Story via The Leader
The St George Football Association’s 2019 premier league season kicks off this weekend. Banksia won the men’s and women’s competitions last season and will be out to repeat their success. But there are a number of clubs looking to knock them off their perch.
Men’s Premier League 1
BANKSIA TIGERS
Coach – Wassim Hijazi
SGFA men’s premier league teams. Picture: Chris Lane
Captain – Mudrek Abaid
Key signings – Mustafa Elmadhoun, Ibrahim Haydar
Last season – first (champions)
Banksia’s goal is to again play finals football having kept the core of their title winning side despite losing some key players. Have also added some younger players to their squad. They finished two points clear at the top of the table last season before going on to beat Arncliffe on penalties in the grand final.
Coach – Hassan Reda
Captain – Hussein Jaaffar
Key signings – none
Last season – second (runners-up)
Arncliffe will look to bounce back from their second consecutive grand final defeat to finally bring the trophy back to Arncliffe Park. They host Rockdale City in the opening round.
ROCKDALE CITY SUNS
Coach – Jim Eleninovski, Steve Pilovski
Captain – Peter Apolevski
Key signings – Alex Ralevski, Josh Tasevski, Michael Sterjovski
Last season – fourth
The Suns are aiming for consistency and have their sights set on another top four finish as they look to build on a promising 2018.
SANS SOUCI FC
Coach – Simon Verrender
Captain – Jason Pitcher
Key signings – none
Last season – sixth
A top four finish and finals football is the goal for Sans Souci who finished four points adrift in 2018. They host Kogarah Warath in the opening round.
CARLTON ROVERS FC
Coach – Tony Hilas
Captain – Remy Blatch-Williams
Key signings – None
Last season – ninth
An inaugural premier league club having featured in the top tier in 38 of its 40 seasons, Carlton will look to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary in style this season. Rovers will also return to their refurbished home at Harold Fraser Oval.
SCOTS FC
Coach – Gilles Tour
Captain – George Nastevski
Key signings – None
Last season – third
Scots will look to build on their third-placed finish in 2018 before they were eliminated in the first weekend of the finals in an upset by Rockdale. They host newly-promoted Hurstville Zagreb in the opening round.
HURSTVILLE ZAGREB
Coach – Richard Plesa
Captain – Anthony Majetic
Key signings – Marko Banic, Marko Kraljevic, Kreso Terkes
Last season – AAA1 first (champions)
Hurstville won the All Age A competition minor premiership and grand final last season and have strengthened their squad for the jump to the premier league.
FOREST RANGERS FC
Coach – Manuel Leon
Captain – Steve Donofrio
Key signings – Ziad El Masri, Jonathon De Lyall, Sean Hickey, Anthony Mekhaiel
Last season – seventh
Forest Rangers are aiming for the top half of the table this season – and potentially a tilt at finals football with their young squad. They face Carlton Rovers in the opening round.
KOGARAH WARATAH FC
Coach – George Maglis, Maurizio Balzarano
Captain – Aleksandar Mitkovski
Key signings – Nathan Ristevski
Last season – eighth
Kogarah have kept the core of their squad from last season as they pursue a top four finish in both grades and the development of their youth players with the return of Maglis as coach.
CONNELLS POINT
Last season – fifth
Connells Point have arguably the toughest assignment of the opening weekend as they travel to Gardiner Park to take on defending champions Banksia.
Women’s Premier League
BANKSIA TIGERS
Coach – Hussein Darwish
SGFA women’s premier league teams. Picture: Chris Lane
Captain – Tina Petrou
Key signings – None
Last season – first (champions)
Banksia have appeared in the last four grand finals, winning two premierships. The Tigers will again be the favourites, with the players determined to make it a hat-trick of titles.
LUGARNO FC
Coach – Ivan Jersek
Three-peat: Banksia downed Dolls Point on penalties in last season’s women’s Premier League grand final and will be looking for a third title in a row. Picture: SGFA
Key signings – none
Last season – second
A difficult pre-season training situation with Gannons Park’s unavailability is expected to hurt Lugarno’s start. The team are aiming for another top four finish after they were unexpectedly bundled out in straight sets in the finals last season.
FOREST RANGERS FC
Coach – Michael Rees
Captain – Laura Mackie
Key signings – none
Last season – fourth
Rangers built one of the best defensive records of last season and expect to challenge Banksia for top spot. They will have an early chance to prove it as they face the Tigers in the opening round.
PEAKHURST UNITED
Coach – Perry Taylor
Captain – Jessica El-Gawly
Key signings – Lisa Brodie, Selen Santoro, Elena Randall
Last season – N/A
Many of Peakhurst’s players won the all age minor premiership with Bexley North last season before losing the grand final to Oatley. They have since joined United, who have been promoted to the premier league, where they are aiming to be competitive in the new-look eight team competition.
CONNELLS POINT
Coach – Andy Hall
Captain – Laura Appleton
Key signings – Toni Sharp, Julia Glavencevski, Nicola Little
Last season – fifth
Connells Point enjoy a good mix of youth and experience in their squad and will look to reach the finals this season having only missed out on the top four by three points in 2018. Host newly-promoted Peakhurst United in the opening round.
SCOTS FC
Coach – Aleks Mitkovski, Peter Amed
Captain – Georgia Kriaris
Key signings – none
Last season – sixth
Finished last in 2018 and will look to improve this season. Host newly-promoted Oatley in their first round clash.
DOLLS POINT FC
Coach – Daniel Burton
Captain – Olivia Gammone, Lauren Gardner
Key signings – none
Last season – third (runners-up)
Dolls Point pushed Banksia all the way in the grand final last season before losing on penalties and believe they have the squad capable of going one step better in 2019. They host Lugarno in the opening round.
OATLEY FC
Coach – Matt Jones
Captain – Amie Hibbard
Key signings – none
Last season – AAWA second (champions)
The second newly-promoted side in the expanded competition, Oatley finished runners-up in all age last season before their talented young squad went on to win an epic grand final.
