The first full round of the new ISPS Handa Premiership season takes place this weekend, check out what’s in store with the official preview.

For the full draw and more information please click here

Eastern Suburbs vs Hawke’s Bay United
Madills Farm, Auckland (Please note this differs from the venue originally released)
Saturday 20 October, 4pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ESvHB

Referee: AM Keighley
Assistant Referees: C Trent, R Al Rabea
Fourth Official: A Wilson

Squads

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Andrew Withers (GK), 3. Kelvin Kalua, 4. Nando Pijnaker, 6. Harrison Moss-Edge, 7. Tim Payne, 10. Andre de Jong, 11. Mohamed Awad, 12. Kingsley Sinclair, 14. Elijah Just, 15. Dalton Wilkins, 16. Dominic Wooldridge, 18. Patryk Misik, 23. Campbell Strong, 24. Jack Duncan, 25. Matthew Garbett, 30. Nicholas Milner (GK)
Coach: Danny Hay

Hawke’s Bay United: 1. Mackenzie Waite (GK), 2. Anders Eriksson, 3. Liam Schofield, 4. Cameron Lindsay, 5. Joseph Zupo, 6. Daniel Allan, 7. Cory Chettleburgh, 8. Paul Ifill, 10. Sho Goto, 12. Ben Lack, 15. Dilan Nanayakkara, 17. Jordan Lamb, 21. Bjorn Christensen, 22. Karan Mandair, 23. Jorge Akers, 26. Alexander Britton (GK)
Coach: Brett Angell

Lowdown

Suburbs have teamed up with the Wellington-based Ole Football Academy and it will be fascinating to see what sort of impact the promising young players who have headed north will have on the competition. Despite fielding a new-look line-up, the All Whites duo of Tim Payne and Andre de Jong will likely be the key figures for Suburbs again and Hawke’s Bay must keep a particularly close watch on the latter as he always provides a goal-scoring threat. The visitors’ biggest off-season signing was former All White Cameron Lindsay and his battle in the middle of the park with Payne could go some way towards deciding the outcome. Today is Paul Ifill’s 39^th birthday and he will hope to mark the milestone with an inspirational display for the Bay, for whom he is also assistant coach.

Quotes

Danny Hay (Eastern Suburbs coach): “Hawke’s Bay are a good side, you only need to look back over the years that Brett’s been taking them to see how competitive they’ve been. So we’re going to have to be on our toes and make sure we nullify some of those threats. But we’re going out there to play a really exciting, attacking brand of football and have got the players to do that.”

Canterbury United vs Southern United
English Park, Christchurch
Sunday 21 October, 1pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #CUvSU

Referee: CK Kawana-Waugh
Assistant Referees: I Trevis, M Love
Fourth Official: N Burnett

Squads

Canterbury United: 22. Conor Tracey (GK), 2. Dan Terris, 3. Aaron Spain, 5. Tom Schwarz, 6. Gary Ogilvie, 7. George King, 8. Luke Tongue, 9. Maksym Kowal, 10. Adam Thurston, 11. James Pendrigh, 12. Reese Cox, 13. Lewis Gordon (GK), 14. Sean Liddicoat, 16. Cory Mitchell, 17. Stephen Hoyle, 21. Seth Clark
Coach: Willy Gerdsen

Southern United: 1. Liam Little (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Jared Grove, 4. Stephen Last, 5. Erik Panzer, 6. Danny Ledwith, 7. Riley Anderton, 8. Tony Whitehead, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 10. Abdulla Al-Kalisy, 11. Benjamin Wade, 12. Rory Findlay, 14. Adam Hewson, 15. Blake Weston, 16. Stewart Catto (GK), 18. Markus Fjortoft
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

Lowdown

This South Island derby is always a fiercely-fought affair and Sunday’s clash has even more of an edge to it with Southern showing so much improvement last season and now keen to take that to another level. Having finished fifth in the previous campaign, that means a genuine push for the playoffs and defeating Canterbury on their own patch would certainly be a significant statement of intent. They also have a score to settle with the Dragons after losing both matches between the pair last year while Canterbury can’t afford a sluggish start to the season if they are to launch a serious bid to break the current Auckland City-Team Wellington monopoly on the title. It’s not likely to be a cruisy debut for Southern defender Markus Fjortoft, who will need most of his 6’5” frame to deal with Canterbury’s combative striker Stephen Hoyle.

Quotes

Gary Ogilvie (Canterbury United): “We know it’s always going to be a tough game against Southern. We know they’re going to be strong, physical and will look to come out and bring a high intensity game. They’ll challenge us in a lot of different areas but we’re looking forward to that challenge.”

Garbhan Coughlan (Southern United): “We’re excited to get going, it’s been a long pre-season. Canterbury are going to be very strong but I think we’ve done a lot of work over the past eight weeks out on the grass and hopefully we can put on a bit of a show. We probably surprised a few people in finishing fifth last year and the aim is to better that.”

Hamilton Wanderers vs Waitakere United
Porritt Stadium, Hamilton
Sunday 21 October, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HWvWU

Referee: C Mills
Assistant Referees: B Norman, A Lamberth
Fourth Official: AM Keighley

Squads

Hamilton Wanderers: 1. Matt Oliver (GK), 2. James Hoyle, 3. Joe Nottage, 5. Agustin Contratti, 6. Stafford Dowling, 7. Gensei Nakamura, 8. Brad Whitworth, 9. Rhys Ruka, 10. Martin Bueno, 11. Jordan Shaw, 13. Tommy Semmy, 14. Paul Clout, 18. Steffano Riley, 20. Derek Tieku, 23. Jonathan Mannes (GK)
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Waitakere United: 1. Danyon Drake (GK), 3. Kohei Matsumoto, 4. Ben Gordon, 5. Alec Solomons, 6. Dylan Burns, 7. Oscar Browne, 8. Sam Burfoot, 10. Eder Franchini Pasten, 11. Sanni Issa, 14. David Parkinson, 15. Tawanda Marowa, 17. Jake Butler, 19. Bill Robertson, 20. Oliver Bassett, 21. Andrew Abba, 22. Nick Draper (GK)
Coach: Chris Milicich

Lowdown

Hamilton have not enjoyed a pleasing time since entering the ISPS Handa Premiership two seasons ago, finishing in the bottom two on both occasions. But the word on the street is that this year’s crop of players will be much more competitive and, at the very least, are more than capable of shaking off the wooden spoon. This weekend will provide an early indication of just how far they can go and a home tie against another side who suffered a disappointing campaign last time out is as good a game first up as Wanderers coach Ricki Herbert could have hoped for. He has brought together what looks to be a promising strike force in Tommy Semmy and Derek Tieku and will be expecting them to provide a real test for Waitakere’s new central defensive pairing of Alec Solomons and the wily Bill Robertson, a shrewd acquisition from Hawke’s Bay.

Quotes

Ricki Herbert (Hamilton Wanderers coach): “I’m really happy with the group of players we’ve been able to assemble and the past six weeks has been really good. It comes down now to the opening fixture against Waitakere and, as we know, they’ve been a very successful team in this competition so it will be tough but we’re thoroughly looking forward to it.”

Auckland City vs Tasman United
Kiwitea Street, Auckland
Sunday 21 October, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ACvTU

Referee: C Berg
Assistant Referees: L Agnew, M Batoor
Fourth Official: A Wilson

Squads

Auckland City: 1. Enaut Zubikarai (GK), 2. Daniel McHenery, 3. Takuya Iwata, 5. Angel Berlanga, 6. Brian Kaltak, 7. Cameron Howieson, 9. Javier Lopez, 10. Micah Lea’alafa, 12. Dylan Manickum, 14. Jordan Vale, 15. Daniel Morgan, 17. Reid Drake, 18. Ruben Parker (GK), 19. David Browne, 20. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, 23. Alfie Rogers
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx

Tasman United: 1. Corey Wilson (GK), 3. Simon Wilson, 4. Thomas Hickey, 5. Fox Slotemaker, 6. Bertie Fish, 7. Corey Larsen, 8. Matt Tod-Smith, 10. Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 11. Alex Ridsdale, 12. Ahmed Othman, 13. Daniel McClay, 14. Ryan Worrall, 15. Konan Hey, 19. Chester Gaskin, 22. Max Winterton, 23. Keegan Smith (GK)
Coach: Andy Hedge

Lowdown

Defending champions Auckland City had the opportunity to steal an early march on their rivals as one of only two sides in action last weekend and they took full advantage, edging out Team Wellington 4-3 to reclaim the Charity Cup. Ominously for the rest of the league, wide players Micah Lea’alafa and David Browne looked in fine form and that will be a worry for Tasman as the pace and flair of the Pacific Island pair is difficult to stop when they’re in full flow. Spanish striker Javier Lopez also provided a threat against Wellington and scored on debut so the visitors will certainly need to be at their best defensively. A trip to one of the best sides in the country is not exactly an ideal start for Tasman as they are in transition under new boss Andy Hedge and are likely to need time to reveal their true identity.

Quotes

Ramon Tribulietx (Auckland City coach): “This is their first game so they’ll be fresh and the new players will want to make an impression. They have a new coach as well so that makes them a dangerous rival. So we need to be prepared for a tough game and we’re entering the game blind-folded in some respects because we don’t know much about them.”

Wellington Phoenix vs Team Wellington
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Sunday 21 October, 2.10pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #WPvTW
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: B O’Connell
Assistant Referees: E Cook, T Pedley
Fourth Official: C Bennett

Squads

Wellington Phoenix: 1. Zac Jones (GK), 2. Dino Botica, 4. Liam Moore, 5. Kurtis Mogg, 6. Gianni Stensness, 8. Tacettin Kumsuz, 9. Calvin Harris, 10. Willem Ebbinge, 11. Sam Sutton, 12. Oliver Valentine, 13. Noah Tipene-Clegg, 16. Ronan Wynne, 17. Benjamin Waine, 19. Maximilian Batchelor, 21. Owen Smith, 40. Alexander Paulsen (GK)
Coach: Paul Temple

Team Wellington: 1. Scott Basalaj (GK), 2. Justin Gulley, 3. Scott Hilliar, 4. Mario Ilich, 5. Liam Wood, 6. Taylor Schrijvers, 8. Henry Cameron, 10. Nathanael Hailemariam, 11. Mario Barcia, 12. Andy Bevin, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 17. Alex Palezevic, 19. Ross Allen, 21. Hamish Watson, 22. Marcel Kampman (GK)
Coach: Jose Figueira

Lowdown

This is part of a feast of football in the capital with the Phoenix first team set to kick off their A-League campaign against the Newcastle Jets on the same ground straight after. Their younger counterparts will hope to inspire them with a pleasing performance of their own in the ‘Wel Clasico’ but it will be very tricky against a Team Wellington outfit in need of the points. The ‘away’ side already have ground to make up after falling to Auckland City on the opening day and going six points behind at such an early stage would not be deemed acceptable by Jose Figueira, who recently led New Zealand to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Skippered by Sam Sutton, the ‘Nix will field a very promising young line-up as always but Figueira will expect the experience and nous of his side to win out over the raw talent of their opponents.

Quotes

Paul Temple (Wellington Phoenix coach): “We’ve been lucky to have a full six-week pre-season and have had some really good games against other Premiership opposition. The players always get excited when they get to play at the stadium and before the first team – it’s their opportunity to showcase themselves in front of the Yellow Fever and the first-team staff.”

Jose Figueira (Team Wellington coach): “This is always a tricky game in the league. It’s hard to fully know the type of line-up and what professional players will be dropping down to face us. Whilst this is a little bit of the unknown, what we do know about the Phoenix Reserves is how they try to play – with high tempo, quick transition moments and always looking to put their opponents under pressure quickly.”

Article added: Saturday 20 October 2018