2024 Zone League 1

[Nou Camp]

May find it is some older young ones rather than young ones. From 2026 an NPL 1st grade team sheet will need 3 players under 23 and 2 players under 20. So there will be a need to move out some players in their mid to late 20s from NPL.

End of the day the main reason they are wanting to remove thirds is to allow for easy promotion/relegation between all tiers, ZL2 no longer have to now find a thirds when going up, NL1 don't have to find one when going down, ZL1 don't have to get rid of one when going up and ZL2 don't have to get rid of one when going down.

I also suspect long term plan is to bring in U18s for Zone League as well to also help teams be promoted and relegated.

NNSWF and FFA constantly making changes over the last 20 years and for what???? have they made the game any better in that time
game is more expensive to play than ever
a league on life support
hardly any aussies playing in top 5 leagues in europe let alone dominating
NPL crowds are terrible
NNSWF have hardly produced any decent players
football executives getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars
Junior national teams losing to minnows and only made 1 out of last 4 olympics
i could go on for a while
but yeh lets make more and more changes

[Nou Camp]

I'm not advocating for or against getting rid of or retaining thirds, do I do think some of the discourse as to why they must stay has been exaggerated. No doubt some of those young thirds players are good enough to be in reserves and potentially looking to take those spots, perhaps some reserves are ready to go into 1sts as well and hopefully be able to score more than 1 goal in open play against 8 players for 40 mins. Shouldn't be a case of going you were in thirds this year so you later.

Lol just worry about Croatia,
spending saudi money to scrape through comps against people just playing for the shirt
we have done pretty good for ourselves over the years (without paying a cent)

[Kicktheball]

Absolute comical decision if they plan on removing third grade. What actually goes through these peoples minds. You are playing the best version of Zone League, suck it up and find a team for 3rd grade.

Diminishing club culture by tapping 15 blokes on the shoulder and telling them that sorry we don't have a spot for you this season.

Reevaluate your decision and think of how many people this will affect. I also do not believe the survey/poll results, we had such a great year in ZPL this year and now they backflip to align this grade with the top grades.

Zone football is in a perfect spot, keep third grade, and move on with it.

I will be attending the meeting that is being held in the coming weeks.

[Mr Beautiful 2.0]

What happened to the Zone league cup? The idea got floated years ago by me and like all great ideas it seems to have fallen upon deaf ears.
A single leg knockout competition for all first-grade teams across zone league divisions. Hosted by Suns & Dudley over summer, 60 min games that go straight to penalties.
R1 32 teams, R2 16 teams, R3 8 teams R4 4 teams R5 Grand final.

As for ex npl youth coming to zone league, sadly often not good enough for 3rds, you will see better football played on the streets of Brazil by 8 year olds than the stuff we witness on npl pitches.

[Jardelsimage]

May find it is some older young ones rather than young ones. From 2026 an NPL 1st grade team sheet will need 3 players under 23 and 2 players under 20. So there will be a need to move out some players in their mid to late 20s from NPL.

End of the day the main reason they are wanting to remove thirds is to allow for easy promotion/relegation between all tiers, ZL2 no longer have to now find a thirds when going up, NL1 don't have to find one when going down, ZL1 don't have to get rid of one when going up and ZL2 don't have to get rid of one when going down.

I also suspect long term plan is to bring in U18s for Zone League as well to also help teams be promoted and relegated.

If this is true, it shows how disillusioned Northern are and also shows how much of a lacky for Northern is NF.
We had Edgy train at our ground this year, 90% were under 20.

Imagine it happening in the EPL if Man City says see ya Hagland, to old we have to a couple of 20 year olds play, that's the rules...

Football around here and the country needs to get back to basics, if a kid is good enough, he plays, if not he doesn't, giving spots based on age is the catalyst for disaster, what's next colour or race, maybe you have to be the 2nd born of a worn torn country in the middle east. FMD

[Bremsstrahlung]

Stipulations on first grade is ridiculous.

All clubs should be aiming to put out their best teams regardless of age. Playing first grade should be because you’re one of the best 11 players in your club that week. Not because you need to tick a box and you’re of a particular age.

Leave all the stipulations for lesser grades.

If somebody 20-23 needs this age restriction business to get a gig in first grade, they shouldn’t be there.


Our NPL first grade should be the best players week in week out. If you are good enough, you are young or old enough.

[prawnhead]

May find it is some older young ones rather than young ones. From 2026 an NPL 1st grade team sheet will need 3 players under 23 and 2 players under 20. So there will be a need to move out some players in their mid to late 20s from NPL.

End of the day the main reason they are wanting to remove thirds is to allow for easy promotion/relegation between all tiers, ZL2 no longer have to now find a thirds when going up, NL1 don't have to find one when going down, ZL1 don't have to get rid of one when going up and ZL2 don't have to get rid of one when going down.

I also suspect long term plan is to bring in U18s for Zone League as well to also help teams be promoted and relegated.

For someone who?s just a player at Croatia Taffy, you sure know a heck of a lot about off the park stuff. Croatia are lucky to have you.

I?ve heard same about age changes in NPL season 2026 with younger player rules. As an add on, I?ve heard that some of these younger players will have to have come through the club?s junior system. I?m mates with a couple of current NPL 1st team coaches, and both have said 2025 will be their last season due to said changes for 2026.

[northern_swan]

Surely NPL isn't going towards an age restrictions for First Grade match days? That would be ridiculous and a disaster.

In any other walk of life discrimination rules prevent alot of decisions based on factors that include age. Why prevent players older then 23 from playing first grade. I know it's the wrong forum but that post made me concerned and frustrated. Nothing wrong with the post, but the topic is concerning.

I?m not going in to bat for Northern here, but are these changes being pushed down from FA? If I?m not mistaken, these kind of rules are present in other NPLs around the country, so are Northern being ?mandated? to implement the same here?

[Two tone]

I?m not going in to bat for Northern here, but are these changes being pushed down from FA? If I?m not mistaken, these kind of rules are present in other NPLs around the country, so are Northern being ?mandated? to implement the same here?

Yep it?s coming down from the top.
Now a saying comes to mind.
That the fish rots from the head.

[samcan]

Stipulations on first grade is ridiculous.

All clubs should be aiming to put out their best teams regardless of age. Playing first grade should be because you’re one of the best 11 players in your club that week. Not because you need to tick a box and you’re of a particular age.

Totally agree. Making 1st grade at 17 because its fully deserved is awesome. As a token, its a false commodity.

Absolute comical decision if they plan on removing third grade. What actually goes through these peoples minds. You are playing the best version of Zone League, suck it up and find a team for 3rd grade.
Diminishing club culture by tapping 15 blokes on the shoulder and telling them that sorry we don't have a spot for you this season.

But at this point 3rds is still there right? So do they need to cut anyone?

We need a ZL4

[Builtwithlove18]

Croatia would love to know who taffy is….

[Zonal Marking]

Croatia would love to know who taffy is?.

I thought he was their first grade coach?

[Builtwithlove18]

I thought he was their first grade coach?

Big fella hates this forum?.his too busy making Croatia great

[Taffy]

(without paying a cent)

Bullshit

[Taffy]

If this is true, it shows how disillusioned Northern are and also shows how much of a lacky for Northern is NF.
We had Edgy train at our ground this year, 90% were under 20.

That's because you had their U18s there.

Though since their 1st grade squad is published by Northern it is not that hard to see that 16 of their 20 players were over the age of 20. Half were born in the 90s. For those who can't believe it the 90s ended 25 years ago.

Imagine it happening in the EPL if Man City says see ya Hagland, to old we have to a couple of 20 year olds play, that's the rules...

EPL doesn't nor does the A-League, though you will find various restrictions in place including age as you go down the English Football Pyramid.

[Taffy]

I?ve heard same about age changes in NPL season 2026 with younger player rules. As an add on, I?ve heard that some of these younger players will have to have come through the club?s junior system. I?m mates with a couple of current NPL 1st team coaches, and both have said 2025 will be their last season due to said changes for 2026.

Yes that is true, need 3 home grown players that spent 3 years at the club before turning 21. Jason Hoffman meets this criteria at Olympic for example.

a couple of current NPL 1st team coaches, and both have said 2025 will be their last season due to said changes for 2026.

Good, we get to see some fresh blood (I doubt they will be quitting), most clubs wouldn't be that far away from meeting the requirements anyway.

It's all here for those interested https://www.footballaustralia.com.au...s-competitions

I?m not going in to bat for Northern here, but are these changes being pushed down from FA? If I?m not mistaken, these kind of rules are present in other NPLs around the country, so are Northern being ?mandated? to implement the same here?

Yes it is an FA requirement for all NPL competitions from 2026

[Taffy]

Stipulations on first grade is ridiculous.

All clubs should be aiming to put out their best teams regardless of age. Playing first grade should be because you?re one of the best 11 players in your club that week. Not because you need to tick a box and you?re of a particular age.

Of course then you get comments like this

NNSWF have hardly produced any decent players

And we wonder why youth players aren't getting time when we can just fill the league with ex a-league players.

Anyway this is better for a discussion on the NPL thread since that's the only league this affects

[Jardelsimage]

That's because you had their U18s there.

Though since their 1st grade squad is published by Northern it is not that hard to see that 16 of their 20 players were over the age of 20. Half were born in the 90s. For those who can't believe it the 90s ended 25 years ago.


It was defiantly their 1st and reggies mate...sorry Chris, you weren't there.


EPL doesn't nor does the A-League, though you will find various restrictions in place including age as you go down the English Football Pyramid.

This was an example of how stupid it would sound like if the EPL had it...that's all...

[Taffy]

This was an example of how stupid it would sound like if the EPL had it...that's all...

I think you missed a quote mark, but regardless the player roster is published by Northern for everyone to see, 16 of their 20 players on their 1st grade roster were 20+

[Jardelsimage]

I think you missed a quote mark, but regardless the player roster is published by Northern for everyone to see, 16 of their 20 players on their 1st grade roster were 20+

wouldn't be by much, can you give me a break down?