The Inaugural NPL Victoria season started with a bang! Crowds flocked to the revamped state competition at both NPL & NPL1 level. In the top division, favourites South Melbourne got off to a winning start and never looked back, eventually running away with the title and a ticket to the coveted NPL finals series. However it would not be Victoria’s year as eventual champions North Eastern Metro Stars from Adelaide knocked them out in the Semi-Finals. Oakleigh Cannons FC finished 2nd with an enormous 15 point gap separating them from Heidelberg United SC in 3rd.
The relegation race got off to a bad start for Goulburn Valley Suns, not registering any points until a round 7 victory got them off the mark; they were eventually relegated. The Ballarat Red Devils fought gallantly all season to stay up, but lost out in the final round.
In the NPL1, Avondale Heights SC became the first team to gain promotion to the NPL, also taking out the title by 3 points. Avondale will be joined in the top flight by a fast finishing North Geelong Warriors FC, who finished 2nd after a slow start to the season.
(Photo source: North Eastern Metro Stars website)
