Promotion/Relegation Play-off Final
Kahibah FC v Newcastle Croatia
Hunter City Motor Group Stadium, Saturday 2pm
Kahibah FC head coach Blair Newham says his side has full confidence heading into Saturday's Promotion/Relegation Play-Off final against Newcastle Croatia at Hunter City Motor Group Stadium, with NPL Men’s NNSW status on the line for 2027.
All eyes will be on the one-off decider as Kahibah look to preserve their place in the NPL Men’s NNSW for a second straight season, while Croatia aim to confirm their spot after an extraordinary rise through the football pyramid.
A win for Croatia would complete three promotions in a row, capping a journey that began in Zone League Three in 2022.
Just four years and five seasons later, they find themselves one win away from the top-flight, with history on offer if they can make it three consecutive promotions.
For Kahibah, they’ll go into the final full of confidence after sweeping past New Lambton FC 3-0 in the second leg last weekend to seal a 5-1 aggregate win.
Newham says the improved performance came from lessons learned in a tricky first leg.
"It was a learned performance. We hadn't played against [HIT106.9] Northern League One opposition this year, so we weren't sure what to expect," Newham said.
"In the second leg, we were much better prepared and executed our game plan better. I think a bit of extra experience playing at a higher tempo really started to show and the boys played well."
Newham acknowledged the club's first season in the NPL Men’s NNSW has been a rewarding yet challenging one, falling just short of automatic safety.
"We knew the first year would be hard. We set ourselves a goal of 20 points and we got 20 points. In previous years that was enough, but this year it unfortunately wasn't." Newham said.
"We’re having to do things the hard way now, but what's better than playing a bit of extra football?"
Looking ahead to the occasion itself, Newham was full of praise for the support his club has received all season.
"We've been supported really well all year by our youth, and I expect Saturday to be no different," Newham said.
"Croatia have got a real romantic story on the cusp of four promotions in five seasons and we're fully aware they'll feel it's meant to be.
“But after 100 years in Newcastle football without making the NPL, we have our story too.
“That was our journey last year and now we’re in a final series that we didn't get the chance to play in last time.
“I've got full confidence and trust in our boys that if we play at our best and execute our game plan, we'll take the result."
For Croatia, the visit of an NPL Men’s NNSW outfit represents the biggest test of their rise, but head coach Joshua Popescu says his side arrive with plenty of belief after their thrilling 9-8 aggregate win over Wallsend.
"I think the most positive thing from the weekend was knowing we can come back twice in a game. I have full belief in our squad that we can score goals," Popescu said.
"The discipline was good, the structure was good. We conceded a couple of soft goals, especially the second one, but that's football sometimes."
Croatia's attacking output against one of the competition's best defensive sides has them confident they can trouble Kahibah too, though their own defensive frailties across the tie with Wallsend suggest where they’ll need to improve heading into Saturday.
Regardless of the outcome this weekend, Popescu was full of pride reflecting on the achievement of reaching this stage in just four years since rejoining the NNSWF pyramid.
"Week in, week out I'm so proud of what we've achieved and getting to this stage now, I don't know how to describe it," Popescu said.
"The boys train so hard; people don't always see behind the scenes of what they do. They're such a tight group who work hard for each other and I had full belief in them because they're that kind of team."
On the challenge Kahibah pose, Popescu did not shy away from acknowledging their quality but says the experience gap between the two clubs is shorter than it might appear on paper.
"Kahibah are going to be very tough; they've got some really good players," Popescu said.
"They're coming from playing competitive NPL football week in, week out, which is ten steps ahead of what we're used to.
“But we've also got a lot of experienced NPL players in our own squad, so we’ll by no means be a pushover."
Touching on the occasion itself, Popescu says the club is dedicating the day to the Croatian community and supporters.
"It's not a big Croatian community in Newcastle but they've supported us week in, week out for four years, even when we were in Zone League Three," Popescu said.
"This weekend the game will be for the supporters more than us."
With an NPL Men’s NNSW side having won the last two Promotion/Relegation Play-Off finals, Kahibah enter Saturday's decider as the team to beat.
Croatia, though, will feel they have more than enough quality in their own squad to secure promotion on the day.
They have defied expectations all season and there is a sense within the club that simply reaching this point already feels like a win, a mindset that could work in their favour against a Kahibah side feeling the weight of expectation that comes with being the NPL Men’s NNSW outfit.
Victory for Croatia would complete a remarkable four-year rise from Zone League Three to the NPL Men’s NNSW, a story that would be hard to top anywhere in the NNSWF pyramid.
As for Kahibah, a win would prove they're here to stay in the NPL Men’s NNSW and show their ambition as one of Newcastle's top growing clubs.