Brendan Fordham buoyed by soaring White Eagles in Premier League

With the arrival of new coach George Antoniou and a crop of fresh recruits, Fordham could feel something special brewing as he prepared for his fourth season with the White Eagles.

It's a feeling that has proven more than justified.

This year's Premier League season has rounded past the halfway mark, with Park shaping up as the clear title favourite. Antoniou's men have accumulated a comfortable points advantage at the top of the table to hold the likes of Wollongong Olympic and United at bay.

"We've got ourselves into the best spot that we can, but it's just a matter from here of staying on track. All pre-season, we knew that we were going to be up there and it's all paying off, but we've got to apply ourselves properly. If we keep doing what we're doing, I'm sure it will end well for us," Fordham told the Mercury.

"I think it's come down to who we've brought in, we've got great coaches here this year. George, Anthony Guido and Micky (Atsas) have all been fantastic for us and bring a wealth of experience in the local league. And it's also about the players they've brought in. 'Macca' (Josh Macdonald) is on board now, Tory (Musemeci), Liam Willie and Hayden Durose have been massive. We've done a really good recruitment drive in the off-season and it's showing now.

"George is unbelievable. He's a great coach, but he's a good person away from the field as well. He's always there for you, he will always pick up the phone. And everyone at the moment wants to train. I've been at clubs where you go to training because you have to, but it's like everyone wants to go to training at the moment. The club has a really good vibe at the moment and George is at the top of the pile of coaches."

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Fordham arrived at Albion Park in 2020 following stints with fellow IPL clubs Wollongong Olympic and Bulli. In that past four-year period, the White Eagles have been thereabouts near the top five, but haven't been able to win the premiership.

Park finished fifth in his debut campaign before claiming two huge wins in the finals, with their run cut short by premiers Woonona in the preliminary final.

The following season was cut short due to the impact of COVID-19 and they narrowly missed finals in 2022.

"The team has changed a lot in that time. I first came over there under Jase Davkovski and we had a good team then, with the likes of Ben Zucco and Jordan Nikolovski. It was looking promising and then COVID kicked in, and it kind of went south," Fordham said.

"We've gone through a few coaches, I'm not going to deny that, we've had people come in and out. But this year, I think we've really cemented ourselves in the league and the team we've got now is a formidable force. We can do something very special this year.

"I've been very lucky. I loved my time at Bulli, made great friends there, and Wollongong Olympic was great, I won the championship there. But Albion Park for me is right up there. I enjoy it there, my family enjoys it there, they look after me and we're winning matches.

"We've set the bar high this year and at the moment, we're stepping up to it."

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It's also been a great time for the defender away from the White Eagles.

Tthe 31-year-old was last week picked as captain of the Australian Indigenous football team to host the Aotearoa Moaris in a three-Test series to be held in Queensland in early July. It is the third year that he has been selected for the side, and the second time as skipper.

"It's a very big honour for me and my family. It's something that I keep very close to my heart and when I put the Australian jersey on, it's something that doesn't happen every day so you've got to cherish these moments. And I'm playing with some good players up there, we've got boys from the Queensland Premier League and South Australia and Victoria, so it's good to put the Illawarra Premier League on the map on the bigger stage too.

"I'm a proud Yuin man from the South Coast, I'm born and bred down here. And I respect a lot of the teams in Wollongong too because at Olympic, we did a NAIDOC Round with the shirts that I designed for a one-off game, and now Albion Park have taken that on too and they wear a NAIDOC strip. It's something that I hold really close to me and I know Albion Park support me in anything that I do."

Round 13 of the Premier League kicks off on Friday night with Cringila hosting Wollongong Olympic at Crehan Park.

The action continues with four games on Saturday. Wollongong United take on Bulli at Macedonia Park; Corrimal meets rivals Coniston at Memorial Park; Helensburgh tackles Bellambi at Rex Jackson Oval; and South Coast United hosts the White Eagles at Ian McLennan Park.

The round will then wrap up on Sunday afternoon with Port Kembla taking on Tarrawanna at Wetherall Park.

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