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The Australian Championship Thread

Sorry matey, I dont mean to snap at YOU
.. its just that Im disappointed at this whole thing.. Its almost, in a way. worse than doing nothing at all... a Super league serves NONE of the intended purposes of a proper home and away national league....

I wouldnt be too surprised that this isnt just "put in place" to appease the broadcaster and league naming sponsor who was promised a "second division" in 2025...

All good mate, I'm on the edge of snapping myself haha! I don't like seeing others disappointed even when I am disappointed too.

This sounds underwhelming:
The NST season will run annually from October to December

So they could end up running this tournament for more than one season. I was hoping it would just be the once!
 
My read: I guess I can reveal now i spoke to Nick Galatas that he seemed confident of a h&a in 2026. I trust him on this and hope this is a warm up for the nst like there was before the a league launched. It is hard to imagine they will get enthusiasm from fans if they dont. I also dont think clubs sign onto this if they arent confident that there will be a h and a soon.

The good: revealed who the other 6 were
The bad: did not tell us what the minimum financial criteria is, how many they need to cross the line to go to a h and a etc.
Nick also said that there would be a H and Away season in 2025, just 2 months ago.... lol :P
 
So sunshine coast, gold coast, adelaide city, Gungahlin United FC, st george

anyone have contacts with these clubs to get some info
 
Gotta say, I was looking forward to NPLVIC next season without losing any clubs. Could be the best season yet.
 
People are moaning and groaning about this but it’s a start! Much better than nothing, and seems like they are committed to a home and away start in 2026. Clearly the other 6 teams didn’t have the financials for a full home and away league. An 8 team “National” Second Tier league only from NSW and Victoria would not have worked. People say POMs are whingers but the reality is that Australians are probably the biggest whingers in the world. (I am Australian).
Guaranteeing its death by design isn't a start
 
So sunshine coast, gold coast, adelaide city, Gungahlin United FC, st george

anyone have contacts with these clubs to get some info
It's an expanded NPL finals series + 8 permanent clubs playing a preseason competition post season. There's no extra 8 clubs to add, it will change year to year.
 
It's an expanded NPL finals series + 8 permanent clubs playing a preseason competition post season. There's no extra 8 clubs to add, it will change year to year.
These are the clubs that made the technical requirements but not the financial requirements. Id be curious to hear from them how far away they are
 
Just for hypotheticals, if this was going ahead right now for this year, this would have been the make up:
  • APIA Leichhardt (NSW)
  • Avondale (VIC)
  • Marconi Stallions (NSW)
  • Preston Lions (VIC)
  • South Melbourne (VIC)
  • Sydney Olympic (NSW)
  • Sydney United 58 (NSW)
  • Wollongong Wolves FC (NSW)
  • Gungahlin United (ACT)
  • Rockdale Ilinden (NSW)
  • Broadmeadow Magic (NNSW)
  • North Eastern MetroStars (SA)
  • Oakleigh Cannons (VIC)
  • Gold Coast Knights (QLD)
  • Olympic Kingsway (WA)
  • Glenorchy Knights (TAS)
 
Correct me if I am wrong, Sydney Olympics social media pages suggests the 16 clubs is made up of the 8 member federation clubs + 8 premiers from the 8 state federations for 2025?
 
Correct me if I am wrong, Sydney Olympics social media pages suggests the 16 clubs is made up of the 8 member federation clubs + 8 premiers from the 8 state federations for 2025?
Correct - there a few things not in the media release in the attached FAQ that was updated at the bottom of the media release:
The hypothetical makeup of this years tournament would be as above (noting that Oakleigh finished third in the league in Victoria, behind two NST Foundation Members, although they did win the Grand Final).

FAQ also states (as someone mentioned a page back) that the format is indeed 4x groups of 4 playing home and away, with top 2 in each group advancing to quarter finals, then semi final, then final (all single leg) resulting in:
  • 6x matches for all clubs as a minimum
    • 3 @ home and 3 away
  • Assuming the final is between two group winners, and held at one of their home grounds (assuming the one with the more superior record - this bit is unannounced), and elimination games are played at the home ground of the team with the superior record:
    • 9 games total (6 at home for the Grand Final host, 5 for the visitor)
 
I think this can go 1 of 2 ways

1) new teams are announced before kickoff and the cl has a bit of a buzz as an appetizer for the real thing. 11 months to pull that off
2) no new teams are announced and it becomes a damp squib that lasts a couple of seasons tops
 
it does look like there'll be another round of bidding for the competition. They should release the financial conditions needed to join the league as well tbh.
 
it does look like there'll be another round of bidding for the competition. They should release the financial conditions needed to join the league as well tbh.
yeah I noticed that too. On the plus side it shows that all the eggs aren't in one basket for 4 of those 6 extra clubs to make it past the fa's criteria

on the downside it isn't a show of confidence that these 6 clubs are just a year away
 
Yeah, looks like 2027 should be a goal of sorts. Would love to see a rockdale/west adelaide/strikers and the other two big melbourne clubs to make bids
 
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