National Premier Leagues: 2014-2022
The majority of member federations had adopted the National Premier Leagues in 2013 as a result of Football Australia's National Competitions Review the previous year. The concept of a uniform national second tier had long been flagged, but Victoria faced a battle from within, with calls for the Board to be removed, threats of a breakaway competition and a court injunction by a number of clubs. Many of the rumblings centred on the proposed reforms, which included restricting recruitment to zones and capping registration fees, and launching the NPL Men's and Women's competition at the same time. In all, 64 clubs representing almost 15,000 players, were against the move, citing a lack of consultation throughout the process.
By October 2013, 44 expressions of interest had whittled down to 15, and a legal challenge by the co-signatory clubs resulted in the Melbourne Magistrates Court granting an injunction on Football Victoria implementing its proposed NPL Model in 2014. Ultimately, mediation between Football Australia, Football Victoria and the dissenting clubs resulted in a compromised model, but after much debate and a FV Board statement which suggested it would pull the competition altogether, the NPL Victoria model for 2014 was finally agreed to in December. The result was a 28-team NPL with a first (NPL) and second (NPL1) tier.
The Victorian Premier League clubs from 2013 reprised their role in the NPL, with Heidelberg United and Werribee City winning promotion from the former State League Division 1, complimented by the inclusion of the Ballarat Red Devils and newly formed Goulburn Valley Suns. Southern Stars, fresh from their match-fixing controversy, returned to the third tier in State League Division 1, while the other relegated club, Richmond, found a home in NPL1.
Retaining their second-tier status were Box Hill United, FC Bulleen Lions, Brunswick City, Moreland Zebras, North Geelong Warriors, St Albans Saints and Sunshine George Cross. Avondale Heights (2nd in State 2 North-West), Dandenong City (2nd in State 2 South-East), Kingston City (7th in State 2 South-East), Springvale White Eagles (Champions in State 2 South-East) and Whittlesea Ranges (9th in State 2 North-West) were included from the third tier. The league was ultimately completed by the newly formed FC Bendigo.
The first NPL Men's season was a first-past-the-post affair and South Melbourne claimed the Championship with just two losses in the twenty-six contested home-and-away matches, seven points clear of Oakleigh Cannons. The regional clubs, Ballarat Red Devils and Goulburn Valley Suns, found themselves at the foot of the table and were relegated. Milos Lujic capped off a tremendous personal season with South, claiming Gold Medal and Golden Boot honours, the first player to do so since Sash Becvinovski in 2006. Avondale Heights capped off a tremendous debut NPL1 season, winning the championship and gaining promotion to the top flight in 2015, where they became Avondale FC. Even more remarkable is that only seven years earlier, the club was languishing in the sixth tier after being relegated for the second consecutive season.
South Melbourne would top the NPL table again in 2015, this time on goal difference over Bentleigh Greens. However, the reintroduction of a Finals Series to determine the champion would see both clubs in the Grand Final, and Bentleigh Greens would score twice in extra time to claim its first Championship at Lakeside Stadium, with former South legend John Anastasiadis at the helm and Tyson Holmes winning the Jimmy Rooney Medal. Port Melbourne Sharks' Kamal Ibrahim claimed Gold Medal honours while Milos Lujic made it a hat-trick of Golden Boot wins. The now regionalised NPL1 delivered promotion to Richmond from the East and FC Bulleen Lions from the West, along with Melbourne Victory, who defeated North Geelong Warriors in the Promotion/Relegation playoff.
2016 witnessed the inaugural season of the NPL Women's competition, providing a desperately needed overhaul of the Women's Premier League from a promotional perspective. A twelve team league was condensed to nine, with Box Hill United, FC Bulleen Lions, Heidelberg United and the National Training Centre the only four clubs to survive the cull. Joining them were rebranded entities Alamein (Ashburton United) and Calder United (Keilor Park) with new teams Geelong Galaxy United, Bayside United and Southern United completing the line-up.
Only two wins separated the Top 3 in Calder United, Alamein and FC Bulleen Lions. They were joined in the Finals by Geelong Galaxy United, who upset their more fancied rivals to earn a spot in the Grand Final against Calder. A first-half goal to Caitlin Pickett gave the regional club the advantage, but Kasha Mayer equalised ten minutes into the second half to ultimately send the match into extra time. Experienced forward and one time Victory starlet Enza Barilla sealed the NPL title with the deciding goal in added time. Consolation for Geelong Galaxy arrived in the form of the Grand Final Best Player award to Annabel Martin, with the NTC's Mindy Barbieri claiming Gold Medal honours. Alamein's Melina Ayres won the Golden Boot with 22 goals in 23 matches.
Bentleigh Greens claimed the Men's Minor Premiership, two games clear of Heidelberg United and South Melbourne, who were both deducted competition points throughout the season. Only South would battle through to the Grand Final, eclipsing surprise finalists Oakleigh Cannons 3-2 in the Grand Final, Marcus Shroen with a brace to compliment his Rooney Medal honour. Teammate Milos Lujic notched up an unprecedented fourth consecutive Golden Boot while Hume City's Nick Hegarty claimed a second Gold Medal honour. Kingston City and St Albans Saints earned direct promotion from the regionalised second tier, now branded NPL2. They were joined by North Geelong Warriors, who demolished Richmond 4-0 in the promotion playoff.
The 2017 Men's season witnessed Heidelberg United's first NPL Minor Premiership, as they finished two games clear of reigning champions South Melbourne. But the Championship proved a bridge too far as John Anastasiadis led Bentleigh Greens to the Championship with a 2-1 win in extra time. Substitute Ross Honos sealed the clinching goal in the 106th minute while Ryan Scott had a stellar game between the sticks, winning the Rooney Medal. Consolation for the Bergers arrived in the form of the Golden Boot, won by the impressive Kenny Athiu (21 goals), while an evergreen Massimo Murdocca claimed Gold Medal honours for Avondale FC. Dandenong Thunder and Northcote City returned to the top flight as the respective East and West champions.
South Melbourne returned to the Women's top flight in 2017, storming to the Premiership/Championship double courtesy of a thrilling victory over Geelong Galaxy United in the Grand Final. With the scores locked at 3-3 after 120 minutes, both teams missed chances in a nail-biting penalty shootout, before Caitlin Greiser clinched the winner to send the Hellas fans in raptures. Tiffany Eliadis won the Grand Final best player award, while team mate Melina Ayres scored a remarkable 39 goals to win her second successive Golden Boot. Southern United's Candela Ferreyra Bas was awarded the Gold Medal for the best player throughout the regular season.