Brodie Volkiene will be between the posts when Valentine FC battle West Wallsend SFC to preserve their NPL status in the 2025 promotion/relegation play-off series final from 2pm at Magic Park on Saturday.
The 23-year-old shot stopper is well aware of what the match and the outcome means for his club and the local community.
He first pulled on a Valentine jersey in the under-14s back in 2016 when the Phoenix re-entered the competition following two years in the second division after finishing last and being relegated in 2013.
Now, he and his teammates are responsible for ensuring that the current crop of Valentine juniors have a direct pathway into the NPLM competition.
“I’ve loved every second at Valentine. It’s home for me. I started in the under-14s when they first got promoted into the competition, then after a few years at the Jets, it was only right to come home,” Volkiene said.
“This year, I keep using the same word; it’s been a lot of adversity for us. We’ve gone through coach departures, player departures, injuries, red cards and illness. Every team goes through adversity every year, but this year we’ve gone through all of it.
“The special thing though is the players that are still here have really bonded together and we want to make sure we get the job done so the club is in the right spot for next year.
“We’re not just playing for first grade; we’re playing for all of the Valentine juniors and the area to make sure they have a club in the NPL.”
Valentine have endured a difficult 2025 campaign as they finished 11th following four wins, four draws and 16 losses.
They conceded 60 goals in 22 games, and in nine of those games they conceded three or more goals, twice letting in seven goals across 90 minutes.
Their defence certainly improved across the second half of the campaign and they managed two clean sheets during the promotion/relegation play-off semi-finals against Singleton Strikers FC.
They are now determined to make that three on the trot when they challenge the Bluebells this Saturday to give themselves a platform to win the match and ensure they remain an NPL club.
“We’re looking forward to the game. Even though it’s a relegation match, it will bring us together. Staying up means everything,” Volkiene said.
“I think this experience can help us. Looking at Adamstown, they seem like a really close group this year considering what they went through last year. I think fighting off relegation helped them, and I think it can do the same for us.
“Against Singleton, there were no easy moments in those two games. Every minute was tough, and we knew they were not going to make it easy for us.
“We knew what was expected of us. Staying patient and keeping a clean sheet over two games and just finding a way to win, no matter how difficult they made it for us, was something we’ve struggled with over the season, so it was good to see we could do it when it mattered most.
“Now we have to do it again this Saturday.”
