You know what time it is. It’s Team of the Season time. The best of the best of another year of National League football. You also know the formula by now because this is an annual event. We’re giving it the three-tiered treatment so as to keep the acknowledgement flowing (though it’s definitely a FIRST team, SECOND team, THIRD team arrangement). It’s all about shining a light on the top domestic players, letting you know which folks to stay alert to. Teams are picked in a loose 4-3-3 formation. Naturally they’re going to be subjective so don’t fret if your fave gets underrated... but feel free to throw up your own XIs – the National League deserves the excess.

This year provided a familiar vision in the grand final as Auckland City took on Wellington Olympic again. But not a familiar outcome. Auckland City had won seven in a row to start the MNL yet never quite looked at their imperious best in doing so, with lots of late goals and comebacks required, and that culminated in three straight defeats to end things – including two in a row at the fortress of Kiwitea Street. Two of those defeats were against Wellington Olympic whose free-scoring brilliance took them all the way to the final undefeated although it was a defensive shift that won them the national championship on the back of goals from Kailan Gould and Jack-Henry Sinclair. Believe it or not, that 2-0 win in the decider was their only clean sheet in ten games. But when you score multiple times in every single game that doesn’t matter so much.

Christchurch United signalled their rise into the top tier with a Chatham Cup victory a few months back. Never quite found the consistency to challenge for the final but a 3-2 win against ACFC up in Auckland finished things off on a great note. However their hometown rivals Cashmere Technical can still claim bragging rights after the league’s Most Valuable Player Garbhan Coughlan inspired a 4-2 win in the derby... granted, a heavy defeat against Eastern Suburbs in the final round meant it was Christchurch Utd in third, Suburbs in fourth, and Technical in fifth.

Eastern Suburbs were undefeated in the Northern League yet it took them six games to finally win one in the Nats. When they did get going though it was a sparkling spectacle, winning their last four on the back of some Luis Toomey magic, all the while giving valuable experience to a fascinating crop of emerging youngsters. Auckland United were disappointing in only winning twice, with a few pesky injuries putting a cap on their potential after a tidy first month. Manurewa AFC went the other way as the South Aucklanders made the most of their return to the national scene with some smart guest player additions and some sharp coaching helping them overcome a brutal start to then take 13 points from their last six games for a mid-table finish.

Not so much fun for the rest of the Central League. That division may have provided the national champs but Napier City Rovers, Petone, and the Wellington Phoenix Reserves filled out the last three rungs of the ladder. Rovers started nicely with wins against those other two inside the first month but too many goals conceded and some rough injuries and avoidable suspensions limited them the rest of the way. The WeeNix were able to grab a few high-scoring victories as the next generation of the club’s academy took the spotlight... but it’s not a coincidence that they and Petone were down the bottom with the two youngest squads in the comp. Petone played some silky stuff and kept it competitive in most games. The National League ain’t easy though. Best of the best in the motu. Fine margins will get ya... but it’s all good experience, no dramas. Plenty will change before next year. Already we’ve had top players rewarded with gigs in Aussie and multiple MNL sides switching coaches. Next year is for next year though, this piece is to celebrate the season that was.

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The Honour Roll

2022 MEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE – TEAM OF THE SEASON

SOUTH CENTRAL SERIES – 2021 MEN’S TEAM OF THE SEASON

2020-21 MEN’S PREMIERSHIP TEAM OF THE SEASON

2019-20 MEN’S PREMIERSHIP TEAM OF THE SEASON

2018-19 MEN’S PREMIERSHIP TEAM OF THE SEASON

2017-18 MEN’S PREMIERSHIP TEAM OF THE SEASON

FIRST XI

GK – Scott Morris (Christchurch United)

It almost needed a toss of the coin to separate the first and second choice keepers. Not much between them... yet after much deliberation it’s the 22yo Rams gloveman who gets the honour. Morris did keep the most clean sheets, after all (three of the bad boys). He also had the prestigious achievement of getting an assist as a goalkeeper (something the 2nd XI goalie also did, come to think of it). Folks gotta understand that those long throws of Morris are dangerous weapons. He’s a great shot-stopper with flawless fundamentals. Talent beyond his years. And the only reason he missed the last two games was that he was over in England on trial with Stoke City (where Jonathan Gould is GK coach). Hopefully some good news is coming on that front in January.

RB - Hideto Takahashi (Auckland United)

Simply having this bloke in National League at all is wild. Takahashi has seven caps for the Japanese national team (the most recent being a decade ago, but the pedigree still shines) and a couple hundred appearances in the J1 League. Massive mana to be bringing to Keith Hay Park and at 36yo the quality remains. Such a graceful player, technically profound with an unrivalled head on his shoulders. Whether he played as a deep midfielder or as part of the back three, it was good decision after good decision. Flawless footballing activities. Chipped in with two assists and a brilliant solo goal as well. We’re blessed to have him in town.

CB – Aaron O’Driscoll (Christchurch United)

The best defender in the MNL in 2023 was a 24yo blonde Irishman, capped at U17 level and having spent time in both the Manchester City and Southampton academies as a youngster. Has also played top flight in Ireland (same level that Nando Pijnaker’s been at). So it makes sense that he’d boss it down this way and yeah sure enough that’s what he did. Strong in the challenge, even stronger in the air. Never out of position. Commanding. Leading. O’Driscoll really pinning the CU defence together in the back half of things as injuries led to a number of youngsters being thrust into the starting team around him. Such a pity that Cam Lindsay got hurt because when CL and AD were on the pitch together, the Rams kept three cleanies in five matches with four goals conceded overall... compared to 12 concessions in their remaining four games. But that doesn’t dampen the immense class of O’Driscoll. If anything it enhances it.

CB – Ben Mata (Wellington Olympic)

The big man at the back... who also happens to have a velvet touch and a penchant for scoring penalties. Mata scored three times, all from the spot (17 of his 21 goals this year in all competitions were from penalties... with one of the others being the rebound from the only penalty he missed – an incredible conversion rate). Let alone the powerful defensive mahi and the outstanding leadership he provides. BM battled through injury at times yet only ever missed one game. A great player and a credit to the domestic game. Pretty cool story that he lifted the MNL championship trophy on the same day that younger bro Max Mata scored his first goal for Shrewsbury Town.

LB - Tino Contratti (Manurewa)

We’ve ended up with a back four comprised entirely of CBs, so it goes. Got to get the best blokes in there somehow. Completing the centre-back quartet is Argentinian import Contratti, a defender who isn’t content with simply being a top shelf defender. He’s as likely to drive forward and score a goal as he is to lunge in and get sent off in any given moment... although actually he didn’t do either this year. A couple of close calls on both counts but nope instead he walked that tightrope with thrilling poise to carry a steadily improving Rewa team to a surprisingly excellent MNL campaign. He was especially great in that mid-season trilogy of wins against Christchurch United, Napier City Rovers, and Cashmere Technical.

CM – Cameron Howieson (Auckland City)

Sure he’s here every year... but he also deserves to be here every year. The difference between ACFC with Howieson and without him is stark. He’s such a brilliant facilitator, capable of going through the gears in a way that the Navy Blues otherwise sometimes forget to do. He’s on another level. Give him a goal and three assists from midfield this season. None from halfway this season although that wasn’t for a lack of trying. At 28 years old he’s as good as he’s ever been and there’s no reason to think he won’t be in the First XI again next year too.

CM – Gavin Hoy (Wellington Olympic)

For all the magnificence on display in that Wellington Olympic side, particularly in attack, Gavin Hoy isn’t necessarily a name that sticks out. A 31yo Canadian import who has played for a few different teams around the country doesn’t carry with him the thrill of discovery. Yet he’s a fantastic example of a dude who understood the assignment. He started in week one but then was on the bench for the next three... giving his team a late jolt on each occasion until his first eleven spot was undeniable. He then went and scored in four straight games to end with four goals and four assists (including setting up the clinching goal in the final). The only two games that Olympic didn’t win were games in which Hoy didn’t start – and he scored the 87th minute equaliser against Eastern Subs. One of those clever players who operates between the lines and links everything up. Joyful stuff.

CM – Luis Toomey (Eastern Suburbs)

More like Luis TuMeke, amiright? There was a stage at the beginning of the National League where Eastern Suburbs could not score a goal that didn’t involve Toomey. The ex-WeeNix midfielder very quickly emerged as a crucial player in their National League campaign as the Lilywhites turned things around after a slow start thanks to his enthralling ways. Strong on the ball, deceptively elusive, and with a wonderful willingness to accept the pressure of being the main man on attack. He was especially ruthless against his old mates at the Nix Reserves, scoring twice in a 5-3 result as the Lilywhites finally won their first game at the sixth time of asking (sparking a four-game win streak). Toomey only played six games. In those six games, the 22yo Napier lad scored six times and supplied four assists. It was a spectacular breakthrough. Toomey did spend some time in Finland after leaving the Phoenix, got to think he’ll be back overseas again sooner rather than later.

FW – Joel Stevens (Wellington Olympic)

Back in Aotearoa after a few more years in Sweden, Joel Stevens picked up where he last left off as a National League magician of the highest wizarding order. From his bursts up the left wing to his banging free kicks, Stevens was impossible to contain. Not only did he score three times but he is now the freshly crowned Assist King having set up seven goals during the regular season then another cheeky one in the grand final – in which he won the Steve Sumner Trophy. Without needing to take over games in the way that, say, Toomey or Coughlan do, this guy continually produced and provided goals for the highest scoring team in the league on the way to becoming MNL champions.

FW – Garbhan Coughlan (Cashmere Technical)

As far as value goes, this dude has the most of it. The MVP for 2023. The way that NZF determine this award is very dumb and tends to lead to some ridiculous winners... but this year? No complaints. Nope. Not one. They got the right bloke. Garbhan Coughlan was absolutely stunningly important to Cashmere Technical both creating and especially scoring goals at a rate that swamped entire other teams. 11 goals and three assists means 14 goal contributions which is more than either Petone or Napier City scored all together. Coughlan is the most-fouled bloke in the league. He’s also the most potent creative force (yes, those two facts are related). He was like that all season though special praise has to go to his 10/10 perfect performance in the South Island Derby against Christchurch United – a 4-2 win in which Coughlan scored three and set up the other. Magnificent. Glorious. Legendary.

FW – Gianni Bouzoukis (Wellington Olympic)

Spectacular though Coughlan may have been, for the second year in a row he had to share the Golden Boot award with Gianni Bouzoukis. Same two blokes, two years in a row. In 2022 they scored nine each. In 2023 they raised the bar to 11 goals each. When they’re both flying that far above sea level, it’s only fair that they share the thing. Bouzoukis didn’t have to do as much creative stuff as his scoring rival. His team was stacked with those sorts so GB’s task was simply to get on the end of crosses and run onto through balls. As it happens, he’s an expert at those things. Leading into the final he’d found the net in six consecutive matches. The man scores goals. That’s what he does.

SECOND XI

GK – Scott Basalaj (Wellington Olympic)

It took Scotty the Basilisk until the grand final to keep a clean sheet which might have cost him a first team spot... but despite the lack of cleanies they still conceded once or fewer in half their games and for a team that scored 36 times in 10 games that’s as good as a clean sheet. Basalaj is such a reliable presence between the sticks. He’s going to make the saves he needs to make. He’s going to keep things organised. He also has an almighty punt that could send the ball into orbit if he really tried... in fact he set up a goal with a long ball over the top to Gianni Bouzoukis in one game. Also if it wasn’t for Joel Stevens then he may very well have walked away with the Man of the Match award in the final because he saved his very best ‘til when it mattered most.

RB – Jackson Jarvie (Eastern Suburbs)

Charging all the way into the Second XI just like he charges up and down that right wing. Jarvie was part of the U20 World Cup earlier in the year and is one of many across these three elevens who could be in Olympic Games contention. This campaign won’t have done him any harm. Played in all nine games though came off the bench in three of those, particularly early on as the Lilywhites tried to find their feet. But by the end of things JJ had made his case beyond doubt. Some superb overlapping rangy runs took him to three assists which was the second most on the team behind Luis Toomey. This is what you call making a name for yourself.

CB – Adam Mitchell (Auckland City)

Tough season for Auckland City. One which teetered despite seven wins in a row to begin with then tumbled with three straight defeats at the end. But defence was never the problem. Adam Mitchell has played for New Zealand. He’s led Auckland City to trophies. He’s one of the best centre-backs in the country without question and he played every single game this season showing a silky touch with the ball at his feet and even pocketing a pair of assists. Perhaps not quite at the standard of 2022 but that applies to the whole team. Only complacency could lead him to be overlooked.

CB – Shuaib Khan (Manurewa)

Sammy Khan’s now a bit of a veteran at this level. Been around the traps with a couple different teams but he’s never been better than he was in 2023. Always a guy who could make an incredible recovering challenge, also a guy who might mistime that challenge and get carded. Chuck him alongside Tino Contratti and there was all sorts of potential for lunacy. Instead, we got sturdy, steady, reliable Sammy Khan doing great things the whole way. So impressive. A goal and two assists as well. It did take Rewa a few weeks to get their ducks in order but when they did it was that spine of Khan/Contratti to Probert to Patterson that laid the platform.

LB – Daniel Atkinson (Auckland United)

Maybe not a fella that too many folks were aware of prior to this MNL term but Atkinson, out of the Ole Academy, was part of the Flying Kiwis crew over at Dutch third-tier club VV Katwijk until recently. Capable as a midfielder or out wide, he spent most of this Natty League switching between left or right wing-back and giving United probably their most reliable attacking outlet from week one through nine. Nico Zambrano had his moments. Yousif Al-Kalisy and Dre Vollenhoven were brilliant until they got hurt. Xavier Green was bright. But Dan Atkinson had that full-season consistency... with two goals and three assists to show for it. Still only 20 years old so another stint overseas could easily be on the cards.

CM – Mario Ilich (Auckland City)

Does anyone really need the Mario Ilich blurb? We know what this guy does and it tends to involve winning games of football. A premier defensive midfielder. Sits in front of the back four, keeps the ball moving. Crushes blokes with his tackling. He needed more help around him in those last few games but he went above and beyond earlier in the campaign, with a goal and two assists helping Auckland City tally up the points. Scored the winner against the WeeNix in week one and was a key factor in a few of those comeback victories. There’s not a club in the country that wouldn’t want him on their side.

CM – Campbell Strong (Eastern Suburbs)

Another current NZ U23s international. Strong was part of the Eastern Suburbs first team while he was still at high school. Now he’s back from a stint in the USA college system and serving up defensive midfield efforts that add further evidence to the concept of nominative determinism. Love his sense of rhythm as a passer. Love his combative way of winning challenges. You do both of those things as a CDM and you’re going alright. Same as with similarly-aged fellas like Toomey and Jarvie, the more prominent they became the better Eastern Suburbs became.

CM – Matt Tod-Smith (Christchurch United)

Said it a few times during this past season but MTS is now surely worth mentioning in that top tier of kiwi domestic midfielders. He’s such a classy presence for Christchurch United, a leader on the pitch and a very tidy performer. Gives them that drive in the middle. Carries an attacking threat too (two goals and two assists, get in). And since he’s now a top tier midfielder... can we maybe get a consensus on how to spell his name? Pretty confident it’s Tod-Smith with one D but even his team’s own website gives him the double-d lol.

FW – Eddie Wilkinson (Christchurch United)

Spent the bulk of the year over in Australia doing NPL tasks but returned in time to win the Chatham Cup and was then the Rams’ top performing forward during the Nats. For a team that struggled to get going on attack, scoring only two first half goals the entire way (though making up for it with a few barnstorming finishes), Wilkinson was a one-man source of footballing fission. He’s got such a dynamic mindset. He’s going to run with the ball. He’s going to fake and feint and fizz his way into space to shoot. Wilks scored a couple of the best goals anyone bagged all season by doing exactly that, with three goals and three assists overall.

FW – Angus Kilkolly (Auckland City)

Throughout the winter season it was Ryan De Vries gloriousness scoring copious quantities of goals for Auckland City Football Club. But RDV hardly played in the summer stuff. Injury limited the main man and City had to adjust... which they did thanks to Angus Kilkolly. Not the worst replacement to have, to be fair. Kilkolly was third top scorer in the MNL with seven strikes and many of them proved extremely crucial. AK’s always had an eye for a goal. He gets into great positions and he makes that net rustle.

FW – Jack-Henry Sinclair (Wellington Olympic)

It seems that JHS has established himself as the people’s choice for Best Domestic Player. Cam Howieson is up there with him but his situation is different so he’s not in the ‘Phoenix should sign him’ twitter/facebook comment category (with an Auckland ALM team arriving before the next National League season those conversations are about to get very weird - it’ll be funky to see how many of these 33 players end up in those chats. Steve Corica, if you’re reading this, how’s it going mate?). Anyway, JHS began this term in electrifying form and would have been the MVP frontrunner after the first month. But then the injury train checked into the station and slowed him down. Still gotta recognise a bloke who scored five goals with six assists in only eight matches – including the clinching goal in the last few seconds of the grand final. He’s so quick and direct and such a good finisher and a smart operator... then on the other wing, the Greeks had Joel Stevens. No wonder they bloody won. It’s not even fair.

THIRD XI

GK – Oscar Boyce (Petone)

We’ll overlook the Liverpool cap he kept wearing and focus instead on the fact that here was a 19yo goalie looking absolutely at home in the National League. He had a lot of work to do for a Petone team that only got one point, scoring a mere six times in nine matches. Beaten multiple times in three-quarters of his appearances... yet Boyce was never anything less than impressive. The shot-stopping and the ball-playing are excellent but we’ve come to expect that from the top kiwi prospects these days. What really stood out with Boyce was just how assured he always looked.

RB – Jordan Vale (Auckland City)

The very definition of consistency. Jordan Vale is one of those dudes who is going to give you at least 7/10 in any given week against any given opponent. He’s sturdy in defence and he gets forward in support. He doesn’t panic. He’s always fit and available – playing in all ten games. Give him a couple of assists as well. Standard JV areas, nothing to worry about here.

CB - Justin Gulley (Wellington Olympic)

Another Olympic defender, why not. Almost gave this one to Jack Cawley, their English import, who also had a strong campaign. Cawley played in every game whereas Gulls missed three of them... but then Gulley came back with a superb performance in the grand final to tip the scales back in favour of the capped All White and former Wellington Phoenix fella. Already mentioned that if you can look beyond the clean sheets then this defence was still very good. Plus all of those defenders, Gulley most of all, are great passers able to instigate attacks with their lightning distribution.

CB – Aaryan Raj (Eastern Suburbs)

Coaches love a left-footed central defender. They love them even more when they can pass like Aryan Raj, the NZ U20 World Cup rep showing this season exactly what he’s capable of with his silky technique mixed with a serious proficiency in the air as well. In both penalty areas. He repels crosses in defence. He nods them home on attack – scoring a well-taken goal against Wellington Olympic. This lad is one of many from this 2023 MNL campaign who are in contention for the Olympics next year and from his seven appearances you understand why.

LB – Francis De Vries (Eastern Suburbs)

To be completely honest with it, you wouldn’t really say that FDV played at the level you’d hope for from a recent All White hanging out in the Nats... though that’s not quite fair for a guy on his way back from a serious knee injury. So scrap the expectations and assumptions and take things at face value and you had an experienced player out on the left side capable of some absolutely delicious crossing from both open play and dead ball situations. He’s excellent in the build-up stuff. Bit erratic on attack sometimes but you take that for the times when it all clicks. FDV scored a couple of goals. He played every game. Very curious to see what he does in 2024. Respect also to his teammate Adam Thomas whom I wrestled with putting into this spot instead of FDV, while Stephen Hoyle definitely would have usurped them both had his duties coaching the Lilywhites women not restricted him to only five games.

CM – Michael Den Heijer (Auckland City)

ACFC didn’t really need Mike den Heijer when they brought him back to the club last year (he made the First XI of this thing with Auckland United in 2022) but it’s Auckland City and he’s an ex-player so might as well. The more the merrier. MDH can cover defence very well, as we saw at the Club World Cup and in the MNL grand final, but otherwise participated in big time midfield activities. Win the ball. Pass the ball. Collect the ball back. Keep the ball moving. The midfield is always the heart of Auckland City’s suffocating possession football and Den Heijer needed no time to settle in alongside the likes of Howieson, Ilich, and Garriga.

CM – Tor Davenport-Peterson (Wellington Olympic)

Every football team operates best when there’s a hard bastard in the middle winning tackles. TDP does that for Wellington Olympic, rushing around and rustling things up. Despite his name being German for ‘goal’, he didn’t actually score or assist any this term but, all the same, he’s a crucial link between their powerful defenders and electric forwards. His best performance was probably the win against Auckland City at Kiwitea Street and he wasn’t far off that level against the same blokes in the Grand Final.

CM – Eoghan Stokes (Christchurch United)

Three goals and an assist for the Irish midfielder. Good craic, good craic. That Rams team was built upon robust defence and definitely needed someone like Stokes to apply the link to their forwards. Sometimes that influence was out in the open for all to see like when he scored a proper banger against Auckland United. Other times it was more of a subtle thing. Stokes started every single game and was generally one of CU’s best whenever they won... culminating in his 90+5th minute winner against Auckland City at Kiwitea Street which ended the year on a wonderful note for the Chatham Cup champs.

FW – Lyle Matthysen (Cashmere Technical)

Garbhan Coughlan gets the spotlight but Lyle Matthysen gets plenty done in the shadows. How does four goals and four assists sound to you? Eight goal contributions in nine games might not quite be Coughlan numbers but they tower over most others. Matthysen is rapid on that left wing. He swings a mint cross, including from set pieces. Scored a brace in the 3-3 draw against eventual champs Wellington Olympic. Combines so well with teammates. He’s one of the best creators in the country, basically.

FW – Deri Corfe (Napier City Rovers)

Third XI in terms of the overall footy but First XI in terms of skillz. Deri Corfe spent some time in the Manchester City academy as a kid in England and you can tell. Yeah, he’s a dude with great technical quality and a knack for goals, scoring in each of the first four rounds (ending up with six goals and one assist)... but he’s also mean with a free kick and throws in a bunch of stepovers and dummies and other assorted tricks. Great addition to the domestic scene. Hope he sticks around.

FW - Monty Patterson (Manurewa)

It was a tireless campaign from Monty, operating as a central striker and often having to do so without a huge amount of help around him. Lots of holding the ball up, lots of trying to make clever runs. Less of the stepover funkiness that he was known for when he was playing for the All Whites back in the Anthony Hudson days. We’re talking about mature stuff from Patterson, who was also an assistant coach for Rewa, turning it up with three goals and an assist.

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