Match of the Round
Cooks Hill United v Kahibah FC
Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field, Friday 8pm
Cooks Hill United head coach Jamie Dunning is looking at May as a new opportunity to string results together, as his side welcomes Kahibah FC to Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field on Friday night.
April was a difficult month for Cooks Hill; their match against Charlestown was postponed to June 7 and they also suffered back-to-back heavy losses to Broadmeadow Magic and Lambton Jaffas.
The side has also been without star striker Kane Woolston, who is set to spend at least another week out of action, while fellow striker Jye Bailey has also been sidelined with a hip injury.
But with the side moving out of the bottom two with a 3-1 win over Adamstown Rosebud last weekend and picking up a 3-0 victory over Wallsend FC in the Hahn Australia Cup at the end of April, Dunning is hopeful his side can string several wins together.
“[Adamstown] was a really, really important game for us to win. To stick to our beliefs and our principles, the way we want to play, we did that very well,” Dunning said.
“If we can get the win [against Kahibah], we've got a game in hand against Charlestown, that will put us into a decent position.
“We're expecting a very, very tough battle. Blair's got them set up really well, structurally, they're excellent. I saw that [when] we played in pre-season. He's got them really well drilled, and they know exactly what they want to do.
“They keep going and going and going. They're direct at times, and they're physical, and they run.
“I think it's going to be a real tough game, but it's a game that I think we can go on and win. I think on our day, we could probably beat any team, but we haven't had that day yet.”
The Rams are sitting two points ahead of Cookers on the table, coming off a difficult three-week period that saw three losses in a row against Weston Bears, Belmont Swansea United and Magic.
The newcomers had their moments despite going down in all three clashes, with head coach Blair Newham focusing on keeping the energy across the full 90-minute performance, extending training and upping their fitness.
Kahibah will still be without valuable defender Oscar Crakanthorp, with Riley Ferguson continuing his unlucky run of injuries after being forced from the field against Magic.
But the side will welcome back defender Baden Mehrton, an inclusion Newham thinks will be critical to helping his side maintain discipline in the back third.
“We had a good hit out [against Cooks Hill] pre-season,” Newham said.
“I think the game will be won by who can take their chances the best. But I also think discipline across the back is going to be huge for both teams because it's been a while since either team kept a clean sheet.
“We knew that [the last three weeks] was going to be tough. We competed in every one of those games. 1-all at half-time with Broadmeadow Magic, we were super happy.
“We know we can compete. Unfortunately, scoreboards don't paint pictures.
“Every game for us is like we're playing first, second or third.
“We're the promoted club. Our boys have got to get up for every match and be at their best every match, or we don't compete, and we don't get points. We're very aware of that.”
Charlestown Azzurri v Broadmeadow Magic
Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 3pm
Charlestown Azzurri new head coach Josh Rufo is wisely taking his role at the Blues one day at a time, as his early test continues this weekend when Broadmeadow Magic arrive at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday afternoon.
It’s been a frenetic start to life at Azzurri for Rufo, having stepped into the role only a week ago and overseen both a league game and a Hahn Australia Cup fixture, where the Blues downed West Wallsend SFC 2-0.
Initial results under his stewardship have been promising, with the Blues coming from 2-0 down to stun Maitland FC 3-2 at Cooks Square Park in round 10.
Rufo will have more time in the saddle this week to work with his players, focusing on implementing a new game plan and building on the result against Maitland.
Among the work needed will be a focus on opening up options for marquee striker Changhee Lee, the new signing set to play his third game in blue.
“I was very clear with how we're going to do it [make changes] and the reason why we're going to do it a bit differently,” Rufo said.
“I've been very clear with the players that we just take it one training session, one game at a time, one day at a time.
“With your work effort and attitude, you get these just desserts. We haven't thought too much ahead.
“Lee's only been in Australia a short time. He had some really good moments [against Maitland].
“It's just about integrating him into the team, me getting to know him, him getting to know me and the players. I'm expecting he'll bang in a lot of goals as he gets used to it.”
Despite the threats the Blues pose, Magic will come into this match in flying form, a last gasp draw with Maitland the only blemish on an otherwise perfect last five weeks of results.
Sitting just one point behind Weston Bears on the table, Magic will need to make sure they keep up the pressure and momentum, with their next five games including the likes of fellow table toppers Edgeworth Eagles and Belmont Swansea United, plus last year’s finalists, Lambton Jaffas.
But should Magic navigate this part of the season well, they’ll be in a prime position to claim the top of the table later in the year and keep their dream of a third double alive, and that starts this weekend.
Weston Bears v Valentine FC
Hunter City Motor Group Stadium, Saturday 2pm
Weston Bears will be wary of a surprise package Valentine FC when the two sides square off at Hunter City Motor Group Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Holding a one-point lead at the top of the table, the Bears overcame a difficult period in their season last week, playing their third match in seven days as they came from behind to draw with Edgeworth Eagles at home.
Having beaten Adamstown Rosebud in round nine and Broadmeadow Magic in a taxing Hahn Australia Cup clash in the lead-up, Weston had to battle fatigue as much as a tough Edgeworth side, with head coach Damian Zane commending his side’s growing depth and ability to find another gear.
Even with a six-day turnaround, the Bears will enter as favourites, but the 11th-placed Valentine have proven a different beast on the road.
Valentine come into the match following a difficult week of results, losing 6-1 at home to Newcastle Olympic on Saturday before being knocked out of the Hahn Australia Cup with a 3-0 home defeat to Maitland.
While the men in orange have struggled at home, they have looked a different side on the road, winning two of their past three away matches.
Even in defeats to Edgeworth and Broadmeadow, Valentine proved difficult to break down away from home, and having already claimed wins over sides that have troubled the competition leaders, they could be well-placed to do the same to get their season back on track.
Edgeworth Eagles v Maitland FC
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Saturday 4.30pm
Edgeworth Eagles will be looking to push for a top-three position and hold off a determined Maitland FC when the two sides face off at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday.
Returning home for the first time since mid-April, the Eagles will be in the mood to get a result, having come close to stunning table leaders Weston Bears away from home before a late goal saw the match end a 2-2 draw.
The last few weeks have seen the side regather their attacking flair, but defensive lapses have proven costly.
Despite this, the fight shown should give plenty of confidence to head coach Peter McGuinness if he can shore up his back third, and with a favourable run of games coming up from mid-May to the end of June, a win here would prove valuable in the table race.
But they face a hurting Maitland side, with the Magpies stunned last week thanks to a strong second-half fightback from Charlestown Azzurri.
Maitland have been quick to put that result behind them, burying Valentine FC in their Hahn Australia Cup clash 3-0 on Tuesday night, and with the side holding onto the last finals spot, this match might prove pivotal in their overall campaign.
The Magpies can drop out of the finals series if Newcastle Olympic prevail this weekend, but a win here would see them move above Edgeworth on the table. With a difficult period to navigate in their season coming up, Maitland knows three points would be worth their weight in gold here.
Adamstown Rosebud v Belmont Swansea United
Adamstown Oval, Saturday 4.30pm
Adamstown Rosebud will be tasked with wangling a dangerous Belmont Swansea United when the two sides face off at Adamstown Oval in the final match of Saturday afternoon.
After getting off the bottom of the table with their 3-0 win over Valentine FC in mid-April, results have been hard to come by for the Buds, losing three on the trot to Weston Bears, Lambton Jaffas and Cooks Hill United to find themselves back at the bottom of the table.
The side rediscovered that winning form this week, hosting Dudley Redhead in a Hahn Australia Cup clash on Wednesday night, winning 5-2.
With the regular season hitting the halfway mark this weekend, Adamstown know a big shift will be required against the big improvers of the 2026 season.
Having won four of their last five matches, BelSwans will be firm favourites for this fixture, their counterattack one of the most dangerous of the entire competition.
After putting a favourable stint of back-to-back games at home to good use on the table, BelSwans backed it up with a well-earned 2-1 win over Lambton Jaffas away from home, solidifying themselves as a team to watch this season.
The side has an opportunity to keep that run going with favourable fixtures until the end of May, and with a top-three spot on the line, they will know they need to put Adamstown to the sword to stay in the premiership race.
Newcastle Olympic v Lambton Jaffas
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 1pm
Newcastle Olympic will have an opportunity to break into the top five when they host Lambton Jaffas at Darling Street Oval on Sunday afternoon.
After a difficult period of the season that saw Olympic struggle to nab three points and concede several leads late in consecutive weeks, their winless streak came to an emphatic end last weekend at Croudace Bay Complex.
A 6-1 demolition of Valentine FC has brought Olympic’s season back to life, with the side now in a good position to benefit if they can execute over the next few weeks.
Four of their next five matches see Olympic take on sides below them on the table, priming the Michael Bolch-coached outfit to climb into finals contention.
It starts this weekend against Jaffas, who, despite sitting in eighth on the table, look close to rediscovering the form that saw them make the 2025 final.
After consecutive wins over Cooks Hill United and Adamstown Rosebud, it took a goal in the last minute for Belmont Swansea United to down Lambton last week, the hosts asking a lot of tough questions of the 2026 big improvers.
Should Lambton rediscover their form from late last year and translate it into wins against top-of-the-table sides, they have the potential to throw the table wide open, particularly as they face Edgeworth Eagles and Broadmeadow Magic inside the next month of action.