The NPL NSW season has come to an end recently for our young Wanderers, with the side securing a third straight season of National Premier League 1 football.
It is a good achievement for the club, especially as they finished well clear of their academy rivals, yet the 2024 campaign can be described as a season of two halves.
The Wanderers flew out of the gates early in the season, winning 10 of their first 11 games with some truly remarkable performances.
There were three wins in their first four games against Sutherland, Hills United and NWS Spirit, with a disappointing defeat to Rockdale in the mix, before a brilliant run of form saw them take the lead by storm.
They won the Sydney Derby 5-2, before defeating fellow academy side Central Coast by the same scoreline.
They beat Wollongong Wolves on the road – who were at the time second in the table – with none of their scholarship players in one of their most courageous victories of the season.
The Wanderers carried this momentum into April, defeating Manly United 5-0 (one of the goals was a Marcus Younis bicycle kick), St George City 6-1, and heavyweights Blacktown City 3-0 to send a message to the rest of the competition.
However, the brilliant form of the youngsters, in particular the scholarship players such as Younis, Nathaneal Blair, Zac Sapsford and Aydan Hammond soon meant they were earmarked for action with the A-League side, depriving the youth team of their services.
This showed in May as the teams form declined, though they still recorded a thrilling win over Sydney Olympic thanks to a last minute Blair free-kick.It would be his last game in Red and Black, as he and fellow high scorer Adam Bugarija departed for the Perth Glory, and the loss of their top two scorers would have a big impact on the Wanderers for the rest of the season.
And they weren’t the only ones to be absent in the second half of the year, as A-League rules state all scholarship players must have a rest during the offseason, barring them from playing for the youth side during this time.
This meant the NPL team was without some of their most important players, and they were further hamstrung by key academy players Ryley Hollingdale and Jesse Cameron going on international duty with the Australian U19s team.
The coaching staff and players did the best to fill the gaps, drafting in a number of players from the U20s and U18s sides.
They almost pulled off a shock upset against Rockdale Ilinden FC on the road when they flew out to a 2-0 lead, but the experience of their opponents meant they eventually were overhauled and lost 3-2.
It was a game that seemed to shake the confidence of a very young side, as they struggled for form and momentum, though they came close to knocking off St George FC on the road in July, though they were forced to share the points in a 2-2 draw.
Injuries and red cards then hampered an already depleted Wanderers side further, who by this time were deducted six points by Football NSW.
They pushed APIA Leichhardt FC close on the road taking an early lead, but they eventually lost 5-3 in an entertaining match.
Whilst the season ended on a losing run, they were still well clear of the relegation battle, and the matches allowed the chance for some academy players to shine when replacing the scholarship players.
Midfielder Ryley Hollingdale was a leader on and off the pitch and scored some brilliant
free-kicks, whilst youngster Ricky Fransen had some strong performances at centre back in difficult circumstances, and will be better for the experience gained this season.
The same can be said for many of the players, who were dealt a tough hand, yet fought hard in every match till the end of the season; many of them would not have been expecting to play such heavy minutes against top quality opposition in the NPL NSW competition.
Whilst wins weren’t as forthcoming in the latter weeks of the season, the players and academy staff will be hoping the skills and experience gained can be used as a springboard to have a successful 2025 season, as well as helping the scholarship players shine with the A-League Men’s side this season.
