National Premier Leagues

Not to be confused with National Premier League.
National Premier Leagues
Country Australia
Confederation AFC
Founded 2013
Divisions ACT
NSW
Northern NSW
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Number of teams 90 clubs (from 8 divisions)
Level on pyramid 2
Domestic cup(s) FFA Cup
Current champions Blacktown City
(2015)
Most championships Sydney United 58
North Eastern MetroStars
Blacktown City (1 title)
Website nationalpremierleagues.com.au
2016 National Premier Leagues

The National Premier Leagues (NPL) is a national association football (soccer) competition in Australia which acts as the second tier of the sport in the country below the A-League. The NPL consists of the highest level state league in each state-based federation within Australia. In total the NPL is contested by clubs from eight divisions; these are ACT, NSW, Northern NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. The NPL is overseen by Football Federation Australia (FFA), in partnership with participating state-based member federations. Since 2014 it has been sponsored by PlayStation 4 and thus officially known as the PS4 National Premier Leagues.[1]

History

In October 2010, Football Federation Australia (FFA) commenced a National Competition Review, its main objective being to review the current structure of football competitions in Australia, and to monitor and improve elite player development.[2] By May 2012 the results of the National Competition Review were released. In it, a proposal to re-brand and revitalise state-based competitions in Australia.[3]

On 13 February 2013, the establishment of the National Premier Leagues was announced. As a direct outcome of the National Competition Review, the league would rebrand the premier league in each state under a single banner.[4] Originally named Australian Premier League but due to a violation of naming rights held by Lawn Bowls Australia the original name was scrapped and replaced with National Premier Leagues.[5] FFA also announced their intentions of a promotion and relegation structure between the first tier A-League and second tier National Premier League from 2022.[6]

The inaugural season of the NPL began in March 2013. It included teams from five of the nine state-based federations: Football Queensland, Football NSW, Football Federation South Australia, Football Federation Tasmania, and Capital Football.[4] The FFA member federations that did not join the NPL in 2013, Football West, Northern New South Wales Football and Football Federation Victoria joined in the 2014 season, with Football Federation Northern Territory expected to adopt a partial model at some time in the future.[7][8] Although Victoria initially announced their teams would enter in 2014, a deferral was later announced in November 2013, after several clubs objected to the process for selecting teams. However, by December 2013, a resolution was reached whereby Victorian teams participated in the 2014 season.[9][10]

Competition format

The NPL competitions in each state and territory are run by the member federation, with a national playoff tournament at the end of each season.[4] Each member federation, or 'conference' contains various numbers of teams, and they play a full season with no inter-conference matches (an identical format to the individual State Leagues that preceded the NPL). The winner of each division is determined by the club in first position of each conference table at the end of the regular season and not the winner of the various state-based finals series.

NPL Finals Series

The winners of each respective divisional league then competes in a finals playoff tournament at the end of the season. The finals are all single match knock out matches based on geographically close divisions.

The finals series draw is predetermined and doesn't change between seasons. Quarter finals hosting alternates each year between each division. The semi finals and final match hosts are determined by a formula based on the phase the previous NPL finals match is won (i.e. full-time, extra time, or penalties) and the goals for and against.

The finals series culminates in a Grand Final, where the winner is crowned National Premier Leagues Champions.[11] Since the 2014 season, the NPL Champion has also qualified for the following years FFA Cup round of 32.

Promotion and relegation

Depending on the State Federation in charge, teams may be relegated from the NPL to a third-tier league in the same state (and vice versa), but there is currently no way for a team to be promoted to the first tier of Australian Football, the A-League.

Current Clubs (2016)

A diagram showing the state member federations of FFA.
Map showing the location of teams in the National Premier Leagues.

Below are listed the National Premier Leagues clubs in each respective state member federation from the 2016 season. In total there have been 90 National Premier Leagues clubs. Some NPL divisions involve promotion and relegation to leagues below the NPL and so participating clubs change annually.

ACT
Belconnen United
Canberra
Canberra United Academy
Canberra Olympic
Cooma
Gungahlin United
Monaro Panthers
Tuggeranong United
Woden Valley
NSW
APIA Leichhardt Tigers
Blacktown City
Blacktown Spartans
Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Hakoah Sydney City East
Manly United
Rockdale City Suns
St George
Sutherland Sharks
Sydney Olympic
Sydney United 58
Wollongong Wolves
Northern NSW
Adamstown Rosebud
Broadmeadow Magic
Charlestown City Blues
Edgeworth Eagles
Hamilton Olympic
Lake Macquarie City
Lambton Jaffas
Newcastle Jets Youth
Valentine
Weston Workers Bears
Queensland
Brisbane City
Brisbane Roar Youth
Brisbane Strikers
Far North Queensland
Gold Coast City
Moreton Bay United
Northern Fury
Olympic
Redlands United
South West Queensland Thunder
Sunshine Coast
Western Pride
South Australia
Adelaide Blue Eagles
Adelaide City
Adelaide Comets
Adelaide Olympic
Adelaide Raiders
Adelaide United Youth
Campbelltown City
Croydon Kings
North Eastern MetroStars
South Adelaide
West Adelaide
West Torrens Birkalla
Tasmania
Clarence United
Devonport City
Hobart Zebras
Kingborough Lions United
Launceston City
Northern Rangers
Olympia
South Hobart
Victoria
Avondale FC
Bentleigh Greens
Bulleen Lions
Green Gully
Heidelberg United
Hume City
Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Victory Youth
Northcote City
Oakleigh Cannons
Pascoe Vale
Port Melbourne
Richmond SC
South Melbourne
Western Australia
Armadale
Balcatta
Bayswater City
Cockburn City
ECU Joondalup
Floreat Athena
Inglewood United
Perth
Perth Glory Youth
Sorrento
Stirling Lions
Subiaco

Results

NPL Finals Series

Season Champions Score Runners-up Venue Attendance
2013 Sydney United 58 2–0 South Hobart KGV Park 1,150
2014 North Eastern MetroStars 1–0 Bonnyrigg White Eagles Lambert Park
2015 Blacktown City 3–1 Bayswater City Dorrien Gardens

Clubs reaching the finals

Team Champions Runners-up Semi-finalist Quarter-finalist Finals
appearances
New South Wales Sydney United 58 1 (2013) 1
South Australia North Eastern MetroStars 1 (2014) 1
New South Wales Blacktown City 1 (2015) 1
Tasmania South Hobart 1 (2013) 1 (2014) 2
Western Australia Bayswater City 1 (2015) 1 (2014) 2
New South Wales Bonnyrigg White Eagles 1 (2014) 1
Victoria (Australia) South Melbourne 1 (2014) 1 (2015) 2
South Australia Campbelltown City 1 (2013) 1
Queensland Olympic 1 (2013) 1
Queensland Palm Beach 1 (2014) 1
Queensland Moreton Bay United 1 (2015) 1
Tasmania Olympia 1 (2015) 1
Australian Capital Territory Canberra 2 (2013, 2015) 2
Australian Capital Territory Cooma 1 (2014) 1
New South Wales Weston Workers 1 (2014) 1
New South Wales Edgeworth 1 (2015) 1
South Australia West Adelaide 1 (2015) 1

League Winners from each member federation

Season Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia
2013 Canberra Sydney United 58 - Olympic MetroStars 1 South Hobart - -
2014 Cooma Bonnyrigg White Eagles Newcastle Jets Youth 1 Palm Beach MetroStars South Hobart South Melbourne Bayswater City
2015 Canberra Blacktown City Edgeworth Moreton Bay United West Adelaide Olympia Warriors South Melbourne Bayswater City

1 Club won its league but did not proceed to the NPL Finals series.

Individual honours

The John Kosmina Medal is presented to the best played in the NPL final and is named in honour of former Australian international John Kosmina.[12]

See also

References

  1. "PS4 new NPL naming rights partner". footballaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. Siokos, Anthony (28 May 2012). "Analysis: Review gives FFA clear signal of how they must spread the love". Sport Business Insider. Sports Business Insider Group. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  3. "FFA releases outcomes of National Competitions Review". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "FFA launches National Premier Leagues". Football Federation Australia. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  5. "Wolves could move into A-League under new changes". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  6. "Australian Premier League Announced". sportingpulse.com. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  7. "Gallop aims for Aussie FA Cup". The Australian. AAP. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  8. "Second Division 'By 2022'?". Australian FourFourTwo. Sportal Australia. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  9. "NPL update - message from FFV Board". Football Federation Victoria. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  10. "National Premier Leagues confirmed for Victoria in 2014". Football Federation Australia. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  11. "FFA unveils National Premier Leagues". Australian FourFourTwo. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  12. John Kosmina. "The NPL demonstrates its true value". Football Federation Australia.

External links

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