Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Albert Perez

The clubs are starting to settle into the campaign but there’s plenty of room for movement on the table in Round 6 of PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues in Queensland.

 

SWQ Thunder FC v Moreton Bay United FC
Saturday, April 9 | 5:00PM
Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Thunder 0, Jets 3, Draws 1
PS4 NPL Last Meeting –0-0 draw due to cancellation (29/8/15)

Both Thunder and Jets are seeking a return to the winner’s circle this week when they kick-off Round 6 in the Garden City.

Thunder will hope to find a much needed shot of confidence against the defending Champions after last week's four goal defeat to Strikers put a dent in their impressive start to the season.

For the Jets the match is a chance to reaffirm their reputation for ruthlessness – and stay in touch with league-leaders FNQ Heat – after taking just one point from their past two outings.

The fixture also sees high-profile Thunder off-season recruit Luke Borean line-up for the first time against the club he helped to last year’s double.

Thunder Squad – 1. Luke BOREAN, 2. Rowan SALOMON, 3. Keagan SHERIDAN, 4. Benjamin BARROWCLIFT, 5. Xavier PRATT, 7. Thomas FANNING, 8. Lachlan ATKINSON, 9. Wade HALL, 10. Mustafa JAFARI, 11. Majok PIOK, 12. Kimba KIBOMBO, 13. Silde CANDA, 14. Reec ACHIEK, 15. Kevin DOYLE, 16. Nykodah SMITH, 20 Jace HUDSON
(IN – Reec ACHIEK, Silde CANDA, Wade HALL, Jace HUDSON, Kimba KIBOMBO | OUT – Jacob BIGBY, Adam DALY, Jayden FORMOSA, Jackson HAUSSLER, Kyle PARISH)

Jets Squad – not submitted

Match Officials – Matt GILLETT (referee), Alex HOHN (assistant), Daniel OLSON (assistant), Ethan QUINLAN (fourth)

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Brisbane Roar FC Youth v Western Pride FC
Saturday, April 9 | 6:00PM
Cleveland Showgrounds, Redland City

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Pride 2, Young Roar 2, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Pride won 4-2 at Briggs Road Sporting Complex (4/7/15)

Pride are eyeing their first foray into the top four this season but will first need to overcome a Young Roar side under pressure to perform.

Young Roar coach Josh McCloughan was scathing of his team’s efforts in their loss to Sunshine Coast FC last week and has called for more from his young charges following an inconsistent start to 2016.

Meanwhile, Pride are looking to secure their third straight win after seeing off both Northern Fury and Brisbane City in recent weeks to surge to sixth in the standings.

The teams previous meetings have netted a remarkable 27 goals in four matches and, with plenty of attacking resources at their disposal again this year, another goal-fest could well be on the cards.

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, 19. Daniel LECK, 20. Tomislav BILIC, 23. Nicholas PANETTA
(IN – Jaiden WALKER, Jayden PRASAD | OUT – Danny KIM, Thomas MILLER, Dylan WENZEL-HALLS)

Pride squad – not submitted

Match Officials – Johnathon BARRERO (referee), Joey LEE (assistant), Vicky CLARK (assistant), Cameron FAWCETT (fourth)

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Brisbane City FC v FNQ FC Heat
Saturday, April 9 | 6:30PM
Corporate Travel Management Stadium, Brisbane

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – City 4, Heat 2, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – City won 3-1 at Borzi Park (27/6/15)

The league-leading Heat venture to the capital for the second time this season as they face a City side looking to get regroup following a disastrous trip to Ipswich last round.

Three straight wins prior to Easter had the City faithful hoping for a return to finals football but but a surprise 4-2 loss to Pride in their last outing has exposed cracks that need to be addressed if they are to stay in the top four.

For Heat the fixture is a chance to strengthen their growing reputation as title favourites and extend a five match unbeaten run that has caught the attention of the whole state.

Heat will also draw further inspiration from their last trip to Corporate Travel Management Stadium in 2015, where they put City to the sword with six goals.

City squad – 1. Timothy ALLEN, 3. Luca JANNESE, 4. Kai SMITH, 5. Jayke CUSCHIERI, 6. Luke PAVLOU, 7. Nathan BIRD, 9. Antonio MURRAY, 10. Scot COULSON, 11, Nicholas BUCKLEY, 12. Joshua CRONK, 13. Jason PARK, 15. Kai BARNES, 16. Jean-Mike JABO, 17. Samuel SIBATUARA, .19. Mitchell HORE, 20. James HARKIN
(IN – Nathan BIRD, James HARKIN, Luca JANNESE | OUT – Jake CLANCY, Motoki KAKEHI, Paul STEVENS)

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, 20. Joshua WILSON
(IN - none | OUT – Liam WHITE, Jack GLOVER)

Match Officials – Alex KING (referee), Pat DWYER (assistant), Isidro CRESPO (assistant), Ben ORWELL (fourth)

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Northern Fury FC v Gold Coast City FC
Saturday, April 9 | 7:00PM
Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Fury 1, City 4, Draws 1
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – City (as Palm Beach SC) won 3-0 at Ingham Showgrounds (20/6/15)

Staring down the barrel of a sixth straight league defeat Fury are desperate to repay the support of the home faithful, and open their points tally, when they host Gold Coast.

The hosts have demonstrated they can compete in patches this season but a 90 minute performance still eludes Ian Ferguson’s charges, who haven’t defeated City since 2013.

Conversely, City have ridden their luck in recent weeks in 1-1 draws against Strikers, Heat and Jets and a failure to put away Fury will raise some serious doubts about their top four credentials.

With plenty on the line this match could well prove a turning point in both clubs’ seasons.

Fury squad – 1. Luke MACDONALD, 2. Caleb HOBSON, 4. George DALTON, 5. Thomas PEARCE, 8. Jae EURELL, 9. Matthew RICHARDS, 10. Michael EISENHUT, 11. Jonathon BAGLEY, 12. Joseph THORNTON, 13. Mitchell MAHER, 14. Samuel HERLIHY, 15. Corey WAPLES, 17. Hamish CASADY, 18. Darren WALKER, 20. Ryan MURPHY
(IN – Michael EISENHUT | OUT – Benjamin STANLEY)

City squad – not submitted

Match Officials – Michael BOZHOFF (referee), Graham BUZZI (assistant), Jack NICOLOSI (assistant), Liam O’CONNER (fourth)

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Sunshine Coast FC v Redlands United FC
Sunday, April 10 | 2:00PM
Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Fire 3, Redlands 3, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Redlands won 1-0 at Sunshine Coast Stadium (26/7/15)

Fire will seek to maintain their perfect 2016 home record when they welcome the in-form Redlands in Sunday’s early kick-off.

The hosts demonstrated plenty of fight in a backs-to-the-wall win over Young Roar last weekend, but will need to get on the front foot early against a Redlands side with plenty of attacking outlets.

Third placed Redlands are coming off a last start win against Olympic and will be eager to stay in touch with Heat and Jets atop the standings.

With honours shared in recent seasons this again looms as an unpredictable showdown between teams of contrasting styles.

Fire squad – not submitted

Redlands squad (one to be omitted) – 1. Brendan WHITE, 3. Grant BRIX, 4. Kai HALLIDAY, 5. Paul O’BRIEN, 6. Gregory WARDEN, 7. Michael LEE, 8. Russell WOODRUFFE, 9. Stephen GREEN, 10. Nicolas BECHAR, 11. Graham FYFE, 12. Adam CHANDLER, 14. Nicholas DANICIC, 15. Doyle BISSETT, 16. Igor SAO JOSE, 17. Samuel LANGLEY, 18. Michael MCGOWAN, 20. Matthew LUGO
(IN – Gregory WARDEN | OUT – none)

Match officials – Jason CROW (referee), Albert KRAUSE (assistant), Danielle POTTICARY (assistant), Noah REYNOLDS (fourth)

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Olympic FC v Brisbane Strikers FC
Sunday, April 10 | 6:00PM
Goodwin Park, Brisbane

PS4 NPL Head-to-Head – Olympic 4, Strikers 3, Draws 0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting – Strikers won 1-0 at Perry Park (21/7/15)

Both Olympic and Strikers are looking for their first derby wins of the season when they face-off in the final match of the round.

Olympic fell to both City and Young Roar in all-capital showdowns earlier this year and will be underdogs against an in-form Strikers side that has won their past two matches.

Beyond cross-town bragging rights, Strikers will gather further inspiration from the knowledge that a win could see them move into the top four for the first time this year depending on other results.

Adding extra spice is Strikers' off-season recruit Rhys Meredith’s return to Goodwin Park – with the striker looking to build on his return of four goals in as many games against his former club.

Olympic Squad –not submitted

Strikers Squad – 1. Sebastian USAI, 2. Christopher MAHER, 4. Jake MARSHALL, 5. Grieg 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 WEIE
(IN – Jake MCLEAN | OUT – Ryan PALMER)

Match Officials – Daniel ELDER (referee), Daniel OLSEN (assistant), Max CRANE (assistant), Brad BURTON (fourth)