The return of the HMRI Charity Shield will kick off the 2026 NNSW premier competition season at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Friday night.
The double header will see NPL Women’s NNSW premiers and champions Charlestown Azzurri take on Women’s State Cup joint winners Maitland FC, before reigning NPL Men’s NNSW premiers and champions Broadmeadow Magic go head-to-head with Men’s State Cup winners Cooks Hill United.
NPL Men’s NNSW
Broadmeadow Magic v Cooks Hill United
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Friday 8:15pm
Broadmeadow Magic coach Jim Cresnar said he is wary of a refreshed Cooks Hill United side ahead of the HMRI Charity Shield at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Friday.
Magic are back-to-back NPL Men’s NNSW premiers and champions and are fresh off the inaugural Australian Championship season. But with a new head coach, new players and promising performances in the Hahn Australia Cup, Cooks Hill are not a side to take lightly.
Magic claimed the inaugural HMRI Charity Shield in 2024 but lost the 2025 HMRI Charity Shield on penalties against Lambton Jaffas.
Cresnar said his side is determined to claim back the title and continue their strong form on the pitch.
“We've been lucky enough [to be involved] for the last three years or so,” Cresnar said.
“It's a good opportunity to see where the players are in terms of their fitness and just trying to work out the dynamics of the team. It’s a good opportunity for Broadmeadow Magic to be part of it.”
While Magic have enjoyed a strong few years under Cresnar, the head coach is staying grounded, with 2025 being a huge year of learning.
Magic had a shorter preseason than normal due to the side’s involvement in the Australian Championship and Cresnar said he will use Friday night as a chance to gauge his sides form and implement their learnings from 2025.
“The experience [Australian Championship] was exceptional,’ Cresnar said.
“The way we approached it, the things we could have done, areas that we could improve on, areas that we've done reasonably well; it's a huge learning curve.
“It was a great experience to be part of it. It felt for some players like being in a professional environment.
“We needed to improve our training, the schedules, the opportunity to travel away, to play in the likes of Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. It was an exceptional experience for the players and the club.
“You can take that experience, but at the same time, you've got to make sure that the players are ready to play. We need to make sure that we're ready for the upcoming season as well.”
Magic have retained majority of its 2025 squad, including their top goalscorer James Cresnar and D.G. Williams medal winner Jack Simmons.
Despite this, he is expecting a close encounter on Friday night.
“They're going to be very tough to beat,” Cresnar said.
“With the new players there's a little more excitement and enthusiasm. We're definitely [expecting] a very difficult clash.”
The match will mark the first HMRI Charity Shield fixture for Cooks Hill after they defeated Weston Bears 0(4)-0(3) in the 2025 Men’s State Cup.
Despite finishing ninth in last year’s NPL Men’s NNSW season, Cooks Hill not only claimed the Men’s State Cup but qualified for the Hahn Australia Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Friday night will be the first competition match under new head coach Jamie Dunning.
He will combine his head coach position with his current role as assistant coach for the Newcastle Jets Ninja A-League side.
Dunning said he was excited to not only kick off his time at Cooks Hill with the chance to claim more silverware, but also to put a busy off-season with new players and systems into practice against the reigning champions.
The side have signed over half a dozen new faces, with Nick Curran (Edgeworth Eagles), Kane Woolston (Belmont Swansea United) and Stephen Hoyle (New Zealand) among the latest to sign on the dotted line.
“It is fantastic for us to be involved in this game,” Dunning said.
“We want to be involved in the first game at the start of the season, we want to be involved in the cup games, it's really important for us to be around it.
“I've seen how they [Broadmeadow] play and what they do and they're a very good football team. For us, you want to win any game that you play.
“Hopefully we can match them and [it] shows us where we're at. I just want the boys to go out and enjoy trying to do the things that we've been doing in training and see if they come to fruition.”
Dunning is hopeful his side can go further in 2026 than in previous seasons.
“We just want to take a step forward this year,” Dunning said.
“The club has never made finals. That's an aim for us to do, but obviously there's some very good teams out there that have recruited very well. The boys are looking forward to it. It's a good challenge for us.”
2026 HMRI Charity Shield Match Day Information
WHEN: Friday 13 February
WHERE: Jack McLaughlan Oval, Edgeworth
KICK-OFF TIMES: NPL Women’s NNSW 6pm, NPL Men’s NNSW 8.15pm (champions will be decided by penalty kicks in the event of a draw.)
GATES OPEN: 5pm
PARKING: Supporters are advised to arrive early and leave plenty of time to enter the venue due to limited parking and with a large crowd expected.
TICKETS: $5 adults and concession, FREE 16-years and under. Tickets will be available at the gate only with contactless payment preferred. Limited change will be available, with correct cash appreciated. All proceeds from gate entry will go to HMRI.
Additional Information: Animals and pets (other than assistance dogs) are not permitted to enter the venue.