The opening rounds of the new season have been nothing short of explosive, a real firecracker of action.
The early pace-setters are the flamboyant Avondale, boasting a perfect record of five wins from five. They’re looking unstoppable right now.
Hot on their heels, a pack of clubs are scrapping and clawing to stay within striking distance of the summit, including last year’s champions, Oakleigh Cannons.
Chris Taylor’s Cannons are hitting their stride. They’ve shaken off a sluggish start in the first couple of games and are now primed to go all out for the top spot.
Last Sunday, they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Melbourne Victory, making it look like a training drill.
St Albans, however, don’t look like they’ll pose much of a threat to Joe Guest and his teammates. They’re reeling from a heavy home defeat at the hands of Avondale and will need a miracle to get anything more than a hiding at Oakleigh.
Alexandros are determined to bounce back this week after a painful away loss last weekend. The defeat came as a real jolt and seems to have ignited a fire within the “yellow and black” camp.
With nerves on edge and a burning desire for victory, United will host Hume City at the Matildas’ home ground in Bundoora.
The home side can’t afford any slip-ups. They’re already eight points adrift of league leaders Avondale and can’t even contemplate falling further behind in their pursuit of the coveted top spot.
However, Hume City are no pushovers. They boast a strong squad that has secured three wins, a draw, and a loss in their 2025 season start.
Alexandros will need to show serious grit, clinical finishing, and a relentless hunger for victory if they hope to overcome the Turkish Australian side. Their sluggish approach against Thunder last Saturday proved costly. They conceded easy goals, lacked their usual spark on the pitch, and looked unable to muster a fightback in the closing minutes. These negative aspects must be eradicated if they want to get back to winning ways at Alexandros.
South Melbourne Hellas are in dire need of a victory this week. Esteban Quintas’ side is clearly struggling, and it’s showing.
Three consecutive poor results have bred discontent, internal strife, and negativity, especially amongst the fans. The ever-demanding Hellas faithful are expecting much more than what they’re seeing on the pitch. The absence of an experienced striker since Harrison Sawyer’s departure is glaring.
They’re missing that target man who can draw two or three defenders, creating space for the attacking midfielders to be dangerous. This situation has significantly contributed to South Melbourne’s lacklustre attacking display in the early stages of the season. Hellas has the fifth-worst attacking record in the league so far, having scored more goals only than Magic, Port Melbourne (Nea Ellas), Victory, and Green Gully. Numbers don’t always tell the whole story in football, but they certainly provide a stark indication of the current state of Quintas’ team.
As dramatic and exaggerated as it may sound, especially with only six rounds played, Port Melbourne (Nea Ellas) are literally burning for a win. Port Melbourne are in a dire situation. To be blunt, they’re having a nightmare. With just three points from six games, the “Sharks” look like serious relegation candidates for VPL1 next season.
Changes in the club’s management, the lack of sound tactical planning, and the obvious disorganisation surrounding the club seem to have weighed heavily on the players, who appear unable to react.
Last week, they couldn’t withstand Melbourne Knights’ superiority and left the pitch with a 3-0 defeat. This week, they host Melbourne Victory, a weak opponent incapable of intimidating any team in the division. It’s a golden opportunity for Port Melbourne to put their disastrous start behind them and look to the future with a bit more optimism. Let’s see if they can seize it.
VPL1
Bentleigh Greens want to continue looking down on the rest from the summit. George Katsakis’ team looks ready to make a serious push this season. Returning to the top tier of Victorian football is a key objective for the “green” club. In this endeavour, Pancyprios will face many obstacles. One of those they must overcome on Friday night when they host Langwarrin. The visitors are not a daunting prospect. They’re languishing just above the bottom of the table, still searching for their first win in five games. A good dose of seriousness, combined with the necessary attacking efficiency, should be enough to secure victory for the Greens.
Sixth-placed Heracles faces a very difficult mission this week. The Greek Australian side will travel to Tarneit to face one of the league’s most in-form teams, Western United. This is a match that will likely be decided by the intensity the players bring to the pitch. Second balls and quick transitions from defence to attack and vice versa are key elements that could determine the final result.
On Monday night, the other two Greek Australian teams in the division are in action. At 7.30pm, Clarinda will host North Sunshine Eagles. A tough-tackling side who seem to be finding their rhythm after a somewhat inconsistent start to the season.
An hour later, one of the most interesting matches of the round kicks off. Leonidas from Brunswick will play away against the always formidable Bulleen Lions. An extremely demanding task for City, who need a big win to stay within touching distance of the top of the table.
VPL2
Box Hill United are looking to climb out of the lower reaches of the table and boost morale this week. The historic Pythagoras were completely outplayed by White Eagles. They suffered a footballing “bully,” undoing the excellent impression they made in the derby against Nunawading and the away game against Pascoe Vale. However, on Friday night, they will face a very good team, Brunswick Juventus. United’s players must show exceptional determination and focus if they want to have any hope of taking points.
NPL1 – Schedule
Friday March 14
Green Gully – Melbourne Knights 7pm
Heidelberg United – Hume City 7.30pm
Port Melbourne Sharks – Melbourne Victory NPL 8.15pm
Oakleigh Cannons – St Albans Saints 8.15pm
Saturday March 15
Avondale – Preston Lions 3pm
Altona Magic – Dandenong City 6.15pm
Dandenong Thunder – South Melbourne 7pm
NPL – Standings
1. Avondale 5 15
2. Preston Lions 5 11
3. Oakleigh Cannons 5 10
4. Hume City 5 10
5. Dand Thunder 5 10
6. Heidelberg Utd 5 7
7. South Melbourne 5 7
8. Dand City 5 6
9. Melb Knights 5 6
10. St. Albans 5 4
11. Altona Magic 5 4
12. Port Melb Sharks 5 3
13. Mel Victory NPL 4 2
14. Green Gully 5 2
VPL1 – Schedule
Friday March 14
Bentleigh Greens – Langwarrin 8.30pm
Saturday March 15
Manningham United Blues – Caroline Springs George Cross 3.15pm
Melbourne Srbija – Moreland City 6.30pm
Sunday March 16
Western United – Northcote City 4pm
Melbourne City – Eastern Lions 7pm
Monday March 17
Kingston City – North Sunshine Eagles 7.30pm
Bulleen Lions – Brunswick City 8.30pm
VPL1 – Standings
1. Bentl Greens 5 12
2. Melb City 5 11
3. Western Utd 5 10
4. Bulleen Lions 5 9
5. Carol Springs 5 9
6. Northcote 5 9
7. Brunswick City 5 8
8. Manningham 5 8
9. Kingston 5 7
10. North Sunshine 5 6
11. Melbourne SRBIJA 5 3
12. Moreland 5 3
13. Langwarrin 5 1
14. Eastern Lions 5 1
