After a long off-season, the competition is poised for a cracking six months of football.

At this early stage, Melbourne Victory seem to be the team to beat again after claiming the Premiers Plate and grand final a season ago.

Despite losing Mark Milligan after last season’s decider, they look to have brought in the right replacements to contend for the title once more.

Sydney FC could be their obvious danger but it’s hard to rule out any club with the campaign yet to begin. 

As always the region is well represented with guys across plenty of different clubs in the league.

Wollongong’s Matt Jurman and Helensburgh teen Aaron Calver have already been sighted in the region with Sydney FC just a week or two ago and are both pushing for starting spots at the Sky Blues.

Corey Gameiro at Melbourne City, Brendon Santalab at Western Sydney Wanderers and Ruben Zadkovich at Perth Glory will all be hoping to do likewise at their respective clubs in the opening rounds of the campaign.

It should provide plenty of interest for followers of our local products, who can also keep an eye out for the growing number of W-League players hailing from the Illawarra.

Michelle Carney, Erica Halloway, Caitlin Cooper and Jordan Baker will all be wearing red and black when the women’s competition kicks-off on October 17.

Shellharbour’s Michelle Heyman is at Canberra United again and Caitlin Foord remains in Perth as they attempt to defend the title they claimed last December.

United take top honours

WHAT a gutsy effort in the Illawarra Premier League decider from Wollongong United.

They mightn’t have had the better of the play in their battle with Dapto-Dandaloo but they got what matters most on grand final day.

You take silverware in any way you can get it and their determination proved the key to that at WIN Stadium on Sunday in a typically tense decider.

It was a well deserved victory after a couple of very consistent years in the top flight where they have been knocking at the door.

All in all, the entire weekend again highlighted the abundance of talent across the local leagues.

In particular, it was hard not to be impressed with the curtain raising Youth Grade final between Bulli and the Fury.

A lot of boys in that under-20’s decider definitely caught our eye as potential Wollongong Wolves players for next season.

With trials for all our youth grades starting in October, there is plenty of opportunity for guys to make that step-up if they are looking for a new challenge when next season rolls around.