With perhaps the toughest beginning to the season out of anyone else, David Carney's Wollongong Wolves side want to start off like a house on fire.
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The Wolves will travel to Marconi Stadium, the home of the Stallions, for round one of the National Premier League Men's NSW season. They will in fact begin the campaign with back-to-back away games. Making it an even stronger test is the fact that only one of their first five games are at home.
With his squad assembled and plans in place, Carney has high hopes that his Wolves team can improve on 2023.
Starting with Marconi
The Wolves went 0-2 against the Stallions win 2023, losing 4-0 at home to them and then suffered late heartbreak at Marconi Stadium later in the season, losing 1-0 to an 88th minute winner.
"Marconi play the way Marconi play," Carney said.
"They go very long, direct and they rely on second balls. They're very strong with set pieces. They're not going to change it too much. I've watched a couple of games of them in pre-season and they play the same way.
"They've got a couple of younger players now, but still a few experienced players. Honestly I think 11 v 11, I think we have a better side. It's just whether we can match their intensity regarding physical presence.
"It's all about us and how we play. Last time we played them at the end of last season, we destroyed them and even their coaching staff said it as well.
"If we do that I'm sure we'll get the win."
Wolves handed tough start
Just one home fixture in their first five is not the draw the Wolves were after. But Carney said there was two ways of looking at it.
"It's important you get off to a good start," he said.
"I don't really know how that schedule could happen. It's something that I don't think we were too happy about, but it is what it is.
"But then on the flip side of it, you look at is as a positive. You go out against the bigger teams and you don't know where they're at at the start of the season. So if we can go on a bit of a run at the start then hopefully we'll be in the playoffs come the end of the season.
"We've got a great run at the last five games being four games at home. So there's two ways of looking at that and I'm confident."
Kickoff for the match on Saturday, February 17 will be at 7pm. Games are streamed live on NPL NSW's YouTube channel.
Jordan Warren
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
