Power-ing up for new national league

Published 2:00pm 20 February 2023

Words by Nick Crockford

Peninsula Power is taking the first formal step towards being a foundation member of Australia’s new National Second Tier (NST) football competition.

President Craig Feuerriegel, pictured with coach Rick Coghlan last year, said Power planned to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) ahead of today’s deadline.

If successful – the four phase process is likely to be completed in August/September – Power’s senior men’s team would leave the NPL Qld.

The new NST, starting in March 2024, will be positioned between the state-level National Premier Leagues (NPL) and the national A-League.

It will not begin with automatic promotion and relegation with the A-League. The criteria says that opportunity is to “be considered” once the NST is “mature”.

The NST is being formed by Football Australia and the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC). The A-League is run by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).

Power won back-to-back state-level NPL Qld Premiership titles in 2020 and 2021.

“It’s a huge step for a club to go into this competition,” Craig Feuerriegel said. “A lot of work of work has gone into it.

“We will do our due diligence as we go through the process and see if we are selected.

“We have been interested (in the NST) since the inception of it. This is a long process, the EOI is the start. There will be follow-up phases.

“However, based on the concept, we think we are in a good position.”

The NST application form says selected clubs would enter into a Club Participation Agreement whose requirements include “professional playing contracts for all players, with salaries paid 52 weeks of the year.

Also “off field operations run by employed staff 12 months of the year; investment in a full talent development pathway and access to a high-quality match day facility 12 months of the year”.

Power have already tasted national level football in the later rounds of the Australia Cup.

Power will nominate AJ Kelly Park and Kayo Stadium with Mr Feuerriegel saying it had a “good relationship” with the latter “if the situation required it”.

Peninsula Power has been part of the AAFC for a number of years and close to planning for the new NST.

Plans have been drawn up for a competition of between 12 and 16 teams with 24-36 matches in a winter league.

Vetting each applicant will determine the final number of teams and from which states.

The February 2022 AAFC report into National Second Division Partner Group of Clubs listed Power, Sunshine Coast Fire and Wynnum Wolves among the 30 association members.

At the time of writing, Sunshine Coast Fire has announced plans to apply to join the NST.

Power drew 2-2 with Sunshine Coast Wanderers in the Kappa Pro Series at the weekend and they meet again on Saturday at AJ Kelly Park in round one of the NPL. Kick-off 5.30pm.