Moreland City, Eastern Lions and both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City National Youth League sides have been admitted into the NPL 1, joining Murray United and Nunawading City as the new teams in the competition. Along with newly relegated Ballarat Red Devils and Goulburn Valley Suns, the state’s second division will comprise of 20 teams, while the top division will remain unchanged on 14 teams. The following is how the NPL Victoria will shape up in 2015.

Structure

NPL 1 will be split into two conferences – East and West – consisting of 10 teams each. A 28 round season will see teams from the same conference play each other twice (18 matches), while taking on each team from the opposite conference once (10 matches). A-League youth sides will not be in the same group. NPL teams will continue to face each other twice in a 26 round home-and-away season. Both competitions will commence on the weekend of February 21-22

Head of NPL and WPL Liam Bentley said the structure was the fairest geographical system for the competition.

“We believe this structure [NPL 1] will provide the most geographically local leagues within reason, as well as an even balance of competition,” Bentley said.

“As per discussions with the current NPL and NPL 1 clubs, the NPL 1 competition will see each club play home and away against the nine remaining teams in their conference, with one match against each club from the opposing conference.”

NPL Teams Avondale Heights SC

Bentleigh Greens SC

Dandenong Thunder SC

Green Gully SC

Heidelberg United SC

Hume City FC

Melbourne Knights FC

Northcote City FC

North Geelong Warriors FC

Oakleigh Cannons FC

Pascoe Vale SC

Port Melbourne Sharks SC

South Melbourne FC

Werribee City FC Eastern Based NPL1 Teams Box Hill United SC

Dandenong City SC

Eastern Lions SC

Goulburn Valley Suns FC

Kingston City FC

Melbourne Victory Youth

Murray United FC

Nunawading City FC

Richmond SC

Springvale White Eagles FC Western Based NPL1 Teams Ballarat Red Devils SC

FC Bendigo*

Brunswick City SC

FC Bulleen Lions

Melbourne City Youth

Moreland City FC

Moreland Zebras FC

St Albans Saints SC

Sunshine George Cross SC

Whittlesea Ranges FC

Promotion and relegation

Promotion and relegation will involve 2.5 spots. The top side from each conference will gain automatic promotion into NPL (and will play out an NPL1 grand final), replacing the bottom two sides (14th and 13th place) from the top division.

The second placed sides from each conference will play-off, with the winner of that clash to then take on the third bottom side (12th place) in the NPL. The winner of that clash will either be promoted from NPL 1, or remain in the NPL.

NPL Finals system

With many teams unhappy about the finals series omitted from the inaugural NPL season, a finals system will return to the competition in 2015 commencing August 22, with the top 6 playing off for the highest state honour. However, the team on top of the ladder after the final round in the regular season may play in the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Finals instead of the actual NPL Victoria Grand Final winner.

*What’s happening at FC Bendigo?

As has been reported, FC Bendigo had been experiencing financial difficulties towards the end of its first season. The Corner Flag understands a private body has applied to replace the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League (BASL) as the club’s license holder, with a possible club re-branding involved.