Premier Youth League End of Season Review

The Premier Youth League has been one of the most competitive I can remember. The levels of skill, tactical awareness, determination and passion have rarely been higher and the entertainment value has been superb, as always. The composition of the finals series was only decided in the final matches of the season in most age groups.
Whether or not your team and club have been successful is far too frequently measured in terms of the points they have collected. However, your own measure of success should take the form of questions about whether or not the team and the individual players improved over the course of the season. The most frequent answer to this question will be ?yes? and so the season can be regarded as successful, no matter where your team ended on the competition table.
Now it is time to look back on Season 2012.
Overview
Allow me to start by saying that there is no official Club Championship for Premier Youth League but since there is always a great deal of interest in the overall performance of each club, I maintain a table which collates the points accumulated by the teams into a single table which I call the ?Overview?. As with the Club Championship tables in the other divisions, the points gained when playing against the SAP Girls and the Skilleroos have been deducted from this overall table. While the following information is accurate, it cannot be regarded as being an ?official? table.
Marconi Stallions were the best performed club this season as the collected 222 points from the season. Last season the Stallions finished in second spot. As a club they had the best defensive record as their five teams conceded a total of only 90 goals this year. They took 109 points from their home fixtures and 113 points from their away fixtures. Their first round fixtures yielded 108 points and then they added 114 points in the second round. The Stallions had all five teams in the finals series, one of them as Premiers. Three of those teams reached the Grand Finals and two of those came away as winners.
Sutherland Sharks were in second place in the rankings with 219 points to show for the season. They were in the top spot at the end of last season. The Sharks had the best attacking figures of the clubs in this division with a total of 249 goals being scored by their teams. They collected 112 points from the fixtures they played at home and 107 points from their away fixtures. They gained 114 points from the first round of the competition and then 105 points came from the second round. They had three teams playing in the finals series, one of them as Premiers. The Sharks were not represented of Grand Final day.
Sydney Olympic finished in third place in the rankings with 199 points coming from their fixtures. Last season Olympic ended the season in fourth position. They earned 98 points from their home fixtures and 101 points from the fixtures played away from home. Olympic gained 94 points from the first round and then they added 105 points in the second round. They had three teams in the finals series, one of them as Premiers. One of those teams reached the Grand Final.
Manly United completed the competition placed fourth in the rankings and they had 189 points to show for the season. Manly finished in third place last season. They took 97 points from their home fixtures and 92 points from their away fixtures. In the first round Manly bagged 93 points and then 96 points came from the second round. Three of their teams played in the finals series but they were not represented in the Grand Finals.
Blacktown City finished fifth in the rankings with a total of 171 points being earned by their teams. City were placed seventh last season. They collected 87 points from the fixtures they played at home and 84 points from their away fixtures. While City earned 73 points from the first round of the competition, they added 98 points in the second round. They had three teams in the finals series, one of them as Premiers. Two of their teams reached the Grand Finals and both were winners.
Parramatta FC were ranked sixth this season with 166 points to show for their collective efforts. Parramatta were placed fifth last season. They took 86 points from their home fixtures and 80 points from their away fixtures. They earned 71 points from the first round and then they took 95 points from the second round. Three of their teams qualified for the finals series and two of those played in Grand Finals.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers ended the season on seventh spot with a total of 154 points. They were placed tenth last season. They collected 75 points from their home fixtures and 79 points came from their away fixtures. The Tigers grabbed 70 of the first round points and 84 points came from the second round. They had two teams playing in the finals series, one of them as Premiers. One of their teams reached the Grand Final and they came away as winners.
Blacktown Spartans fifth in eighth position after they collected 145 points from the season. This was the first season at the top level for the Spartans as they were promoted from Super Youth League at the end of last season. They pocketed 80 points from the fixtures played at home and 65 points from those played away from home. In the first round they earned 71 points and the second round yielded 74 points for them. The Spartans had one team playing in the finals series and they reached the Grand Final.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles completed the season in ninth place with 133 points coming from their fixtures. They were placed sixth last season. Bonnyrigg took 65 points from their home fixtures and 68 points when they played away. They collected 76 points from the first round but only 57 points from the second round. They had one team playing in the finals series.
Sydney United 58 finished tenth after they earned a total of 118 points from the season. They were in eighth place last season. They bagged 47 points from their home fixtures and 71 points from their away fixtures. They took 71 points from the first round and only 47 points from the second round. United were not represented in the finals series.
Rockdale City Suns ended the competition in eleventh position with 102 points coming from their collective efforts. They finished in twelfth place last season. They earned 49 points from their home fixtures and they took 53 points from their away fixtures. During the first round they earned 62 points but they took only 40 points from the second round. The Suns were represented by one team in the finals series.
South Coast Wolves finished in twelfth place with 54 points to show for their collective efforts. They were placed eleventh last season. The Wolves took 22 points from their home fixtures and 32 points from their away fixtures. They earned 31 points from the first round and then 23 points came from the second round. The Wolves were not represented in the finals series.
Grade 13
Sydney Olympic were crowned Premiers after they completed the competition six points clear of their nearest rivals. They had the best attacking figures in this age group with 52 goals and they also had the best defensive figures as they conceded only 9 goals. Olympic took 26 points from their home games and 30 points from those matches played away from home. They had an even season as they collected 28 points from each of the two rounds. In the finals series Olympic won the Major Semi Final with a 2-1 result over APIA Leichhardt Tigers and then they lost the Grand Final 2-1 to Marconi Stallions.
Marconi Stallions were the competition runners-up on goal difference. They bagged 21 points from their home matches and 29 points came from their away games. In the first round they earned 20 points and then they added 30 points in an unbeaten second round run. The Stallions lost the Preliminary Semi Final 5-4 on penalties to APIA Leichhardt Tigers after the match was locked up au 1-1 at full-time and there was no addition to the scoring in extra time. They went on to defeat Manly United 2-0 in the Minor Semi Final before producing a 2-0 win over Leichhardt in the Preliminary Final. The Stallions claimed the title as Champions when they were 2-1 winners over Olympic in the Grand Final.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers finished the competition in third place on goal difference. They took 24 points from their home games and they earned 26 points from their away matches. The Tigers claimed 24 of the first round points and then 26 points in the second round. They won the Preliminary Semi Final 5-4 on penalties after the match was locked up au 1-1 at full-time and there was no addition to the scoring in extra time. They then lost the Major Semi Final 2-1 to Sydney Olympic before losing the Preliminary Final 2-0 to Marconi.
Manly United completed the season in fourth position, two points behind the Tigers. They gathered 22 points from their home matches and 26 points came from their away games. Manly took 23 points during the first round and then the second round yielded 25 points for them. They won the Elimination Semi Final 3-2 in extra time after the match was locked up at 2-2 at full-time. However, they then lost the Minor Semi Final 2-0 to Marconi.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles ended the competition placed fifth and they were one point behind Manly. They collected a total of 20 points when they played at home and 27 points came from their away games. In a fairly even season, Bonnyrigg took 23 first round points and 24 of the points from the second round. They lost the Elimination Semi Final 3-2 in extra time to Manly after they match was locked at 2-2 at full-time.
Sutherland Sharks finished in sixth spot, missing a place in the finals by two points. They collected 25 points from their home matches and 20 points from their away games. At the end of the first round they had earned 21 points and then they added 24 points in the second round.
Sydney United 58 were placed seventh on the final table for the season, two points behind the Sharks. They earned 19 points from home games and 24 points from the matches they played away from home. United took 24 points from the first round and then 19 points came from the second round.
SAP U/15 Girls ended up in eighth position, sixteen points behind United. All 27 of their points came from home games as they did not play matches away from home. In the first round they too 16 points but only 11 points came from their second round efforts.
Parramatta FC finished ninth and they were four points behind the SAP squad. They earned 14 points from their home matches and 9 points from their away games. At the end of the first round they had 9 points and then 14 points came from their second round games.
Blacktown Spartans completed the competition in tenth place, four points behind Parramatta. They collected 12 points from their home games and 7 points from their away matches. While they took 13 points from the first round, they were able add only 6 points to their tally in the second round.
Blacktown City ended up in eleventh place and they were just one point behind the Spartans. They took 10 points from games they played at home and 8 points from those played away. City earned only 6 points from the first round but then they took twelve of the second round points.
Rockdale City Suns were placed twelfth on the final table for the season and they were eight points behind City. Their home games yielded only 3 points but they collected 7 points from their away games. In an even season, the Suns earned 5 points from each of the two rounds of the competition.
South Coast Wolves ended the season in thirteenth position, four points behind the Suns. They gained four points from their home games and only 2 points from those played away. In the first round they collected 5 points but they had only 1 point to show for their second round.
Grade 14
APIA Leichhardt Tigers were four points clear at the top of the table and so they claimed the title as Premiers. They had the best attacking record in this age group with 50 goals to show for their season and they also had the best defensive figures as they conceded only 13 goals. The Tigers took 26 points from their first round matches and then 27 points came from the second round. In the finals series the Tigers lost the Major Semi Final 4-3 on penalties to Marconi Stallions after the match was locked up at 2-2 at full-time and again after extra time. They went on to defeat Sutherland Sharks 2-0 in the Preliminary final and then they won the Grand Final, beating Marconi 5-0.
Sutherland Sharks were the competition runners-up with 49 points coming from their season. They posted 20 of their points from home games and 29 points from away matches. They earned 22 points in the first round and 27 second round points. The Sharks lost the Preliminary Semi Final 2-1 to Marconi Stallions and then they won the Minor Semi Final with a 3-1 result over Rockdale City Suns before losing 2-0 in the Preliminary Final where they met the Tigers.
Marconi Stallions finished in third place, two points behind the Sharks. They recorded only 17 points from their home games but 30 points came from their away games. The Stallions earned 19 points from the first round of the competition and then they took 28 points from the second round. They were 2-1 winners over Sutherland in the Preliminary Semi Final and they followed that with a 4-3 win on penalties over Leichhardt after the match was locked up at 2-2 at full-time and again after extra time. The Stallions then lost the Grand Final, going down 5-0 to the Tigers.
Parramatta FC were in fourth place at the end of the competition and they were six points behind Marconi. They collected 18 points from their home games and 23 points from those they played away. They earned 19 points during the first round and then 22 points from the second round matches. Parramatta lost the Elimination Semi Final 3-2 in extra time to Rockdale City Suns after the match was locked up at 2-2 at full-time.
Rockdale City Suns ended the competition in fifth position on goal difference, two points behind Parramatta. They bagged 20 points from their home games and 19 points from those played elsewhere. They had collected 26 points from the first round but they took only 13 points from the second round. The Suns won the Elimination Semi Final 3-2 in extra time over Parramatta after the match was locked up at 2-2 at full-time. They then lost 3-1 to Sutherland in the Minor Semi Final.
Manly United were placed sixth on the final table and they were behind Rockdale on goal difference. They earned 19 points from their home games and twenty points from away matches. In a fairly even season, Manly took 19 points from the first round and 20 points from the second round.
Blacktown Spartans finished seventh, two points behind Manly. The Spartans gained 19 points when they played at home and 18 points from their away games. They picked up 20 points in the first round and 17 points in the second round.
Sydney Olympic completed the season in eighth place, just one point behind the Spartans. They earned only 10 points from their home games and 26 points came from their away matches. Olympic took 14 points from their first round matches and then 22 points were added in the second round.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles ended up in ninth place and they were five points behind Olympic. Bonnyrigg claimed only eight points from the matches they played at home while their away games gave them 23 points. they collected 20 points from the first round but only 11 points were added in the second round.
Sydney United 58 were placed tenth on the final table, six points behind Bonnyrigg. They collected 11 points from their home matches and 14 points from those played away. They gained 14 points from their first round games and then 11 points came from the second round.
Blacktown City finished in eleventh position, behind United on goal difference. While they took only 7 points from their home games, they earned 18 points from their away matches. Their first round matches produced 10 points and then 15 points came from the second round.
Skilleroos completed the season in twelfth place, fourteen points behind City. All 11 of their points came from home matches as they did not play away games. In a fairly even season they took 5 points from the first round and 6 points from the second round.
South Coast Wolves finished five points further back in thirteenth position. Their home matches yielded 4 points while they collected only 2 points from their away games. The Wolves earned 5 points from the first round and only 1 point from the second round.
Grade 15
Marconi Stallions finished the competition as Premiers as they were nine points clear at the top of the table after competing the season unbeaten. They had the best attacking record in this age group with 57 goals, failing to score in only four matches, all of which ended in 0-0 draws.  The Stallions also had the best defensive figures of any team in the three divisions of Youth League as they conceded only 4 goals. In fact, they kept a clean sheet in twenty of their twenty-four matches and no team scored more than one goal against them. The only goals they conceded were in away matches. Marconi collected 27 points from their home games and 33 point from their away matches. They had an even season, taking 30 points from each of the two rounds of the competition. In the finals series the Stallions posted a 2-0 win over Sydney Olympic in the Major Semi Final and then they were 1-0 winners over Parramatta FC in the Grand Final.
Sydney Olympic were the competition runners-up after they earned 51 points from the season. Their home matches yielded 25 points and they took 26 points from their away games. Olympic picked up 22 points from the first round and then they added 29 point in the second round. They on the Preliminary Semi Final with a 1-0 result over Parramatta FC and then they lost the Major Semi Final 2-0 to Marconi before bowing out of the finals with a 4-2 loss on penalties to Parramatta in the Preliminary Final after the match was locked up at 0-0 at full-time and again after extra time.
Parramatta FC finished the competition in third place, five points behind Olympic. They earned 20 points from their home games and 26 from the matches played away from home. Parramatta gathered 22 points from the first round and then 24 points came from the second round. They lost the Preliminary Semi Final 1-0 to Olympic and then won the Minor Semi Final with a 2-1 extra time result over Blacktown City before defeating Olympic 4-2 on penalties in the Preliminary Final after the match was locked up at 0-0 at full-time and again after extra time. They suffered a 1-0 loss to Marconi in the Grand Final.
Blacktown City were placed fourth on the final table for the season and they were just one point behind Parramatta. They claimed 20 points from their home games and 25 points from their away matches. City took 20 points from the first round and then they added 25 points to their tally in the second round. In the finals series they won the Elimination Semi final with a 2-0 result over Sutherland Sharks and then they lost the Minor Semi Final 2-1 to Parramatta in extra time.
Sutherland Sharks ended the competition in fifth place, one point behind City. The Sharks collected 21 points from their home matches and 23 points from those played away from home. Their first round game yielded 23 points and then they took 21 points from the second round. Sutherland bowed out of the finals when they lost the Elimination Semi Final 2-0 to Blacktown City.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers completed the competition in sixth spot, missing a place in the finals by two points. They picked up 19 points when they played at home and 23 points came from their away games. They gained 20 points from the first round and 22 points from the second round.
Manly United were just one point behind the Tigers in seventh position. They picked up 23 points from their home games and 18 points from those played away from home. Manly gathered 17 points from the first round and then 24 points came from the second round.
Sydney United 58 finished in eighth place, eighteen points behind Manly. They could take only 5 points from their matches played at home while they earned 18 points from their away games. United claimed 17 points from the first round but in the second round they could only manage to take 6 points.
Blacktown Spartans were placed ninth on the final table for the season, just one point behind United. They collected 9 points from their home games and 13 points came from their away matches. The Spartans took 16 points from the first round but they earned only 6 points in the second round.
Skilleroos ended the competition in tenth place, behind the Spartans on goal difference. All 22 of their points came from home games as they did not play away from home. They gained 7 points from the first round and then they added 15 points to their tally in the second round.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles finished eleventh and they were three points behind the Skilleroos. While they took 8 points from their home matches, 11 points came from their away games. Bonnyrigg bagged 10 points from the first round and 9 points from the second round.
Rockdale City Suns completed the competition in twelfth place, three points behind Bonnyrigg. The Suns could manage only 3 points from their home games but they earned 13 points from their away games. They took 9 points from the first round and 7 points from the second round.
South Coast Wolves ended the season in thirteenth position, six points behind the Suns. They pocketed 5 points from the matches they played at home and 5 points from their away games. They earned 5 points from each of the two rounds of the competition.
Grade 16
Blacktown City claimed the crown as Premiers when they finished ten points clear at the top of the table. They had the best defensive record in this age group as they conceded only 16 goals. Their matches at home yielded 26 points and those played elsewhere gave them 24 points. They collected 20 points from the first round of the competition and then they added 30 points during the second round. They won the Major Semi Final 10-9 in a penalty shootout against Marconi Stallions after the match was locked up at 1-1 at full-time and then there was no addition to the score in extra time.
Marconi Stallions were the competition runners-up after they took forty points from the season. They earned 22 of those points when they played at home and 18 points came from away matches. Marconi collected 21 points in the first round and then 19 points from the second round. The won the Preliminary Semi Final 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match and extra time produced a 0-0 draw, and then they lost the Major Semi Final 10-9 on penalties after they were locked with Blacktown City at 1-1 at the full-time whistle and at the end of extra time. The Stallions then lost the Preliminary Final 3-1 to Blacktown Spartans.
Blacktown Spartans finished the competition in third place, just one point behind Marconi. They had the best attacking figures in this age group, scoring 47 goals. They collected 22 points from their home games and 17 points from those played away. They took 16 points from the first round matches and then they earned 23 points in the second round. The Spartans lost the Preliminary Semi Final 4-3 on penalties against Marconi after the match was locked at 0-0 at full-time and again after extra time. They then defeated Sydney Olympic 2-0 in the Minor Semi Final before posting a 3-1 victory over Marconi in the Preliminary Final. They went down 3-2 in the Grand Final where they met Blacktown City.
Sydney Olympic completed the competition in fourth position and they were two points behind the Spartans. They earned 19 points from their home games and 18 points from their away games. Olympic?s first round matches yielded 17 points and they gathered 20 points from the second round. In the finals series they defeated Manly United 1-0 in the Elimination Semi Final and then bowed out when they lost the Minor Semi Final 2-0 to the Spartans.
Manly United were placed fifth on the final table for the season, two points behind Olympic. Manly took 14 points from their home games and 21 points came from their away matches. While they collected 21 points from the first round, only 14 points came from the second round. Manly lost the Elimination Semi Final 1-0 to Olympic.
Sutherland Sharks finished in sixth spot, missing a place in the finals on goal difference. They gained 18 points when they played at home and their away games produced 17 points for them. The Sharks collected 19 points from the first round and 16 points from the second round.
Parramatta FC completed the season in seventh place and they were six points behind Sutherland. They gathered 15 points from their home matches and 14 points came from their away games. Parramatta took only 9 points from the first round and then they added 20 points in the second round.
Rockdale City Suns were placed eighth on the final table for the season, behind Parramatta on goal difference. They earned 15 points from their home games and 14 points from their away games. They Suns gained 17 points from the first round and then 12 points came from the second round.
Sydney United 58 ended the season in ninth place, three points behind Rockdale. United collected 11 points from the matches they played at home and their away games gave them 15 points. While United took 17 points from the first round, only 9 points came from their second round matches.
South Coast Wolves finished in tenth place, six points behind United. The Wolves gained only 5 points from their home games and 15 points came from their away matches. They earned 12 points from the first round and 8 points from the second round.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles were placed eleventh on the final table and they were behind the Wolves on goal difference. They gained 11 points from their home games and 9 points came from their away matches. Bonnyrigg collected 13 points from the first round and only 7 points from the second round.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers finished in twelfth place, seven points behind Bonnyrigg. They took only 4 points from their home games and 9 points from their away games. Their first round tally was 5 points and they added 8 points in the second round.
Grade 18

Sutherland Sharks were declared Premiers after they finished eleven points clear at the top of the table. They had the best attacking figures in this age group with 69 goals to their credit. They earned 28 points from their home matches and 28 points from their away games. A perfect performance in the first round gave the Sharks the full 33 points but they took only 23 of the second round points. In the finals series the Sharks lost the Major Semi Final 2-1 to Blacktown City and then they lost the Preliminary Final 3-0 to Parramatta FC.
Blacktown City were the competition runners-up with forty-five points to show for the season. They had the best defensive record as they conceded only 17 goals. They picked up 22 points from their home games and 23 points came from their away games. City earned 24 of the first round points and then they took 21 points from the second round. They won the Preliminary semi Final 2-1 over Parramatta FC and then won the Major Semi Final with a 2-1 result over Sutherland before taking out the Grand Final with a 4-2 scoreline over Parramatta.
Parramatta FC finished in third place, three points behind Blacktown City. They gained 19 points from their home matches and 23 points from their away games. They bagged 19 points from the first round and they 23 points came from the second round. Parramatta lost the Preliminary Semi Final 2-1 to Blacktown City and then they won the Minor Semi Final with a 3-2 result over Manly United. They went on to win the Preliminary Final with a 3-0 scoreline over Sutherland before going down 4-2 to Blacktown City in the Grand Final.
Manly United completed the competition at fourth, just one point behind Parramatta. They gained 19 points from their home games and 22 points from those played away. In the first round they earned 19 points and then 22 points came from the second round. Manly won the Elimination Semi Final 4-2 on penalties over Marconi Stallions after the game was tied up ay 1-1 after normal and extra time. They then lost the Minor Semi Final 3-2 to Parramatta.
Marconi Stallions were placed fifth on the final table, behind Manly on goal difference. The Stallions took 22 points from their home games and 19 points from their away games. While the first round yielded 26 points for them, they gained only 16 points from the second round. Marconi were forced out of the finals series when they lost the Elimination Semi Final 4-2 on penalties to Manly after they game was locked up at 1-1 at full-time and after extra time.
Blacktown Spartans finished sixth and they were four points short of gaining a place in the finals series. They collected 18 points from their home matches and 19 points from their away games. While they took only 12 points from the first round, they added 25 points in the second round.
Sydney Olympic completed the season in seventh place, four points behind the Spartans. They earned 18 points from their home games and 15 points came from their away games. Olympic claimed 18 points from the first round and 15 points came from the second round.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles ended the season in eighth position, four points behind Olympic. They took 18 points from the games they played at home and 11 points from their away matches. Bonnyrigg earned 19 points in the first round of the competition and 10 points from the second round.
Rockdale City Suns were in ninth place on the final table for the season, fourteen points behind Bonnyrigg. They collected 18 points from their home games and 11 points from their away matches. The Suns had a fairly even season, taking 8 points from the first round and 7 points from the second round.
Sydney United 58 finished in tenth position and they were just one point behind Rockdale. While United took only 1 point from their home games, 13 points came from their away games. They earned 8 points from the first round and 6 points in the second round.
South Coast Wolves ended the season in eleventh place, only one point behind United. They earned 4 points from the games they played at home and 9 points from their away games. The Wolves gained 5 points in the first round and 8 points in the second round.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers ended up in twelfth place, two points behind the Wolves. The Tigers collected 4 points from their home games and 7 points came from their away games. While they gained only one point from the first round, they took 10 points from the second round.
-By Barry Davis