All eyes on the Hummel F-League

The third instalment of the Hummel F-League promises to be the most fascinating yet following the injection of a new powerhouse Sydney club, a women’s competition spanning Australia’s east coast, electrifying young talent and the country’s best Futsal players all together in one melting pot of excitement.
The golden lure of a 2014 AFC club championship berth for the F-League winner certainly makes for one deliciously dangling carrot – enough to bring Australia’s best indoor players together for a rip-roaring 14-round round-robin competition.
Almost every Futsalroo is playing, as well as former national players, dozens of state representatives and some of the country’s best young talent… and they’re being organised, managed and led by some of the legends of the game.
With kickoff scheduled for this Friday night, May 31, at Dural Sport and Leisure Centre, it’s good luck to all clubs, players and officials as they take Futsal to an even higher platform in Australia.
Men ready to do battle for Hummel F-League title
While Dural Warriors proved unstoppable in last year’s tournament, winning 12 of 14 games (and scoring 108 goals) to finish eight points clear of East Coast Heat, there’s enough of a hint to suggest it definitely won’t be as easy this time around.
Yes they’ve still got three of last year’s top-10 strikers in their fold (30-goal golden boot Jarrod Basger, Greg Giovenali and Nathan Niski) and mastermind Rob Varela at the helm, but their opponents are another year wiser, stronger, more organised and chomping at the bit to make 2013 a much more hotly contested affair.
From all accounts the four Victorian clubs (Heart, Jaguars, Strikers, Vipers) have all bolstered their squads for this year’s league, including big guns such as Shervin Keshavarzadeli, Aguek Aguek (Jaguars), Konrad Machoy, Anthony Ramzy (Heart), Jose Portillo, Tom Grgic, Gavin Schipp, Lionel De Souza (Strikers), Fernando De Moraes, Miguel Barrigos, John and Jason Barientos (Vipers).
Vipers were the only side to beat Dural last year (ending a 10-game unbeaten Warriors run) and only a final-round loss to East Coast saw them drop to third. Beaten 2011 F-League finalists St Albans look better after an inconsistent 2012 campaign, while Jaguars and Melbourne Heart were dished some harsh national league lessons last year to make them much better prepared this time around.
ACT-based side Boomerangs will showcase the capital’s best indoor talent led by Futsalroo stars Daniel Fulton (2011 F-League golden boot) and goalkeeper Angelo Konstantinou. Boomerangs won six straight games to nudge Dural in the 2012 F-League before fading with three straight losses to finish fourth.
Futsalroo striker Chris Zeballos joins national keeper Peter Spathis at a bolder East Coast Heat, but perhaps the biggest unknown entity is new entrant Sydney Scorpions. Formed from four NSW Premier League clubs, the Scorpions have Futsalroo stars Lachlan Wright and Daniel Fogarty in a side bursting with talent and ready to rumble in their debut F-League.
The 2013 season kicks off with a late night Friday night affair (May 31) between newcomers Sydney Scorpions and East Coast at the Dural Sport and Leisure Centre (8.30pm), while the action continues the next morning (June 1) when title holders Warriors tackle Boomerangs (9am), Scorpions meet Melbourne Heart (11am), Heat play Vipers (1pm) and Dural face Jaguars (3pm) before St Albans finally hit the court against Boomerangs (5pm).
To view the fixtures click here
Women raring to go in debut Hummel F-League season
The introduction of a women’s competition to this year’s F-League has been applauded by many, particularly as a national pathway was always needed to help with player development, exposure to elite competition and the sport’s promotion.
The fact the line-up includes clubs from Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane certainly underlines its national prominence and there’s plenty of excitement brewing in the Futsal community as the future of women’s Futsal goes on show.
Long-time performers Dural and Parramatta (with Roy Cowie at the helm) and new Sydney powerhouse Scorpions (coached by Aussie Futsal legend Erkin Osman) will probably be regarded as favourites, but South Brisbane and Boomerangs have both put together strong squads with lofty ambitions, and Sutherland have fielded arguably Sydney’s best young women’s teams for the past few years.
Vipers and Heart have the whole of Victoria to themselves to pick their talent from so they too will offer tough opposition… I guess what’s being said is the season promises to be as entertaining as it will be mysterious to start off with.
One thing’s for sure, the players running around in this year’s F-League will be Australia’s next representatives on the world stage.
Dural Warriors and Sutherland Shire have the honour of playing the first-ever Women’s F-League match from 6pm at Dural Sport and Leisure Centre this Friday (May 31), followed by Sydney Scorpions versus Parramatta Blues at the same venue (7.15pm).
The series then shifts to the AIS Training Halls in Canberra for a blockbuster Queens Birthday Weekend of action, starting with a cross-country clash between South Brisbane and Melbourne Heart first-up on Saturday morning, June 8, followed by Boomerangs versus Vic Vipers.
Let the games begin!
To view the Men’s preview click here
To view the Women’s preview click here
To view the fixtures click here
-By Dan De Nardi