The 2024 Zone Football League season is reaching the pointy end with the return of promotion and relegation and the historic connection of the football pyramid making it one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory.
The Zone Football League, including the Zone League One, Zone League Two and Zone League Three competitions, is administered by the Newcastle Football, Macquarie Football and Hunter Valley Football member zones.
NNSWF and the three-member zones announced last year that the men’s Hunter football pyramid would be connected for the first time from the NPL Men’s NNSW and HIT106.9 Northern League One competition through to Zone League One, Two and Three, allowing for the return of promotion and relegation.
Zone League One
The race for promotion will come down to the final weekend of the Zone League One competition.
The Newcastle Suns remain in the driver’s seat for promotion into the HIT106.9 Northern League One competition but have Dudley United hot on their heels in second position two points behind.
The Suns downed Hamilton Azzurri 4-0 on Wednesday night to overtake Dudley and go to the top of the table.
Dudley will need to win against sixth-placed Kotara South FC and hope that the Suns go down to third-placed Newcastle Olympic this weekend if they are to be crowned premiers and be promoted for the 2025 season.
The battle for finals has also heated up as the University of Newcastle (35 points), Cardiff City FC (33) and Kotara (32) are all fighting for the final two top-five positions.
As Kotara has a game in hand against Warners Bay FC on Uni and Cardiff, a win this weekend still might not be enough to maintain their spot in finals.
At the other end of the table, Minmi FC have sealed their relegation fate, finishing last in the competition with three points, 11 points behind Westlakes FC in 11th place.
Minmi will be automatically relegated to Zone League Two for the 2025 season.
Zone League Two
Newcastle Croatia FC have taken charge at the top of the table of Zone League Two and look set to be promoted into Zone League One.
But Stockton Sharks FC continue to circle, two points behind in second position. The Sharks shock 2-1 loss to North United Wolves saw them drop below Croatia.
It will all come down to a showdown between the Sharks and Croatia in the final round this Saturday at Pasadena Oval to decide who will be crowned premiers and who will be promoted in 2025.
Croudace Bay United have slipped back down the table after challenging the Sharks and Croatia for top spot as a result of no wins in their last four matches. They now are fighting to make finals, sitting sixth on the table, one point behind Norths in fifth position.
Cooks Hill United (35 points) and Southern United FC (34) secured their spot in finals, finishing third and fourth on the table.
There will also be a battle to avoid relegation between 10th place Mayfield United JSFC and bottom of the table side South Maitland FC.
South Maitland trails Mayfield by three points, but have a game in hand, which means they are in the driver’s seat to avoid relegation into Zone League Three.
Mayfield must beat Norths away from home in their final game of the season and hope that South Maitland either lose or draw their matches against Croudace Bay and Merewether Advance SFC to remain in the competition next year.
Zone League Three
The fight for promotion has heated up in Zone League Three between Lambton Jaffas Junior FC and Kurri Kurri FC.
Jaffas sit on top of the table with only goal difference separating the sides as they each have 49 points heading into the final round.
But Kurri Kurri is the more in-form side, as they enter the final stages of the season on a blistering nine-match winning streak.
It could be a nervous wait for Kurri Kurri to see if they have done enough to secure promotion as they take on eighth-placed Greta Branxton FC on Saturday before Jaffas face 11th-placed Southern Lakes United on Sunday.
Jaffas, Kurri Kurri, Garden Suburbs FC, Nelson Bay FC and Barnsley FC have all locked their spots in playing finals football, with a nine-point gap between the fifth and Charlestown FC in sixth.
NNSWF Men’s NPL
The NPL Men’s NNSW regular season wrapped up last weekend, with Broadmeadow Magic crowned premiers, Lake Macquarie City FC automatically relegated and Adamstown Rosebud fighting for their spot in the competition in 2025.
Magic’s men defeated New Lambton FC 5-2 in the final round of the regular season to secure the premiership and advance through to the Major Semi-Final.
This weekend Lambton Jaffas will take on Edgeworth FC in the Qualifying Final for a spot in the Major Semi-Final. Charlestown Azzurri faces Newcastle Olympic in the Elimination Final, with the winner advancing to the Minor Semi-Final and the loser out of the finals race.
Lake Macquarie City FC were unable to turn their season around and finished at the bottom of the table with four points. This resulted in the club being automatically relegated to the HIT106.9 competition for 2025.
Adamstown Rosebud also could not pick up any points at the back end of the season despite competitive performances including a 1-0 loss to second-placed Lambton Jaffas and a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle Olympic.
They finished the season in 11th position on the table and are fighting for their survival in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs to remain in the NPL Men’s NNSW next season. Adamstown will take on 106.9 Nothern League One side West Wallsend SFC in a two-leg Play-Off Series, with the winner on aggregate advancing to the Play-Off Final.
HIT106.9 Northern League One
Belmont Swansea United secured automatic promotion to the NPL Men’s NNSW next season after finishing 12 points clear of Kahibah FC in second place.
Kahibah FC, Toronto Awaba FC (second) and West Wallsend SFC (third) all finished in the top four to qualify for the Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs.
Kahibah will take on Toronto while West Wallsend will face NPLM side Adamstown Rosebud in the two leg Play-Off series. Each winner on aggregate will advance through to the Play-Off Final for a spot in the NPLM competition in 2025.
Wallsend FC finished the season at the bottom of the table with eight points. But because there are only nine teams in HIT106.9 Northern League One, there will be no relegation from the competition in 2024.
