CLUB FOCUS: BONNYRIGG WHITE EAGLES

There will be a slight change of the guard for the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s champions.

The Bonnyrigg White Eagles bid adieu to premiership captain Chris Tadrosse in the best possible way with a grand final win against Blacktown City, and he was joined in the outgoing list by Ben Spruce, Dylan Fox and Tynan Diaz.

“They’re four stalwarts of the team,” coach Brian Brown said.

“We signed Michael Robinson from Wollongong, Greg Kondek from Spartans and Ken Chun from Thailand and now we’ve picked up Sam Gallaway from the [Western Sydney] Wanderers senior squad.

While the outs are big ones, the players retained does not make for bad reading for the reigning champions.

Goalscorer supreme Robbie Younis returns, while Ray Miller, Aaron Peterson, Nikola Zonjic and imports Yuta Kokado and Mun-soo Gil are all back to help Brown defend their crown.

Brown admitted he was concerned with how he would plug the gap of the players gone, even with those he has brought in, but has been pleasantly surprised by how it has all come together in pre-season.

“The ones that have come in have been our best players in the pre-season games,” he said.

“I’m really happy with the way we’re tracking … even if we have had a few little niggly injuries and stuff.”

As usual with ‘Bomber’ Brown, the White Eagles will be out to win everything they play in.

“The expectation this year is to win everything we compete in, but I think the standard of competition and standard of coaching and players is improving all the time,” he said.

“I think it’s going to be tough, not unlike any other year but I’m really confident.

“We’ve got a few young boys coming through. Taylor McDonald made his debut in last season’s grand final and we’ve got another lad from our under-18 side called Hayden Tucker and he’s got a lot of potential.”

And with the season final upon us, and even at 58 Brown is relishing the dawn of a new season and a new challenge.

“It is always an exciting time,” Brown said.

“I’m just really looking forward to playing games for points again and the challenge that comes with it.”

PLAYER TO WATCH: Robbie Younis

Anyone who has scored in excess of 70 games in 101 appearances needs to be watched and watched closely. Robbie Younis fired the White Eagles to glory last season and his predatory instinct and overall ability to bring his team-mates into the game is second to none and will be crucial to the club’s chances of success once again.

SQUAD: James Chronopoulos, Bo Hyun Chun, Jake Douglas, Samuel Gallaway, Mun-Soo Gil, Adam Jenner, Yuta Kokado, Gregory Kondek, Alexander Mansueto, Taylor McDonald, James Mckenzie, Raymond Miller, Aaron Peterson, Michael Robinson, Hayden Tucker, David Vrankovic, Robert Younis, Nikola Zonjic