mark FISK, 5. Scott BOW, 6. Matt MUNDY, 7. Logan GRILLO, 9. Lachlan MUNN, 10. Daniel BYRNE, 12. Ryan RODERICK, 13. Brad SCOTT, 15. Sam CRONIN, 16. Joshua JOKIC, 17. Youeil SHOL, 18 Matthew GORDON, 19. Abel FESSEHA , 20 Dakota SPRANGE
(In – Mark FISK, Joshua JOKIC | Out – Robert IRVING, Kosi YANNAKOPOULOS)

Match Officials – Casey REIBELT (referee), Joseph LEE (assistant), James MAINEY (assistant), Carl HARPER (fourth)

Brisbane Strikers FC v SWQ Thunder FC
Saturday, April 2 | 6:00PM
Perry Park, Brisbane

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Strikers 4, Thunder 0, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Strikers won 2-0 at Clive Berghofer Stadium (15/8/15)

Thunder continue to surprise the doubters and a first ever win at Perry Park this weekend against Strikers could see them move top of the table depending on other results.

Standing in their way is a Strikers side that, despite a sluggish start to 2016, reminded their rivals of their potential by becoming the first team to defeat defending Champions Moreton Bay United before the Easter break.

Previous meetings between the sides have proved a mismatch, with Thunder unable to breach Strikers’ defences in four previous league encounters while conceding a staggering 19 goals.

However, Thunder are making a habit of putting a line through previous unwanted records and Strikers won’t take them lightly – the Lightning Bolt Derby has never been this charged.

Strikers Squad – 1. Sebastian USAI, 2. Christopher MAHER, 4. Jake MARSHALL, 5. Greig HENSLEE, 6. Fraser HILLS, 7. Shelford DAIS, 8. Michael ANGUS, 9. Rhys MEREDITH, 10. Alistair DAVIS, 12. Shaun CARLOS, 13. Sam KNIGHT, 14. Jake MCLEAN, 15. Jesse WIEMERS, 18. Trent CLULOW, 20. Michael WEIER, 24. Ryan PALMER
(In – Ryan PALMER | Out – Tomas ROSS)

Thunder Squad – 1. Luke BOREAN, 2. Rowan SALOMON, 3. Keagan SHERIDAN, 4. Benjamin BARROWCLIFT, 5. Xavier PRATT, 6. Jackson HAUSSLER, 7. Thomas FANNING, 8. Lachlan ATKINSON, 9. Jack PERCY, 10. Mustafa JAFARI, 11. Majok PIOK, 15. Kevin DOYLE, 16. Nykodah SMITH, 18. Adam DALY, 19. Jacob BIGBY, 20 Jayden FORMOSA
(In – Adam DALY, Nykodah SMITH | Out – , Trent BOWLES, Matthew HULL)

Match Officials – Rebecca DURCAU (referee), Tarran RICHARDS (assistant), Max CRANE (assistant), Patrick DWYER (fourth)

FNQ FC Heat v Northern Fury FC
Saturday, April 2 | 6:30PM
Barlow Park, Cairns

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Heat 3, Fury 1, Draws 2
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Heat won 5-1 at Brolga Park (18/7/15)

Traditionally a season opening clash, supporters in Queensland’s north have had to wait a little longer for the Northern Derby in 2016 and it’s only served to further whet the appetite.

Heat are flying high atop the table on the back of their best start ever to a league campaign – undefeated after four rounds and showing few clear vulnerabilities thus far.

At the bottom of the table sit a Fury side struggling for confidence after losing four straight and already being dismissed in some quarters as also-rans.

A win for the underdog will not only get their season back on track but also add another interesting twist to the ongoing Cairns-Townsville rivalry ahead of a highly likely third consecutive Westfield FFA Cup showdown next month.

Heat Squad – 1. Kevin WARD, 2. Shaun OWENS, 3. Shimon WATANABE, 4. Charlie BEVERLEY, 5. Ari ISMAN, 6. Jamie GOSLING, 7. Joshua PIN, 8. Christopher O’HARE, 9. Jamie CARROLL, 10. Kieran SANDERS, 11. Darcy MCCORMACK, 12. Cameron NUCIFORA, 13. Mqondisi NKIWANE, 16. Bronson KOPPEN, 19. Liam WHITE, 20. Joshua WILSON
(In - none | Out - none)

Fury Squad – 1. Luke MCDONALD, 2. Caleb HOBSON, 4. George DALTON, 5. Thomas PEARCE, 8. Jae EURELL, 9. Matthew RICHARDS, 10. Benjamin STANLEY, 11. Jonathon BAGLEY, 12. Joseph THORNTON, 13. Charles SLANEY, 14. Samuel HERLIHY, 15. Corey WAPLES, 17. Hamish CASSADY, 18. Darren WALKER, 20. Ryan MURPHY
(In – Matthew RICHARDS | Out – Matthew GAUCI-MARTIN)

Match Officials – Matthew SKINNER (referee), Michael BOZHOFF (assistant), Christopher DAW (assistant), Wayne KUYPERS (fourth)

Western Pride FC v Brisbane City FC
Saturday, April 2 | 7:00PM
Briggs Road Sports Complex, Ipswich

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Pride 1, City 5, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – City won 4-2 at Briggs Road Sports Complex (15/8/15)

With their first win under the belt, Pride are now looking to gauge themselves against a Brisbane City side that has won their past three outings.

The hosts took just a single point from their opening three home games and know finding consistent home form is key if they are to move into the top half of the table.

Meanwhile, City have flown somewhat under the radar in their charge into third place – successfully dodging the hype that has accompanied other teams in the top four.

They could go top of the table with a win depending on other results and history favours the team from the capital, with a perfect record at Briggs Road over the past two seasons.

Pride squad (two to be added)– 1. Duncan SHORT, 2. Alistair WALLIS, 3. Joel HAACK, 4. Corey LUCAS, 5. Douglas BROWN, 6. Jesse RIGBY, 7. Adam ENDEAN, 8. Nielan BROWN, 9. Geoffrey MACINTYRE, 10. Joseph DUCKWORTH, 11. Jordan LAMBI, 13. Hayden MCHENERY, 14. Gabriel HAWASH, 15. Jacob MINNETT
(In – none | Out - none)

City squad – 1. Timothy ALLEN, 4. Kai SMITH, 5. Jayke CUSCHIERI, 6. Luke PAVLOU, 9. Antonio MURRAY, 10. Scot COULSON, 11. Nicholas BUCKLEY, 12. Joshua CRONK, 13. Jason PARK, 14. Paul STEVENS, 15. Kai BARNES, 16. Jean-Mike JABO, 17. Samuel SIBATUARA, 18. Motoki KAKEHI, 19. Mitchell HORE, 20. Jake CLANCY
(In – Kai BARNES, Joshua CRONK, Samuel SIBATUARA | Out – Simon BIEL, Nathan BIRD, Greg KING)

Match officials – Ben COOK (referee), Alexander HOHN (assistant), Justin TEMPLE (assistant), Ryan MOONEY (fourth)

Sunshine Coast FC v Brisbane Roar FC Youth
Sunday, April 3 | 2:00PM
Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Fire 2, Young Roar 1, Draws 1
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Drew 0-0 at Sunshine Coast Stadium (3/4/15)

Up-and-down starts to the 2016 campaign sees both Fire and Young Roar looking to capture much-needed post-Easter momentum.

The fixture is the first at Sunshine Coast Stadium this year – a venue where Young Roar have been unable to overcome Fire in their only two visits in the league.

High on the agenda for both teams will be to prove their defensive resilience, with neither side able to shut-out their opponents in their opening four fixtures.

Key to the contest could be managing the venue’s notorious afternoon cross-field winds – with Young Roar’s more on-the-deck style less likely to be affected compared to Fire’s increasingly direct approach.

Fire Squad – 1. Samuel NICKOLLS, 2. Timothy HOLLINGWORTH, 3. Giacomo MELLINO, 4. Christopher JANCEVSKI, 5. Kyle TOWNSEND, 6. Connor HANCOCK, 7. Cameron NAIRN, 8. Grant DE CHASTEL, 9. Brady CRONK, 11. Jeremy STEWART, 13. Blake HUSTON, 15. Jordan LOY, 16. Matthew LYELL, 17. Paul BROWNLIE, 20. Josh WALL
(In – Blake HUSTON, Jordan LOY, Jeremy STEWART | Out – Kobe FULLER, Shoichi KOSHIMIZU, Jordan LLOYD)

Young Roar Squad – 1. Andre JANNESE, 2. Jaiden WALKER, 3. Cameron CRESTANI, 4. Mark RODIC, 5. Matthew SCHMIDT, 7. Dane INGHAM, 8. Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS, 9. Nicholas D’AGOSTINO, 11. Jayden PRASAD, 12. Joseph CHAMPNESS, 14. Daniel DRIVER, 15. Jesse DALEY, 16. Thomas MILLER, 20. Tomislav BILIC, 22. Dylan WENZEL-HALLS, 23. Nicholas PANETTA
(In – Daniel DRIVER, Andre JANNESE, Thomas MILLER | Out – Daniel LECK, Harry MCDONALD, Adam SAWYER)

Match Officials – Trent SLEEMAN (referee), Tarran RICHARDS (assistant), Ben COOK (assistant), Albert KRAUSE (fourth)

Gold Coast City FC v Moreton Bay United FC
Sunday, April 3 | 3:00PM
Duncan McKenna Field, Gold Coast

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – City 3, Jets 3, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – City (as Palm Beach SC) won 2-1 at Duncan McKenna Field (15/8/15)

Arguably the most intriguing contest of the weekend closes out the round when the Jets head to the Glitter Strip to face off against Gold Coast City.

Jets will be smarting from their last start defeat at the hands of Strikers and could well view a win over City as a potential ‘six-pointer’ in their quest for back-to-back titles.

City are on a three match undefeated streak – including draws against top four favourites Heat and Strikers – and a win over Jets will significantly strengthen their own claims as genuine September contenders.

The match also provides a dose of sibling rivalry with Jets Technical Director Adam Piddick and City coach Grae Piddick facing off in the dug-outs.

City Squad (two to be omitted)– 1. Shane VIITAKANGAS, 2. Matthew JONES, 3. Tim JACKSON, 4. Drew JESKEY, 5. Riley DILLON, 6. Jason CAMPBELL, 7. Justyn MCKAY, 8. Roman HOFMANN, 9. Jarrod KYLE, 10. Benjamin LITFIN, 11. Nikola MIRKOVIC, 13. Rhys SAUNDERS, 15. Eoghan MURPHY, 16. Rees DUNCAN, 18. Daniel DRAGICEVIC, 19. Morgan SAUNDERS, 20. Joshua LANGDON, 21. Jordon LAMPARD
(In – Eoghan MURPHY, Rhys SAUNDERS, | Out – none)

Jets Squad – squad not submitted

Match Officials – Drew NINNES (referee), Thomas CULLANE (assistant), Sam OSBOURNE (assistant), Chris LONG (fourth)