MEE: Well Josh, the Wolves have made a solid start to the relaunched season, with three wins from four outings. Those wins came in dominant fashion, with a pair of 4-1 victories and a 1-0 defeat of Mt Druitt that should have had a much bigger margin. Striker Lachlan Scott is in form, with four goals from four outings and Bul Juach has emerged as a future star. When the team is firing on all cylinders, it's clear they will be tough to beat. But that one loss could be cause for concern. Marconi arrived in Wollongong with a physical gameplan, with a desire to chip the Wolves at every chance they had. The strategy worked, with Luke Wilkshire's side making a number of poor turnovers, one of which led to a crucial goal.

So the crucial question is did the Stallions unveil the blueprint to defeat this Wolves side and how worried should Wilkshire be?

BARTLETT: I didn't get to see that game, but it sounds like the Stallions found a way to rattle their opponent. Is it a good tactic? Well, some would argue yes - it's their only loss so far. Or was it just a one-off? The element of surprise is huge in sport. Either way, when you're up against the reigning premiers, you've got to try something a little outside the box - fair play to Marconi for that.

While the Wolves are travelling alright in 2020, you have to wonder how better things would be if Thomas James was available. Last week, you wrote an article where James was clearly frustrated that A-League finalists Perth Glory wouldn't release him back to the Wolves. Cameron, what's your view on that situation? And how much would James help the Wollongong boys?

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MEE: It is crazy that the Glory continue to refuse to release him. He's left the A-League bubble, so he can make no contribution to the team on the field, he wasn't playing anyway, and he hasn't moved to a rival club. James playing in the NPL has zero impact on Perth. Clearly the Glory are frustrated that he walked out on the club, but the mature way to handle the situation would be to grant James a release and allow him to play for the Wolves.

Once he does get that release, which is inevitable, James will provide an immediate boost for Wollongong. The one area the side has struggled with in the opening four games has been converting chances in front of goal. That is what James does best. Just his presence makes the Wolves a more dangerous attacking side because he attracts extra attention from defenders. That will free up the likes of Scott and Takeru Okada to play with more freedom and will likely result in more attacking opportunities for those players. The one concern will be James' time away from the game, he hasn't played since round two of the original competition back in March. How long will it take him to find his groove once he does return?

BARTLETT: You've got to think that James will be a little rusty, at least initially, when he returns to the field. But I'd back the 27-year-old to quickly turn things around as he gets more game time. He's a class act and, as you've touched on, he also frees up space for his teammates in the process. James has played with the majority of these Wolves before, so you would imagine he would gel pretty quickly on return.

It will definitely be an interesting situation to keep a close eye on. Speaking of the Wolves, it's obviously been a difficult year for all grassroots footballers. But what are your thoughts on the standard of the NSW NPL in 2020?

MEE: For the most part, it's been pretty good. We've had a small number of players sit out this season or pursue other opportunities, but the games have been pretty tight and we've had a few upsets. Even the new boys, Western Sydney, who have come up from NPL2 have shown they can mix it with the top sides. With just 11 rounds this season, every game takes on more importance and that has shown in the intensity of the matches.

You've spent a bit more time watching the women play, with the Illawarra Stingrays currently riding a two-game winning streak. Do they have what it takes to continue climbing the ladder and make the finals?

BARTLETT: This is my first year covering the Stingrays, but I've been impressed with what I've seen so far. Bruce Tilt's side definitely features an interesting mix. They have arguably two of the best players (Michelle Carney and Caitlin Cooper) in the NSW Women's NPL1 comp, some W-League talent and a host of promising youngsters. They've done well to win two in a row, but one of those wins was against the bottom-placed team. Can they soar towards the finals? It's too early to tell. But they have another winnable game this week against the struggling Jets, before facing Manly - who are also fighting for a finals' position. The next fortnight will prove crucial for Illawarra's fortunes.

For me, it will be interesting to see how the young Stingrays continue to develop. The input of the likes of Bronte Trew, Chloe Middleton, Danika Matos and Eden Stoddard could shape how far this side goes in 2020. And, of course, Carney's goal-scoring ability and the experience of Cooper in the middle will be as important as ever.

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MEE: You're right, they've had a bit of a changing of the guard over the last couple of seasons, with a few senior players departing and a number of youngsters coming into the side.

The team has been in the mix for a title in recent years, but they haven't been able to break through and topple the competition's heavyweights.

Tilt has a long-term vision and a desire to build a squad that can achieve sustained success. The presence of Carney and Cooper and continued development of the younger players will make that job easier.

If all goes to plan, both the Wolves and the Rays will be lifting trophies this year and for years to come.