The end of the tortuously long NPL Victoria offseason is now in sight, with the Football Victoria Community Shield this weekend, signalling the imminent arrival of the nation’s premier NPL competition.
At City Vista Reserve tomorrow, reigning NPL Victoria Champions Bentleigh Greens – making a record fifth appearance in the fixture – and Dockerty Cup holders Hume City – who are making their first appearance – will battle it out for the Shield; the first piece of silverware on offer in 2020.
For Greens’ gaffer Nick Tolios, the game represents a chance to continue a somewhat quirky beginning to life at Kingston Heath.
Appointed by the Greens ahead of 2019’s final series, a win on Saturday would not only continue his 100% winning record at Kingston Heath, but also make it two trophies won in just four games in charge.
“I haven’t looked at it that way,” Tolios laughed after the stat was put to him. “For me, it’s a big opportunity for the players to play for a trophy at the end of the pre-season. That’s the biggest reward.
“The players have been itching to play a competitive game with something on the line.”
There has been significant turnover at the 2019 NPL Victoria champions in recent months, with the likes of Brent McGrath, Damian Iaconis and Kieran Dover among 12 new faces joining the champions in the first offseason without John Anastasiadis at the club since 2011.
“Probably the hardest thing is to get all these guys to blend and work in with each other,” Tolios explained.
“We’ve had to sort of sacrifice the conditioning side of things purely to work on our shape and our structures and what I expect of the players in certain positions.
“The last couple of weeks have been really good. We’ve had some good results in pre-season but the main thing for us is, hopefully, to hit the ground running and that we’re all ready to go.
“You don’t really want to change a winning formula too much. Bentleigh has been so successful the last five years.
“I think we've tried to keep the way we play very similar to what they were used to last year, but we also want to be quick, explosive and exciting going forward. That’s something we want to bring in.
“I think Bentleigh sort of lost that last year when they lost Valentino Yuel to Western United. So, we’re trying to get some of that back and be an exciting team that loves to get forward.”
With a resplendent new badge set to be emblazoned across their chests, reigning Dockerty Cup Champions Hume City will be looking to carry 2019 momentum of their own into the first competitive fixture of 2020.
Placed into the semi-finals of the Dockerty Cup thanks to their qualification for the national stages of the FFA Cup, first-year Head Coach Nick Hegarty’s side downed Moreland Zebras 1-0 thanks to a 41st minute Marko Delic strike to set up a date with Melbourne Knights in the final.
Then, with challenging conditions overhead, James Brown’s 28th minute goal proved the difference as Hume lifted their first Dockerty Cup in its 94th staging.
Couple their lifting of silverware with a finals berth and a run to the quarterfinals of the FFA Cup, and it certainly appears as though 2019 has the potential to serve as the foundation for bigger and better things for the club.
“That’s currently the number one aim for us,” Hegarty said. “Build on the nice little foundation we’ve built for ourselves and see where that can take us.
“[Hegarty has learnt] to zero in on my own thoughts and beliefs and stick to them over changing for the opposition.
“I think we’ve got a good thing going and we’re working towards improving on that. I think it’s very important that we focus on ourselves primarily and, when we’ve done that, we’ve generally been successful.
“The game’s about mistakes, I make so many it’s not even funny, but it’s how you react to them and as long as we’re making them together it’s less of a big deal.”
Hegarty has largely been able to retain the core of his squad from last season, as well as add talent in the form of Andy Brennan and Josh Bingham.
But the winner of the NPL Victoria Coach of the Year award a season ago is playing a straight bat ahead of this weekend.
“We just prepare as we’ve done like every other pre-season game,” he said.
“It’s one of them games where the winners will tell you it’s brilliant and the losers will tell you it’s a good competitive game prior to the season starting.
“We know a bit about Bentleigh in terms of the backline and how Tolios coaches. He’s done really well with what he’s doing so we’re dying to see what he can put together – I think he’s signed seven forwards or something like that. Who knows what variation he’s going to use?
“And that’s for us to use as a challenge. It’s a good opportunity for us to get players to figure out solutions on the field and match up our shape and tactics against them on the day and see how we can overcome them.
“It’s good, and it’ll be a good solid test. We know they’re going to be quality and we’ll try our best to put on a performance.”
This year, as part of Football Victoria's support for those that have been impacted by the bushfires that have rocked – and continue to rock - the nation, this weekend’s Community Shield is set to be dedicated to raising funds for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.
“I think everyone has been touched by what we saw and what we’re still seeing now with people trying to get back on their feet,” Tolios said.
“I think it’s a great initiative by FV, hopefully, everyone comes down to support it because it’s a fantastic cause.
“It’s not every day that you’re playing for a cause that’s going to help so many people.”
The fixture is also set to be broadcast live on NPL Victoria Facebook and NPL Victoria You Tube pages, with Chris Gleeson and Josh Parish on the call.
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Football Victoria Community Shield
Bentleigh Greens SC vs. Hume City FC
City Vista Reserve, home of Caroline Springs George Cross FC, City Vista Rd, Fraser Rise, near Taylors Hill.
Kick-off 5:00pm
Tickets available at the gate: Adults $10, Concession $5, Children 14-and-under free
All ticket sales proceeds going to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.