The Central League kicks off tonight, and with three places in the National League Championship up for grabs it’s set to be a highly competitive season.

Reigning Central League champions Wellington Olympic get their campaign underway against Petone FC, and will be hoping to keep the upper hand over rivals Miramar Rangers.

While they were the ones lifting the big trophy at the end of last year, South Central Series winners Miramar Rangers will want to go one better in the Central League, after being pipped to the title by Olympic. They did, however, exact revenge by securing the South-Central Series title in the final with a 7-2 over Olympic. The 2021 Chatham Cup runners up have also scored a major coup in recruiting forward Hamish Watson, who spent the majority of last season at NPL Victoria side Dandenong Thunder.

Renewal is the name of the game at two of the capital’s top young sides. Wellington Phoenix Reserves (who qualify automatically for the National League Championship) take the place of Lower Hutt City. With a host of last season’s talent picked up by the senior team, can the newcomers help the Nix build on last season’s third place finish? Western Suburbs, meanwhile, saw several of their youngsters pick up contracts overseas, and will similarly be hoping their next wave of talent will push them back to the Championship phase again.

Meanwhile, with the promotion of Havelock North Wanderers, last season’s Lotto Central Federation League winners and Central League play-off winners, tasty Hawke’s Bay derbies are guaranteed when they meet Napier City Rovers in Match Weeks 3 and 10.   

Wellington United, having had their place in the league confirmed last week after Wairarapa United withdrew, will be champing at the bit to prove they should have been there to begin with, welcome Central League football to the club for first time since 2019 when they play Napier City Rovers on Saturday.

North Wellington and Waterside Karori get the season underway tonight at Alex Moore Turf. The streaming link is below; your Friday night plans are sorted.

Havelock North Wanderers Association Football Club

Coach: Chris Greatholder HC, Bruce Barclay AC

2021 season in brief: Lotto Central Federation League champions, Central League Play off winners, Round 2 Chatham Cup, Dakota Lucas top league goalscorer (15 goals)

Miramar Rangers AFC

Coach: Scott Hales HC, Brendan McIntyre and Stu Widdowson AC

2021 season in brief: South Central Series winners, Central League runners up, Chatham Cup runners up, Samuel Mason-Smith top CL goalscorer (14)

Napier City Rovers Association Football Club

Coach: Bill Robertson HC, Stuart James AC

2021 season in brief:  Seventh in Central League, Round 3 Chatham Cup, Cameron Emerson top CL goalscorer (7)

North Wellington Football Club

Coach: Davor Tavich HC, James Prosser and Lloyd O’Keefe ACs

2021 season in brief: Eighth in Central League, Round 3 Chatham Cup, Gavin Hoy and Jesse Randall top CL goalscorers (8 each)

Petone Football Club

Coach: Ryan Edwards HC, Jamie Forsyth and Maika Ruyta-Hooley ACs

2021 season in brief: Ninth in Central League, Round 1 Chatham Cup, Kieran McMinn, Isaac Snell and Oliver Whitehead top CL goalscorers (4 each)

Waterside Karori

Coach: Sam Smith HC, Sam Morrissey AC

2021 season in brief:  Sixth in Central League, Round 4 Chatham Cup, Stefan Cordwell and Merlin Luke-Miny top CL goalscorers (7 each)

Wellington Olympic AFC

Coach: Rupert Kemeys HC, Jamie O’Connor and Scoota Roche ACs

2021 season in brief: South Central Series runners up, Central League Champions, Round 3 Chatham Cup, Jared Cunniff top CL goalscorer (15 goals)

Wellington Phoenix

Coach: Chris Greenacre HC, Steve Coleman AC

2021 season in brief: [As Lower Hutt City] Fourth in South Central Series, Third in Central League, Round 4 Chatham Cup, George Ott top CL goalscorer (21 goals, league golden boot winner)

Wellington United AFC

Coach: Guillermo Schiltenwolf HC, James Hardaker AC

2021 season in brief: Ultra Football Men’s Capital Premier League Runners Up, Central League Play-off runners up, Round 2 Chatham Cup, Leonardo Villa top CP goalscorer (6 goals)

Western Suburbs

Coach: Mark Atkinson HC, Tyler Logan AC

2021 season in brief: Fifth in South Central Series, Fourth in Central League, Semi-finalist Chatham Cup, Ihaia Delaney CL top goalscorer (10 goals)

Article added: Friday 25 March 2022