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NPL 2026

Being semi pro doesn’t mean you have to deal as such.
Sure I agree payments are getting OTT not just by APIIA at times but no diff to top flight leagues and below - you have wealthier medium and lower club spend/budgets.
We all want our NPL to improve APIA is one of the Sydney leaders 😁
Same applies in Melb or Bris.
 
We should be happy that clubs are willing to pay big wages. The more clubs can pay that sort of money, the closer we are to having a second tier. Each club just needs to ensure they are doing things that they can sustain. Don’t like seeing clubs offering big bucks one year and peanuts the next cause they can’t afford it (happens more in the lower leagues of NSW).
 
Maybe it's the sort of thing where we need more regulations around it, like a minimum wage, and/or salary cap and floor? I don't know if those exist already in the FNSW Leagues or not, or if at this point it might do more harm than good without a strong league pyramid
 
Maybe it's the sort of thing where we need more regulations around it, like a minimum wage, and/or salary cap and floor? I don't know if those exist already in the FNSW Leagues or not, or if at this point it might do more harm than good without a strong league pyramid
I understood the new club licensing agreements that JJ was pushing through before he left to go frolic in the icy Canadian wilderness were to do with minimum wage?
 
Maybe it's the sort of thing where we need more regulations around it, like a minimum wage, and/or salary cap and floor? I don't know if those exist already in the FNSW Leagues or not, or if at this point it might do more harm than good without a strong league pyramid
I disagree there’s always going to be a hierarchy in football
 
I disagree there’s always going to be a hierarchy in football
Correct and not just in football - the haves and have nots.
Why does talk always come up about caps restrictions regulations - sure there needs to be some but the trouble is minor parties scream loudest for equality and turn everything into even more a mess and more difficulties - do you want keep driving away club investors that some have deeper pockets.
 
Speaking of the new 2026 season, it all starts for South on Sunday morning in Auckland up against Tahiti United. By the time the NPL Victoria competition kicks off in mid February, we would have played 6 competitive OFC Pro League matches already.

We are potentially looking at a season that could end in early December if we qualify for the Australian Championship Grand Final. That's one hell of a long season.
 
Correct and not just in football - the haves and have nots.
Why does talk always come up about caps restrictions regulations - sure there needs to be some but the trouble is minor parties scream loudest for equality and turn everything into even more a mess and more difficulties - do you want keep driving away club investors that some have deeper pockets.
I do understand that, and I think that a floor is more important than a cap at this level anyway
 
Amazing considering semi pro !
Whats your estimate amount of games give or take ?
Good question

I’ll break it down by competition. I’ll probably be out by 1 or 2 matches but you’ll get the drift.

OFC Pro League
Minimum - 17 matches
Maximum - 20 matches

NPL Victoria
Minimum - 26 matches
Maximum - 29 matches

Dockerty Cup (state cup)
Minimum - 1 match
Maximum - 8 matches (approximately)

Australia Cup (assuming we qualify)
Minimum - 1 match
Maximum - 5 matches

Australian Championship
Minimum - 6 matches
Maximum - 9 matches

I’m making the assumption that there won’t be a Football Victoria Community Shield match that has opened the NPL Victoria season in previous seasons. If there is, then you would add an additional match to the below tally.

So in summary, we are potentially looking at a minimum of around 51 matches, with a possibility of playing up to 71 matches in 11 months!

Even the minimum amount of matches to be played is extraordinary.

Clearly we will need to prioritise competitions. Otherwise we’ll need a larger squad to do so.
 
Good question

I’ll break it down by competition. I’ll probably be out by 1 or 2 matches but you’ll get the drift.

OFC Pro League
Minimum - 17 matches
Maximum - 20 matches

NPL Victoria
Minimum - 26 matches
Maximum - 29 matches

Dockerty Cup (state cup)
Minimum - 1 match
Maximum - 8 matches (approximately)

Australia Cup (assuming we qualify)
Minimum - 1 match
Maximum - 5 matches

Australian Championship
Minimum - 6 matches
Maximum - 9 matches

I’m making the assumption that there won’t be a Football Victoria Community Shield match that has opened the NPL Victoria season in previous seasons. If there is, then you would add an additional match to the below tally.

So in summary, we are potentially looking at a minimum of around 51 matches, with a possibility of playing up to 71 matches in 11 months!

Even the minimum amount of matches to be played is extraordinary.

Clearly we will need to prioritise competitions. Otherwise we’ll need a larger squad to do so.
Prioritise & rotate, rotate, rotate...along with keeping fingers crossed we can avoid as many injuries as possible along with any burnout...
OFC is a key focus and rightly so! NPL is neither here nor there to be fair and not making finals may benefit us come champiinship like this year, as long as we dont get into relegation tussle pressures, as for cup run, come what may, and we adjust to it accordingly!
Many players will be bled in i think in many comps but i like you also question whether we need bigger squad depth (which we do imo).Manny return would be shift in right direction.

Its one step at a time though now....
 
Maybe it's the sort of thing where we need more regulations around it, like a minimum wage, and/or salary cap and floor? I don't know if those exist already in the FNSW Leagues or not, or if at this point it might do more harm than good without a strong league pyramid
Agree with that. Hate that clubs price gouge the parents of their junior players just so they can pay their first teamers more money. Put both a cap on junior fees as well as player payments.
 
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