This weekend marks Northern NSW Football’s Mental Health Round, with clubs from across the region coming together to raise awareness, encourage conversations and highlight the importance of mental wellbeing throughout the football community. Learn more HERE.
Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic v Kahibah FC
Magic Park, Sunday 1pm
Despite securing qualification for the Australian Championship, Broadmeadow Magic head coach Jim Cresnar is focused on keeping his side motivated as they welcome Kahibah FC to Magic Park on Sunday.
Following their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cooks Hill United, Magic secured the 2026 premiership, becoming just the second club to win three or more premiership titles under the current league format.
The title also seals consecutive Australian Championship appearances after they featured in the inaugural tournament in 2025.
With the premiership wrapped up, Magic's attention now turns to maintaining momentum as they chase a third straight league and championship double. A feat no club has achieved in NPL NNSW history.
But Cresnar is expecting the next fortnight to come with challenges, with Kahibah and Charlestown Azzurri both in relegation calculations and desperate for results.
The Rams proved a tough opponent when the sides met in round 10, with a late Luis Lara Delgado double sealing a 2-0 victory for Magic.
With the premiership secured, Cresnar is expected to rotate several players over the final two rounds, prioritising fresh legs while giving others the chance to stake their claim for a regular spot ahead of the finals.
“[It’s] exciting times for the team and the club. We're very happy at the moment,” Cresnar said.
“It was important that we got a result in that game [against Cooks Hill]. It eases the pressure. I thought we were very lucky to win that.
“The key now is motivation. For us, what is the motivation? There are two parts of that: semi-finals and the finals are important. The motivation is [also] around the Australian Championship that's coming up in mid-October.
“There are only 23 spots available for that squad as well.
“They've [Kahibah] got their own goals to set as well in terms of what they're wanting to do in the next games for them.
“Our goals are obviously slightly different, but saying all that, we're out there to win a game of football. It's a good opportunity for some players in the squad to see where they are in terms of their football.”
Magic will have good reason to be wary of the Rams, with Kahibah in a fight to stay in NPL Men’s NNSW after their promotion last year.
A crucial 3-1 victory over Belmont Swansea United before the scheduled washout weekend has given the Rams a timely boost, securing 11th place on the table. They now sit three points clear of Charlestown, with a superior goal difference providing an added buffer heading into the final two rounds.
The Rams will need to win their remaining three matches to leapfrog Adamstown Rosebud and avoid the relegation play-off, provided the Buds fail to win any of their final three fixtures.
They will also be boosted by the return of Matt Homer, who is expected to start after returning from Australian Schoolboys duties, leaving the Rams close to full strength.
Head coach Blair Newham is under no illusion of the challenge but believes the BelSwans victory has put the squad into the perfect mindset to secure a second year in the league.
“We feel good. To be completely honest, that [BelSwans] result had been coming,” Newham said.
“We'd had some good performances in the recent weeks before that. Even the loss against Weston, we played extremely well, we just didn't have that critical edge. We had that against Belmont Swansea.
“We're buzzing at the moment. We knew it was always going to take an extended period of time to be able to sustain the level required to be competitive. We've got that now.
“We've upped our training this week ahead of a very important clash against Broadmeadow. They're the league leaders for a reason, and it's deservedly so.
“If you nullify Delgado, you've got to deal with [Jarred] Baker. If you've dealt with Baker, you deal with [James] Cresnar. It's a rollercoaster of talent that they have. So, you just have to be at your best for the most amount of time possible.
“We know that going in, we know that it's a massive mountain to climb for us. But as we showed against BelSwans, when we've got our back against the wall, we play some of our best football.”
Edgeworth Eagles v Weston Bears
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Saturday 3pm
Edgeworth Eagles head coach Peter McGuinness has been impressed by his side’s attitude and expects them to lift their standards even further as they continue their battle with Weston Bears for second place at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday.
The Eagles are currently riding a five-match winning streak and have remained unbeaten since June, emerging as one of the league’s most dangerous sides.
Their form has been even more impressive given the disruption to their schedule, with the Eagles playing just two matches in July after consecutive postponements caused by wet weather.
The results have launched them up the table, and with a catch-up fixture against Charlestown Azzurri next week before they finish the season against Maitland FC, McGuinness knows how valuable three points here could be in their push for a home final run.
While the Eagles have lost Aden Gardner for the season with a knee injury, McGuinness will have a near full-strength squad to choose from, with Tyler Harrison returning to full training and Stefan Cordwell recovering from surgery to make an impact off the bench and score in their rescheduled round 18 match last Sunday.
“It's all there to play for, isn't it? Three games to go, it's pretty tight,” McGuinness said.
“The side's been playing quite well, [but] I don't think we've put together a top-shelf 90 minutes yet, but it's on its way. We've scored enough to win games in football.
“About six weeks ago, we really sat down and spoke as a group about what we need as a group to be a contender.
“Everyone was very open and honest in that meeting. Performances have reflected what we spoke about. A lot of defending comes down to attitude and effort.
“Tactically, you can change a few things, but it's how much effort you put in that brings the rewards. [Now], we've moved the bar a bit higher in what we want to achieve.
“We're in good shape, and we're very much looking forward to playing Weston. Lots of dangers, lots of threats. They have a good football identity; you know how they like to play their type of football. We'll be testing our style against theirs.”
The Bears currently sit above the Eagles in second place, and with two matches still to come, a round 20 rescheduled fixture against Adamstown Rosebud and their final game of the season against Valentine FC, they will understand the importance of leaving Jack McLaughlan Oval with valuable points.
Weston will likely welcome a return to NPL NNSW action after shifting their focus to cup competitions in recent weeks, facing Melbourne City in the Hahn Australia Cup before falling to Maitland FC in the Men’s State Cup final last week.
Despite this, the Bears have kept up the level of intensity that sees them on a three-game winning streak in the NPL NNSW, something that head coach Damian Zane will look to maintain as they try to see off Edgeworth, Maitland and Belmont Swansea United for second place.
Newcastle Olympic v Valentine FC
Darling Street Oval, Saturday 2pm
Newcastle Olympic and Valentine FC find themselves in a similar position when they meet at Darling Street Oval in the opening match of the weekend on Saturday.
With neither side able to reach the finals, their focus has shifted towards securing their 2027 NPL NNSW status and ending the season on a positive note. But both remain a small chance of slipping into the relegation picture should Charlestown Azzurri and Kahibah FC win their final three matches.
If the teams below them are unable to close the gap this weekend, the buffer they have built will be enough to secure their 2027 position in NPL NNSW. A win for either side, however, would guarantee their place.
The hosts have experienced mixed form over their past four weeks of action, recording two wins and two losses, but the results have highlighted both Olympic’s potential and the frustrations of their 2026 campaign.
Convincing victories over Charlestown and Belmont Swansea United showcased Olympic’s attacking threat, while narrow defeats to Broadmeadow Magic and Edgeworth Eagles demonstrated that they are not far off the pace despite their position on the table.
Olympic will be aiming to secure all three points here, as even a draw would not guarantee their safety with Adamstown Rosebud, Kahibah and Charlestown all having catch-up fixtures in addition to their final-round matches.
Valentine’s extra competition point could prove valuable, despite the narrow gap between the two sides.
The Phoenix secured consecutive victories for the first time this year before falling 2-1 to the Buds last round, and they will be determined to avoid a repeat of their previous meeting with Olympic, where the hosts ran away with the contest.
A draw against Olympic would likely be enough for Valentine to put any remaining doubts about their position to rest, with the four teams below them all requiring wins in the final week to apply pressure.
Adamstown Rosebud v Cooks Hill United
Adamstown Oval, Saturday 4.30pm
Cooks Hill United’s hopes of making finals are still alive if they can pull off a critical win over Adamstown Rosebud at Adamstown Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Cooks Hill’s tight 1-0 loss to Broadmeadow Magic in their round 19 catch-up game seemed to end their hopes of a maiden finals appearance - until other catch-up games fell in their favour.
Belmont Swansea United have lost three consecutive matches against Newcastle Olympic, Kahibah FC and Edgeworth Eagles, and as a result have slipped down to fifth place, just three points ahead of Cooks Hill.
With the hosts now holding a superior goal difference over Belmont Swansea United, Cooks Hill could climb into fifth place if they defeat Lambton Jaffas and BelSwans suffer defeat. With their final match against Kahibah to come, Jamie Dunning’s side would then have the opportunity to secure a maiden finals appearance.
The Buds, meanwhile, find themselves in a precarious position in 10th place on the table, three points clear of Kahibah.
A win would likely be enough to secure their 2027 NPL NNSW position, pending the results of the two sides below them, with just two points separating 10th from seventh on the table.
Having pulled off two wins and two losses in the last two weeks, the Buds do have form to produce a result and will want to avoid a repeat of the 3-1 loss the last time the sides met in round 10.
Belmont Swansea United v Lambton Jaffas
Blacksmiths Oval, Saturday 4.30pm
Belmont Swansea United return home to Blacksmiths Oval for the first time since mid-June, and it could not have come at a better time as they look to secure a maiden finals appearance with a victory over Lambton Jaffas on Saturday.
The last six weeks have been difficult to navigate for BelSwans, having been the standout improvers of the 2026 season heading into the final week of June.
After a disrupted month without regular football due to the July break and several wet weather postponements, BelSwans returned to action against Newcastle Olympic and were unable to find their rhythm early, falling to a 5-2 defeat.
Consecutive losses to Kahibah FC and Edgeworth Eagles have put BelSwans’ season in danger of slipping away, with the hosts dropping to fifth and now within reach of a fast-finishing Cooks Hill side. They will also be without key striker Andrew McGee, who is serving a one-match suspension.
A win over the Jaffas this weekend, combined with a Cooks Hill loss or draw against Adamstown Rosebud would likely be enough to secure BelSwans’ final position, making this one of the most important fixtures of their campaign.
Jaffas currently sit seventh on the table and enter the match on a three-game losing streak, but their 2027 position is likely secure thanks to a strong goal difference and an eight-point buffer over Charlestown Azzurri.
With the teams below them needing wins this weekend to put Lambton’s position under pressure, the Jaffas will be looking to build momentum ahead of 2027. A victory over one of the league’s biggest improvers in 2026 would provide a significant boost.
A Jaffas win could also create late movement in the table, making this a key fixture to watch as the finals picture continues to take shape.
Charlestown Azzurri v Maitland FC
Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 3pm
Charlestown Azzurri’s fight for survival faces its biggest test when they welcome Maitland FC to Lisle Carr Oval for the final match of the weekend on Sunday.
The Blues' hopes of getting off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone took a huge hit in round 20 as Kahibah produced arguably the biggest win of their season so far, a 3-1 win over Belmont Swansea United to lift them three points ahead of Charlestown.
With the Blues holding an unfavourable goal differential in addition to now sitting three points back, the only solution is to try and play an aggressive game and force some wins.
Given the results they have produced this year, such a performance is well within their capabilities, particularly after their last victory came back in round 10 when they fought back from two goals down to stun Maitland at home.
Fresh off their Men’s State Cup triumph, however, the Magpies are in a very different position from when they suffered that defeat and will be well aware of the threats Charlestown possess.
With their NPL NNSW six-game winning streak ended by Broadmeadow Magic in round 20 and the side also losing to Hahn Australia Cup opponents Fremantle City earlier that week, the Men’s State Cup result was just what Maitland needed to rediscover their winning mojo.
With the race for second place a tight one with Weston Bears, Edgeworth Eagles, and BelSwans, Maitland need to keep winning to ensure they earn a home finals run.