Port Kembla FC

Port Kembla’s canny coach Stuart Beedie has a completely reshuffled pack to play with in 2016, making this one of the most intriguing teams to watch in this year’s Illawarra Premier League. Goals were hard to come by for the Port in 2015 and they squeezed into the last Finals berth on the last day of the regular season in spite of only scoring 29 goals in 22 matches. At Wetherall Park, Port Kembla are always hard to beat, but Beedie will be looking for better results in 2016 when he takes his team on their travels around the Illawarra.

It’s an intriguing squad because, although they have lost some key players (David Poeira in goal has gone to Fury; Zac Mazevski to Wollongong United; Matt Tesoriero to Picton; and Matt Werakso), the newcomers make for a fascinating mix and it’s up to Beedie how he plays the cards he now has.

Players to watch

Captain and attacking right back Peter Richardson will be the pillar of Port Kembla’s starting eleven week-in, week-out. Behind him, Ryan Franks will be trying to emulate Poeira in goal. Cameron Morgan joins his ex-Fury team mate Mitchell Scazzariello who returns to club. Richardson will be joined in the back four by Justin Potter, who made a habit of scoring from set-pieces for Wollongong Olympic last season. Watch out for Joseph Lavalle who, this time last year, was knocking them in at NPL Divison 1 level for Wollongong Wolves. His pairing up front with Takao Teramoto might be the tonic Port Kembla need in front of goal.

Season expectation

Port Kembla dropped far too many points against apparently weaker sides in 2015. It’s a habit Beedie will want to get out of his team’s system for 2016, and if they can do that, I think Beedie will once again steer his side into a Finals spot. A lot depends on how well his much-changed squad gels in the opening weeks of the season. They seriously need someone this season who has an eye for goal. If the forwards don’t strike up a good partnership and the creative midfield fail to create, Port might just miss out come September. But at this stage in proceedings, I tip them to make the Finals once again.

By Simon Duffin