R1 Preview: MetroStars v Adelaide Comets
MetroStars vs Adelaide Comets
2016 PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia Round 1
When: Saturday, February 27th, kick-off 2:00pm
Where: TK Shutter Reserve, Fourth Avenue, KLEMZIG
Teams:
MetroStars: 4. J. Davis, 7. M. D Aloisio, 8. R. Callisto, 9. J. Negus, 11. S. Tunbridge, 12. T. Theodorou, 13. B. Truscott, 17. D. Pollock, 18. F. Barbiero, 21. A. Van Dommele(C), 25. C. Piantadosi(GK), 1. I. Carmody(GK), 3. A. Dyer, 5. T. Henderson, 16. A. Jakob, 19. J. Polisena, 22. M. Crooks, 23. C. Esposito, 24. T. Dodd
Adelaide Comets: 1. J. Solari, 4. Z. Hristodoulopoulos, 5. K. Francis, 6. J. Bladen, 7. E. Kostopoulos (C), 9. S. Grelli, 11. A. Wiens, 14. S. Warner, 15. O. Zafiridis, 16. Y. Nestoras, 17. Z. Waters, 18. T. Balomenos, 19. L. Colalancia, 21. A. Woodlands, 22. A. Welsh, 23. D. Zerillo, 25. H. Keramidas, 77. E. El Wali
Preview:
Round 1 of the PlayStation 4 National Premier League (NPL) South Australia is set to ignite old-flames of seasons passed.
MetroStars and Adelaide Comets, two high-hopers and some what underachievers in 2015, will want to start their seasons off on the front-foot after lacklustre local league points, last year.
Both teams rounded their seasons at mid-table on similar points, with Metro at seventh on 39 points, and Comets at eighth with 34 points.
The game, set to kick-off at 2PM at TK Shutter Reserve, will host some great talent, with new and returning firepower on both sides.
MetroStars who, in 2014, won the PlayStation 4 NPL championship, want to win the league, says returning star Liam Wooding.
"We were champions in the NPL in 2014, and we want to be involved in that again, which means we have to perform."
Wooding, who copped an injury earlier last season, says he's absolutely gutted to be suspended for the game.
"I would have loved to have been involved, this season is going to be really competitive, and I'm ready for that.
“I've been working really hard in preparation for the season, and I'm really disappointed I couldn't be involved (on Saturday)."
He says the club has been steadily building up towards season's launch, and they - MetroStars - are prepared for a long and hard season.
"You look around at all the clubs, with all the movements … lots of clubs are going to be really strong competitors.
"We've done well in preseason, and we have some great new firepower this season.
"Each week - with each team - is going to be a hard game." Wooding says.
Another returning star - on opposite sides of the shed - Jack Bladen, hopes to make an instant impression as one of Adelaide Comet's young stars.
The 20 year old thinks Adelaide Comets have a great chance of high-success this year.
"With our squad, we have the potential for great things, and we have high aspirations.
"We're all really excited for the upcoming season; I think this is one of the first years where the players are really confident."
Bladen, previously of Adelaide United Youth, says he's proud to be back representing his junior club.
"[Comets] are a great club, I was a junior here for a long time, and when they showed interest in me, I was more than happy to come back.
“There are some incredible people involved at the club behind the scenes."
In his second year at the comets – excluding his time as a junior – he says he's confident in the Comets' preparation for the season, which has been long and intense.
"We've signed quite a few young boys, five or six, and a lot of our preseason has been about getting the team to gel.
"It's been a long and hard haul, but I'm happy for the season to be starting again."
After last seasons tally for 'goals against', the comets have tightened up their defensive quarters in the hopes of not conceding excessively, he says.
"The number of goals we conceded last year wasn't good enough, and we won't let that happen this year.
"We've seen a huge improvement in that area during preseason, and we're confident that we have that covered.
"It hasn't been something that we've targeted specifically, but we've recruited five to six new boys that have added a lot of depth to our squad.”
Comets have come off second best in their last two meetings with MetroStars, but, last season's statistics are irrelevant, with a new and exciting season of football ahead.
With only four points separating the top four teams last season, both teams will be out to start the year in the best possible way, which should make for an exciting clash this Saturday.
Written by Christian Fleetwood
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