Northern Suburbs Football Association will be represented by a record seven teams in this weekend’s Champion of Champions Grand Finals at Valentine Sports Park.
Perhaps more impressively, five different NSFA clubs (Lindfield, Mount Colah, Northbridge, St Michael’s and West Pymble) have contributed to this feat and will be looking to improve upon last year’s three grand final victories.
8:30am – 12 Girls – Lindfield vs Manly Vale – VSP1
Road to the final: 2-0 vs Camden Tigers (R2), 3-0 vs Pagewood Botany (QF), 4-0 vs Pendle Hill (SF).
NSFA season record: Premiership winners (15W, 1D), Finals series winners.
Playing as Lindfield Kerr during the local season, Paul Grundy’s side have produced goals, goals and more goals. 106 goals across 16 regular season games set the tone for a finals series that culminated in a 7-0 grand final victory and picking up Lindfield FC’s team of the year award along the way. However, the defence has also shone in the Champion of Champions tournament, with the team picking up three successive clean sheets on their way to the final.
Players: Abigail Barfield, Zoe Clubb, Eliza Thompson, Sienna De Costa, Amber Halliday, Eliza Wall, Annabelle O’Hara, Indie Hunter, Bethany Boys, Daisy Retallick, Lily Dimitrov-Johnson, Jasmine Wells, Marisela Woo Ruiz, Sophie Retallick.
Coach: Paul Grundy Manager: Phil Barfield
8:30am – 12 Boys – Northbridge vs Balmain DFC – VSP3
Road to the final: 6-0 vs Camden Tigers (R2), 3-1 vs Glenmore Park (QF), 2-1 vs Terrigal United (SF).
NSFA season record: Premiership winners (13W, 2D, 2L), Finals series winners.
The Northbridge boys were made to work for their semi-final place against Central Coast side Terrigal, eventually prevailing with a 2-1 win. Coached by Jake Ghalloub, the team will be looking to secure the club’s first junior boys title since the Under 13’s in 2008. A treble of silverware is also on offer for the season, after winning their NSFA competition by six points before securing a 2-0 grand final victory in a well-spirited match against Lindfield.
Players: Thomas Cranfield, Maxwell McLeod, Archie Harvey, Declan Hill, Luke Bakos, Tristan Wong, Ben Dyer, Oliver Salmon, Bailey Screen, Lachlan Choy, Charlie Christie, Zachary Little, Sam Maher, Jeremy Harris, Peter Shaw, Ziggy Gilleland.
Coach: Jake Galloub. Managers: Maria Screen and Jason Maher.
9:45am – 16 Boys – West Pymble vs Castle Hill – VSP3
Road to the final: 3-1 vs St Mary’s Eagles (R2), 1-0 vs Glenmore Park (QF), 4-1 vs Auburn District (SF).
NSFA season record: Premiership winners (8W, 2D, 2L), Finals series winners, Treasurer’s Shield winners.
It has been an impressive season for the West Pymble Under 16’s, collecting the Under 16 Super League title by two points in a hotly contested competition. Two further triumphs followed in the grand final and the Treasurer’s Shield, with both matches decided by one-goal margins. This testing local campaign has primed the team for their assault on the Champion of Champions Tournament, culminating in an impressive 4-1 win in their semi-final against Auburn District. Can Alex Dimos’ side secure a historic quadruple?
Players: James Bird, Samuel Biggs, Luca Ball, Nimay Kallianpur, Ewen Fielder, Fin Geraghty, Dylan Amler, Gavin Ryan, Ethan Ball, Xavier Dimos, Oliver Lynch, Lachlan Nairn, Nicholas Browne, Benjamin Key, Jordan Andrews, Olivier Beltran-Woodward.
Coach: Alex Dimos. Manager: Tom Key.
1pm – 16 Girls – Mount Colah vs Avalon – VSP3
Road to the final: 2-1 vs Narellan Rangers (R2), 2-1 vs Colo SFC (QF), 2-0 vs Parklea (SF).
NSFA season record: Premiership winners (13W, 4L), Finals series winners.
Mount Colah will be aiming to keep the Under 16 Girls title within the association after Northbridge’s success in last year’s tournament. Key to their chances on Sunday will be their impressive defence, which formed the cornerstone of their strong second half of the season. Across their last nine matches in all competitions, Paul Waite’s side have kept six clean sheets, including their semi-final victory over Parklea last weekend.
Players: Taylah Waite, Jasmine Gurney, Holly Turner, Lauren West, Isabella Guthrie, Sienna Odd, Sarah Wing, Carla Sumner, Hayley Sumner, Jasmin Guthrie, Kiera Bridcutt, Georgie Waite, Marianna Rahn, Hayley Manktelow, Tegan Wing, Hayley Winch.
Coach: Paul Waite. Assistant Coach: Martin West. Manager: Robert Wing.
4:30pm – 21 Women – Northbridge vs Connells Point Rovers – VSP1
Road to the final: 11-1 vs Quakers Hill (R2), Bye (R3), 5-3 vs Mt Pritchard (R4).
NSFA season record: 2nd in WAA2 (15W, 3L), Finals series runners-up.
Following an incredible treble of the Under 16 Girls NSFA Premiership, State Cup and Champion of Champions titles last season, Alex Barker’s team made the step up into WAA2 this season in the NSFA competition. Their free-flowing attack produced 85 goals in the regular season, and that form continued into the Champion of Champions tournament with 16 goals scored in just two matches. Sunday’s match could be a goalfest, with Connells Point hitting the back of the net 15 times on their own path to final.
Players: Frederique Bosscher, Genevieve Cox, Eliza Ewington, Annabelle Gilbert, Charlie Gilbert, Amelia Glasscott, Jemma Gyzen, Chloe Hannigan, Ashley Hames, Charlotte Kearney, Georgie McArdle, Isabel McCarthy, Sydney Stuchmann, Sophie Nelson, Ella Cahalan.
Coach: Alex Barker. Manager: Tony Gilbert.
4:30pm – Over 45 Men – St Michael’s vs Hurstville City Minotaurs – VSP 3
Road to the final: 5-0 vs Kellyville Kolts (R2), 2-1 vs Epping Eastwood (QF), 1-0 vs Belmore Eagles (SF).
NSFA season record: Premiership winners (17W, 1D), Finals series winners.
The men of St Michael’s are aiming to retain their Champion of Champions crown after a 2-1 triumph in last year’s final against Engadine Eagles. Since joining the NSFA competition in 2016, St Michael’s have played 56 matches and yielded 54 wins and two draws, scoring 223 goals in the process. Their past eight matches across all competitions has featured seven clean sheets with an aggregate score of 31-1 – no pressure guys!
Players: Peter Gunning, John Koch, Robert Colville, Stephen Watson, Mario Bila, Alastair Wright, Mate Peric, Declan McEvoy, Chris Cowley, Richard Evans, Tim Christie, Bob Kenderes, Grant Lee, Brent Caisley, Peter Blakely, David Segreto.
Coach: Bill Papastamatis. Manager: Jonathan Hughes.
6:30pm – All Age Men – West Pymble vs Coogee United – VSP2
Road to the final: 5-1 vs Kellyville Kolts (R2), 2-1 vs Inter Lions (QF), 5-2 vs Kirrawee Kangaroos (SF).
NSFA season record: Premiership winners (14W, 1D, 3L), Finals series winners.
After securing their fourth successive Men’s Premier League title, West Pymble will be looking to give outgoing coach Greg Fuchs an appropriate farewell with a win on Sunday. The Champion of Champions title has thus far eluded this all-conquering side, going closest in 2016 with a 5-4 extra time loss to Narrabeen in the Grand Final. The men in yellow will be eager to hopefully erase that memory and lift the trophy this weekend. As they say, you’ve got to lose one to win one.
Players: Clem Burgmann, Tom Blackett, Rob Tall, James Laming, Matthew Oughtred, Matthew Laming, Seb Bendall, Conor Parson, Pete Spinos, Keu Maralit, Raymond Lee, Jack Gilbert, Charlie Cox, Eddie Davlia, Robert Standing, Daniel Hepworth, Sam Clayton, Dominic Vinson.
Coach: Greg Fuchs. Assistant Coach: Chris Seaman.