Match of the Round
Newcastle Olympic FC v Charlestown Azzurri FC
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 3pm
Newcastle Olympic coach Paul DeVitis is expecting an exciting, high-paced football game when his side welcome league leaders Charlestown Azzurri to Darling Street Oval for Sunday afternoon’s match of the round.
Azzurri is the only side to have accumulated six points from the first two rounds of the 2025 campaign following comfortable victories against Weston Bears (3-1) and New Lambton FC (3-0), while Olympic is also undefeated after a first-up win over Cooks Hill United (4-2) and a last-minute equaliser to rescue a point against Weston.
Each club have talented squads and is tipped to play finals football again this year and they are both eager to get one over the other this Sunday.
Charlestown knocked Olympic out of the finals series last year in the elimination final but DeVitis said that was a distant memory for his men and it was not being used as motivation this week.
“We’re just focused on 2025,” DeVitis said.
“Only one team is on six points after two games, and I think that shows how strong the comp is this year.
“I watched Charlestown’s game against New Lambton and they are really good. It’s probably the best Charlestown team I’ve seen for a long time. I think they’re definitely a contender for the top three, so for us to be top three also, this is a pretty important game to make a statement against them.
“Charlestown are physical and a quick football team with the way they move the ball. We played them in pre-season and I was really impressed with their ball movement.
“It looks like this year they have more goals in them. They’ve recruited well, especially with guys like Regan Lundy who scored two goals on the weekend and is a very pacey winger.
“They’re more of an attacking threat than in years gone past, and I think at Darling Street it will be a really high-paced and exciting football game.
“I’m hoping for our sake we bring the moment from the second half of the game against Weston into the first half against Charlestown.”
Azzurri head coach James Pascoe was in the crowd to watch Olympic come from 2-0 down against the Bears to earn a point last week and he labelled Darling Street Oval as one of the tougher venues in the league for away teams.
“They’re a good side. They’re fit, they’re direct, and they have pace where you need it in the front third,” Pascoe said.
“They have goal-scorers in Kale (Bradbery), in Jarred Muller, in Roy (O’Donovan) if he’s there, and in Ben Hay.
“I went and watched them live last week. It’s a hard place to go to and get something out of. It’s a good atmosphere there and that grandstand is right on the sideline. It’s a tight pitch and the game’s in your face the whole time.
“We’re really looking forward to it.”
As for his own side, Pascoe has been pleased with Azzurri’s start to the campaign and expects them to keep improving across the coming weeks.
“You always hope for a start like this but it’s nice to actually do it,” Pascoe said.
“I’ve said to a few people now, I think it’ll be around round four or five before we see the proper version of anyone, with the early start to the year.
“It got thrown on us and we didn’t have a lot of lead-in to it.
“I think everyone’s a few weeks away from where they truly want to be, and that applies to us as well, but the flip side of that is the most important thing early on is to get the three points, regardless of performance or being at your best, so the fact we’ve been able to do that has been nice.”
Olympic are hopeful that striker Roy O’Donovan will return after pulling out late last Sunday with back spasms. He and defender Zach Thomas, who left the field last weekend with a groin injury, will be available for selection if they can get through Thursday night’s training session.
Charlestown will still be without Jarryd Sutherland as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury from round one, but they welcome back Reece Papas after he missed Azzurri’s win over New Lambton through work commitments.
The away game at Darling Street Oval is always a special one for Papas, who is a former Olympic player and the grandson of the late great Olympic life member and long-time president Jim Papas.
Edgeworth FC v Lambton Jaffas FC
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Saturday 2pm
Lambton Jaffas coach David Tanchevski is looking for a quick rebound and more resilience from his side when they travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday afternoon to challenge Edgeworth FC.
The Jaffas were thumped 5-0 away from home against the defending champions Broadmeadow last Sunday and now a rapid response is needed as they meet the other 2024 grand finalists in round three.
Edgeworth is undefeated following a win over Magic and a draw away against Belmont Swansea United and they have only conceded once in their first two games.
The Eagles also have last season’s golden boot winner Ryan Feutz available for selection for this Saturday’s clash after he missed last week through suspension.
Tanchevski said he was hopeful of having Nikolai Topor-Stanley back on deck after he missed last Sunday’s loss against Magic with a calf injury, but they will be without defenders Tom Waller and Jimmy Oates who went off injured against Broadmeadow and are expected to miss multiple weeks.
No matter who lines up for Lambton though, the Jaffas coach wants to see more heart and resilience from his players compared to what was on display last weekend.
“What’s disappointing is we’d played Magic a couple of weeks ago and beat them in the Charity Shield. We showed a lot of character in that game to come back from two goals down and a man down to equalise the game and win it in penalties, but then when we went down (in the round two loss), we just gave up a little bit. There were a few guys who were in for the fight, but a few guys just laid down and didn’t fight as well as what we should be,” Tanchevski said.
“It’s going to take a little bit of time for us to gel though. We had seven guys starting who are new this year. I don’t think you’ll see the best from the Jaffas until the second half of the season.”
Adamstown Rosebud FC v Maitland FC
Adamstown Oval, Friday 8pm
Adamstown Rosebud and Maitland FC will kick off round three at Adamstown Oval on Friday night and the two coaches’ expectations of their players could not be any more different.
Rosebud coach Chris Moylan was disappointed with his team’s round one showing as they went down 5-2 against Belmont Swansea United but was thrilled with their response in round two as they defeated Valentine 3-2 in their first home game of the campaign.
Back at home again on Friday night, Moylan is searching for a similar performance from his men.
“More of the same,” Moylan said.
“I went and watched Maitland play against Cooks Hill. We’ll be ready for them.
“They have a couple of players that you need to keep quiet. Cooks Hill did a good job of that, and if we can do the same, I’ve got every confidence we can get the points again.”
On the other hand, Maitland’s coach Adam Hughes is after an improved performance from his side after the Magpies picked up just one point from their first two fixtures.
The two matches were winnable games but the Maitland men could not close either of them out, conceding goals that they will need to start keeping out if they are to play finals football in 2025.
Weston Bears FC v Cooks Hill United FC
Rockwell Automation Park, Saturday 4:30pm
Weston is hoping that a home crowd can drive them to their first win of the campaign when they line up at Rockwell Automation Park for the first time this season on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears looked set to bounce back from their 3-1 opening-round away loss against Charlestown in style last weekend at Darling Street Oval when they went into half-time ahead 2-0, but instead they had to settle for a point after the hosts scored two second-half goals, including a last-minute equaliser.
Their round three opponents Cooks Hill had lost 4-2 at that venue a week earlier but responded with a 2-1 win against Maitland at No.2 Sportsground in round two.
Despite picking up the three points and working tirelessly to do so, Cooks Hill boss Chris Zoricich thought his side still had a lot of improvement in them.
“We weren’t pretty, and we’re not quite gelling or clicking yet, but the work rate is there, which is great,” Zoricich said of his side.
“Weston will be similar to Maitland. They have a good squad on paper, but it seems like us they haven’t gelled yet.
“It’s always tough going up to Weston but we did beat them up there last year (2-1 in round 11) for the first time, and we’re now hoping to repeat that.”
The Bears have always prided themselves on making Rockwell Automation Park a fortress and the toughest venue in the league for opposition sides to travel to, but they only won there five times in 11 outings in 2024.
They are determined to improve that in 2025 and that starts this Saturday.
Valentine FC v Belmont Swansea United FC
Croudace Bay Complex, Saturday 7pm
Belmont Swansea United will be looking to continue an undefeated start to their maiden NPL NNSW campaign when they travel to Croudace Bay Complex for their first away game against Valentine FC on Saturday night.
They are wary of the challenge in front of them as hosts Pheonix search for their first win of the season.
BelSwans backed up a 5-2 opening night victory over Adamstown with a respectable 1-1 draw against 2024 grand finalists Edgeworth last Saturday, while Valentine kicked off their campaign with a 3-3 draw against Maitland before giving up a lead last Friday night to lose 3-2 against the Rosebud.
Each of Valentine’s matches was on the road and they are looking forward to hosting their first home match of the campaign under lights.
For Valentine fans, it will be a first chance to check out several of the club’s new signings on home soil, including Carter Smith who has scored in back-to-back games, one of which was a powerful volley to open the side’s account at Cooks Square Park against Maitland.
Valentine has been solid in the front third so far but is looking to tighten things up in the defensive third, having conceded three goals in each of their two games.
New Lambton FC v Broadmeadow Magic FC
Alder Park, Sunday 4:30pm
New Lambton FC boss Shane Pryce has declared his side’s first home game of the season this Sunday is somewhat of a must-win match as they welcome the defending champions Broadmeadow Magic to town.
The Golden Eagles have started the season with back-to-back losses and are the only side yet to find the back of the net.
Their round three opponents Broadmeadow Magic were sharp and clinical as they steamrolled the Lambton Jaffas in a 5-0 round two loss.
Pryce said his men need to muscle up and shake their ‘nice guys’ tag if they have a chance of beating Magic come Sunday following a poor performance in round two.
“We didn’t turn up (against Charlestown) and it’s paramount that we get back on track and try to get points, because otherwise there could be some not nice news around the corner, even this early on,” Pryce said.
“I’d like to see a reaction from the whole group. I want us to fight for our one-on-one battles, and I’d really like us to not turn up and be so nice. Nice guys come last, and at the moment we’re being too nice.
“Magic are the champions, they’re well-coached and they’re fit, mobile and hungry. It’s going to be a battle.”
Broadmeadow’s coach Jim Cresnar is expecting to have a full-strength squad to choose from for the first time this season as Nicholas Kacev, Alex Rose and Riley Smith are all available for the Alder Park clash after missing the opening two matches.