Broadmeadow Magic coach Jim Cresnar is hopeful a home crowd will help his side secure three points when they take on Moreton City Excelsior in round one of the inaugural Australian Championship on Sunday.
The Australian Championship is the national second-tier men’s competition and forms a pathway between state-based competitions and the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s.
To form the 16 teams that would take part in the competition, eight foundation clubs were selected in November 2023, with an additional eight teams chosen as the member federation premiers from their respective NPL seasons.
Magic secured their spot in the competition when they were crowned NPL Men’s NNSW premiers in August after winning 19 out of their 22 matches and recording a record number of competition points.
They were drawn in group A and will face foundation clubs South Melbourne FC (NPL Victoria) and Sydney Olympic (NPL NSW) as well as NPL Queensland premiers Moreton City Excelsior.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity not only for Magic but also for the club’s supporters, sponsors and the whole northern NSW football community. It's a chance to shine a spotlight on northern NSW football on the national stage and showcase the incredible talent the region has to offer,” Cresnar said.
“I think it’s important for the local football community to show their support, whether it’s by attending the game or through sponsorship.
“Just like Cooks Hill did during their Hahn Australia Cup campaign, it’s our moment to showcase northern NSW football’s strengths and what we can bring to the competition.
“While the rivalry between clubs is well-known, I believe this is bigger than just Magic, Edgeworth or Weston. The focus should be on supporting the game itself and the broader football community.
“I would like to thank Edgeworth for their support ahead of our campaign. They were able to provide us the ability to train at Jack McLaughlan Oval, which is our biggest rival club. They set aside that rivalry and have given us an opportunity to train at their ground. That is tremendous.”
As part of the Australian Championship, teams were granted permission to sign new players for the duration of the campaign.
Magic boosted their squad with Aaron Oppedisano (Edgeworth FC), Aden Gage-Raftery (Maitland FC), Aaran Cocks (St Johnstone FC), Charles Bidwell (Devenport Strikers), Nicholas Simpson (One Taguig FC) and Jakob Cresnar (Blacktown City FC).
“[The new players] bring flexibility and make the squad a lot more dynamic. They bring a different perspective in terms of that and increase our squad size as well,” Cresnar said.
“Aden is part of the squad as well from Maitland. We were lucky to get him as well. It just creates a lot more flexibility for the squad and everything else.”
Cresnar expected a difficult clash against Moreton City Excelsior but was hopeful his side could secure positive results in the group stage and lock in a spot in the quarter-finals.
“It's a great honour to coach Magic but more importantly, it's the players that create the opportunities for the club. Without having quality players, you wouldn't be in the position we are. It's all about them,” Cresnar said.
“I hope to get to the next round. That's probably our biggest challenge. I know our budget parameters are not a lot [compared] to someone like Sydney Olympic or South Melbourne. It’s a huge difference. But I'm pretty sure we'll be very competitive in the squad.
“I think it's going to be a tough game. To my understanding, looking at [Moreton City Excelsior], it's a very similar level of competition, so we'll see where it ends up.
“But the good thing is we're playing on our home ground. I’m hoping to have a huge crowd there to support Magic.
“A win this weekend just gives us a stepping stone to go forward. I think if we get good results in three out of the six games, I think we're close to getting the next round.”
AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE
Broadmeadow Magic v Moreton City Excelsior
WHEN: Sunday 12 October
WHERE: Magic Park
KICK-OFF: 1pm
TICKET DETAILS: Tickets are available HERE.
KEY INFORMATION
Find Australian Championship fixtures HERE.
Purchase tickets for all Broadmeadow Magic matches HERE.