Welcome to The Debate, where the Mercury sport team discusses the big issues in Illawarra, national and international sport. This week, Mercury sports writers JOSH BARTLETT and JORDAN WARREN delve into local football and discuss whether it was the right call to extend the Illawarra Premier League season.
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Bartlett: Jordan, we're halfway through winter and should be seeing the finish line on the horizon for this year's football competitions. However, Football South Coast last week announced they were extending the Illawarra Premier League and District League by eight weeks, meaning things won't wrap up until late October. It's all because of that 'R' word that athletes and sports enthusiasts alike dread in 2022 - rain. After seeing another weekend of wet weather reducing play again, it's time to put on our thinking caps. Do you think it's enough time to cap these campaigns?
Warren: It's definitely a conundrum for those involved in the decision making process. I think that FSC is doing everything possible to finish off this season, especially after two incomplete seasons due to COVID. As for time, there's not much of it left and it will be a stretch to finish off the season. In an ideal world every game would be played before the start of summer sports, but if you were to think realistically, you would think there will be more rain to come and that means more washouts. Short-term fixes including playing "Super Saturdays" at Ian McLennan Park, the only synthetic pitch in the region have been tried, but it's just not possible to fit all IPL and IDL games on one pitch. Then FSC have the added pressure of whether they will enforce promotion and relegation. Can you see promotion and relegation going ahead this season?
Bartlett: It's a tough one. FSC has promised that both remain on the table for now, but I think it all depends on getting through a full season. We saw COVID destroy any chances of a proper comp last year, which I think was fair to scrap promotion/relegation for that season. Unless we get through all rounds in 2022, I think it would be fair for the bottom IPL side to be upset if they were relegated. However, on the flip side, the likes of Helensburgh, Unanderra and Shell Cove have been clear standouts in the District League for two years now, and probably deserve their shot at the top league. Let's just play a hypothetical game and say relegation/promotion gets the green light. There's four IPL sides currently in danger of dropping out of the grade - Bellambi, South Coast United, Woonona and Corrimal. Who do you think would be most worried?
Warren: Well before last weekend's results my money would have probably been on South Coast United, with the side finishing last the past couple of seasons. But after their immense performance against Corrimal on the weekend where they won 2-1 after being down to 10 men so early on in the game, my new relegation favourite would have to be Bellambi. The Rosellas were of course the last team to get promoted to the IPL a few years back, but Steve Dimitrievski's side have still yet to pick up a win this season and are coming off the back of an 8-0 thumping at the hands of Bulli on the weekend so you would think confidence would be pretty low at Elizabeth Park. As for the IDL, who would you say replaces them? Helensburgh for me have been the standout and with a squad that includes Brad Watts, Vaughan Patterson and Liam Unicomb, I'd say they would definitely shake things up in the top division.
Bartlett: You'd definitely have to lean towards the Thistle I reckon. Those three blokes you mentioned were all part of the Rosellas' system in 2020 after the club was promoted into the IPL. Patterson, in particular, was huge that year and actually led the league's goal-scoring with nine. The trio worked under the guidance of head coach Andrew Paine that season, finishing their campaign in a creditable seventh. They have now been reunited at Helensburgh and it seems to be working again, with the Thistle taking a commanding 12-point lead in the District League's championship race from Shell Cove and Unanderra. Picton is also lurking one point behind those last two teams mentioned, but it looks like Helensburgh's title to lose at this stage. Speaking of races to the top, what are your thoughts on the IPL's title contenders so far? And has Tarrawanna's great run of form caught you by surprise?
Warren: Tarrawanna's run has caught me by surprise at first but when you look in depth at the club there is no reason why they cannot keep this run going. Coached by former Socceroo legend Scott Chipperfield, the side has been building for some time now. Youngsters like Kyle Kirkland, Nic Tomasiello and Ben Learmonth have been playing consistent first grade football for some time now and are established IPL players. Those youngsters playing with veterans Matt Naylor, Adam Rodriguez and Dan Chapman is a recipe for good results on the field. Whether or not they can be there come seasons end I am not quite sure. Teams like Wollongong United, Wollongong Olympic, Bulli and Coniston have substantially better defensive records, but if Chipperfield's side keep banging in the goals, who knows?
Bartlett: Tarra have certainly done the hard yards this year. I've heard the argument that they've been lucky to play extra games than other teams so far, but who cares? Chipperfield's men have notched up eight wins in 2022 - that's one less than their past two seasons combined. However, do I think they will win the title? That's a tricky one. The likes of United and Olympic are always lurking near the top, while Bulli have really started to put it together after a couple of indifferent years. I actually think they're tracking really nicely. But I'm also not ready to write off Olympic or United, with Coniston as a smokey. So I've covered all bases there. Jordan, tell me, who is winning the IPL this year?
Warren: It's not a simple one, but for me, it's got to be Olympic. They have already knocked-off the Blueys and with a team that features the likes of Rick Goodchild, Justin Pasfield, Chris Price and Hikaru Kawasakiya, they have to be the favourites.
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