With the 2025 NPL SA season on the horizon, Front Page Football's Antonis Pagonis looks at a question surrounding each team in the competition.
Campbelltown City celebrate winning the 2024 NPL SA Championship. (Image: Pagonis Photography)
How will the Mullen era begin at Campbelltown?
The Mullen name has been synonymous with Campbelltown City for a while. In 2025, it will return to the club's coaching staff again. After Michael Matricciani was appointed Melbourne City's A-League Women's coach, the Red Devils wasted no time announcing that central defender Daniel Mullen would take over the reins after retiring in the off-season.
Mullen follows in the footsteps of his father, Joe, as head coach of the South Australian powerhouse. During Joe's stint at Campbelltown, the Red Devils won four championships, three consecutively between 2018 and 2020. If Daniel's reign is half as successful as his father's, he will have much to be proud of in his first coaching job.
Campbelltown City will again be led by Mullen's cousin, Alex Mullen, who remains one of the league's most prominent players alongside stars Josh Mori and Marc Marino. However, the team will also feature a youthful boost by adding Luca Meggetto, James Carrocci, and Adam Leombruno. Looking to defend their 2025 championship, Campbelltown has also brought club legend Adam Piscioneri back while adding quality at both ends of the pitch through former A-League forward Kwabena Appiah and Solomon Islander Javin Alick.
Will it be third time lucky for the new-look MetroStars?
With two premierships and a Federation Cup, there is little argument that MetroStars have been the most consistent side in South Australian football across the last two seasons. Unfortunately for Danny Graystone's team, the NPL SA Championship has eluded them, with a heartbreaking semi-final loss in 2023 and a Grand Final defeat in 2024.
Despite losing the league's top goalscorer for a second consecutive season, first James Temelkovski and now Ren Nagamatsu, MetroStars have replenished their attacking stocks by attracting young NPL duo Tom Visser and Jake Porter as well as Ayrton Redmore and Owen Windsor from interstate and overseas respectively. The club's backline has also received a boost, with Para Hills defender Lionel Muhititira joining and former captain Anthony Solagna returning after a year away. Utility Arbi Mollas also joined Metro's talented list.
While often seen as the on-field pace-setters of the NPL SA in recent years, MetroStars know they need to solidify that claim by claiming a title during this period. With a spot in the inaugural Australian Championship up for grabs, expect MetroStars to continue pushing for excellence and a spot on the national stage again.
Can Modbury take that elusive next step?
Modbury's last three seasons can be characterised by two contrasting themes: overachievement and heartbreak. Surprise Federation Cup and Finals Series runs, and even spending most of the 2024 season in the top spot, look fantastic on paper. But Maurice Natale's side has been left empty-handed when it comes to silverware.
The Jets have not rested on their laurels in the off-season, bringing in Adelaide United NPL players Matias Aloisi and Patrick McGregor alongside fellow talented youngsters Zakaria Abdullahi and Fred Sunday. Lui Ditroia has returned to South Australia to join his brother, Daniel, after a season with APIA Leichhardt in New South Wales. Alex Woodlands takes over from Ryan Neild between the sticks after the latter was left unsigned due to Football Australia's change of player roster principles.
Modbury's additions come while retaining the quality of their squad, including Sergio Melta Medallist Hamish McCabe and a fit Jordan O'Doherty. The Jets have all the makings of a team that can do a lot of damage in 2025, and with many of their players experiencing the ups and downs of recent seasons, expect Modbury to be once again hungry to end this season with silverware.
What does Adelaide City look like post-Pezos?
2024 was a rollercoaster year for Adelaide City, who, after a slow beginning that saw them slump into the relegation zone for a moment, made the Finals Series and pushed MetroStars before being eliminated at the semi-final stage. The end of the season also signified the end of Paul Pezos' accolade-filled reign at Adelaide City, receiving a deserved shot in an A-League Men set up as an assistant coach at Melbourne City.
Pezos has been replaced by Adelaide United NPL assistant coach Vas Parhas, who will be looking to implement his style with some new additions.
John Hall returns from Melbourne to replace Dakota Ochsenham in goals. Yuki Kitano joins the Zebras from NPL NSW champions Marconi, and Binyam Kebede adds depth to the attacking unit. The most eye-catching signing, though, must be former A-League player Bruce Kamau, who can light the league up in search of a professional opportunity.
When replacing a coach of the stature and tenure of Paul Pezos, there will always be teething issues. Parhas will be looking to steady the ship as his side competes for silverware for another year.
What follows the great Comets reset?
During the off-season, one of the biggest eyebrow-raisers was the mass migration of Adelaide Comets staples, such as Allan Welsh, Nathan Andijanto, Adam LeCornu, and Ryan Yates, to the promoted West Torrens Birkalla. This group has been instrumental over the years, and it saw the club reach four consecutive Grand Finals, so losing them all in one fell swoop will make the team look very different on the pitch.
Replacing George Tsonis, new coach Kon Antoniou is backing the Comets' young charges while also making key signings from overseas and across the competition as the club prepares to finally play its first season out of their home at Ellis Park.
Imposing central defender Matt Chandler joins the Comets from Canada, while midfielder Nikola Stoijanovic joins from Serbia. One of the most significant signings across the league will be Damian Ljujic's move from FK Beograd to Comets. Meanwhile, Gianni Tramontin, Seb Goode, and Harry Thomas reinforce the side across all areas of the pitch.
With the Comets getting younger, their progress will be closely monitored, and if they succeed, don't be surprised if other clubs begin following that model.
Who will rise to keep the Young Reds up?
The life of a youth side in a senior competition is as challenging as it is complicated; that fact is no different for Adelaide United in 2025. From incredible heights to staggering lows, Airton Andrioli's job is to develop his players while searching for consistency in a naturally inconsistent environment.
While the usual promotions from the club's Reserves side and demotions from NPL regulars from the A-League Men side will make up most of the team's ins and outs, the Young Reds have recruited Alex Batistella and Frank Busasa from Adelaide City and Adelaide Croatia Raiders, respectively.
Scholarship players such as Fabian Talladira, Amlani Tatu, Feyzo Kasumovic, and Malual Nichola will be heavily relied upon, as will more experienced NPL performers such as Harry Crawford, Joey Garuccio, Sotiri Phillis, and Vinko Stanisic. The Young Reds' goals always start with development and retaining their NPL status. But as we have seen in previous years, they can flirt with the extremes of silverware and relegation depending on the season's developments.
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Can Beograd finally squeeze into the NPL SA Finals Series?
Since earning promotion to the NPL three seasons ago, FK Beograd has threatened to break into the Finals Series. But the conclusion of their campaigns has always found them just outside the top six.
Injuries and, unfortunately, timed departures have played their part in that misfortune. But Adrian D'Aloia will be hoping this is the year when his side returns to the post-season. Cooper Nunn returns from America to bolster the backline, alongside the signing of Markus Orchard from Sturt Lions and Jordan Leane from Adelaide United.
Meanwhile, Beograd has reinforced in other areas of the pitch, with Riley Stam signing from Adelaide United and Kristin Konstandopoulos joining his brother, Jason, from Campbelltown and hoping to return from a long-term injury to bolster the club's midfield. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Boselli has joined the club from overseas.
In a league as competitive as ever, the tightest margins usually determine who manages to capture the last spots to qualify for the Finals Series. FK Beograd has enough difference-makers to ensure they are on the right side of the ledger if they can find some consistency.
Can Tsonis change Croydon's fortunes?
Like FK Beograd, Croydon's past couple of seasons have seen them be the chasing pack's hard luck story. They have been a team with plenty of quality that is not consistent enough to finish on the right side of the six come the season's final day. Incoming coach George Tsonis has previously taken Adelaide Olympic and Adelaide Comets into that fold in his past two senior head coaching jobs and will aim to do the same with Polonia.
Croydon has retained the quality of stars such as Andre Carle, Meiya Hisamoto, and Bol Mapor. They have added to their ranks across the pitch.
Adelaide Olympic captain James Polli rejoined Polonia after his club's relegation, as did teammate Pasia John. Young trio Oscar Slattery, Luca Trimboli, and Thomas Mastrantuone join in looking for an opportunity. At the same time, former A-League Men goalkeeper Daniel Margush steps in between the sticks, providing solid protection and a good mentor for prodigy Tumbika Kalua.
While Croydon can do some damage, they have been plagued by inconsistency the past couple of seasons. Tsonis has shown in the past that he can maximise his resources to the best of his ability, which will go a long way if Polonia is to return to finals football in 2025.
Will Raiders sustain their momentum throughout the season?
After triumphantly earning promotion to the NPL for the 2024 season, hopes were high for the Adelaide Croatia Raiders. A strong start to the season saw them meet expectations, with wins over Adelaide City and rivals FK Beograd clear highlights from the campaign's first half. As the season progressed, though, the momentum began wearing off, with points dropped needlessly in games that Croatia faired much better in just weeks earlier, with Raiders even embroiled in a relegation battle in the season's final weeks.
An ambitious club, the Raiders want to play finals football, and their transfer activity supports that. Donatien Niyonkuru returns to the club from the Central Coast Mariners, with Marco Torriani and Alessio Benvenuto joining from Adelaide Olympic. Having marksman Anthony Costa fit from the beginning of the season will also prove to be a difference-maker in 2025.
Croatia coach Vlado Blazeka insists that his team does not just want to win but also entertain, and with a roster to do just that, it will undoubtedly continue. That style of play hinges on confidence, and for Croatia to make noise in the post-season, that momentum must carry through the campaign so they can pick up enough points to qualify.
Can the Knights reverse their late-2024 form?
The Para Hills Knights began their return to the NPL in 2024 like a house on fire, defeating rivals and 2023 Grand Finalists Modbury Jets away in Round 1. Most of the first half of the season was kind to the Knights, but, just like fellow promoted side Raiders, the second half of the season was a stark contrast.
The Knights stayed up by the skin of their teeth after winning just one of their last 10 games. With coach Theo Tsiounis taking the West Adelaide job, his replacement Tony Galanopoulos has his hands full trying to steady the ship.
Signings have been made in the form of Gus Williams and Kelvin Kamburu. However, key players such as Harrison Conant, Abu Hussein, and Yanni Delengas will again be heavily relied upon in 2025.
Galanopoulos' first job is to ensure his side puts a rough end to 2024 behind them and begins 2025 in a similar vein to last season. The Knights will have to fight for everything they get in this new campaign, and a strong start is paramount to retain their NPL status.
Will a new-look Birkalla gel in time to make an impact?
The last time West Torrens Birkalla was in the NPL, the one criticism they faced coming into the season was that they did not add enough quality to their side to enter the top flight. The side was relegated as wooden spooners. Chairman Amin Ayoubi ensured that was not the case after promotion to the NPL for 2025, with an onslaught of signings.
The aforementioned Comets trio of LeCornu, Welsh, and Andijanto have been joined by the likes of Yohei Matsumoto, Tyreece Conway, Abdul Balamba, and, impressively, former Adelaide United player George Blackwood to form an imposing NPL-quality side. There is enough quality to stay up and do some real damage.
As Adelaide City found out in 2024, though, it takes time for a side to gel after wholesale changes. Most people will confidently tell you that Birkalla will stay up in 2025. With the names assembled, head coach Stav Gelekis will be expecting big things from his side.
Can Playford make some noise on their long-awaited return?
After their dramatic victory against Adelaide Blue Eagles in the State League One Semi-Final, Playford City secured their return to South Australia's top division of local football for the first time since the 2005 season. Ben Moore remains at the helm, having guided the Patriots through the divisions. Unlike their fellow promoted side, West Torrens Birkalla, Playford seems set to back most of their 2024 group in the NPL in 2025.
Additions like Chol Wel, Melad Ahmed, Xavier Pratt, and Issa Sindaharaye will complement an already strong side with experienced performers such as Christos Pounendis, Isaac Mullen, and Shaun Harvey. While this is a mostly State League One side on paper, it must not be forgotten that they were one of the competition's top achievers, with experienced NPL players, who will be relishing a return to the competition in 2025.
Ramsay Park won't be easy to travel to in 2025, either. Playford must maximise the points up for grabs on their home ground in a competitive league. While the Patriots can undoubtedly rise to the league's standards, they need to hit the ground running early to gain the sense of belonging and the confidence that comes along with it to ensure a successful campaign.
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