The Devonport Strikers will return to the National Stage on Saturday as they take on the Maitland Magpies in an NPL Elminational Final to kick off the National Finals Series.
The champions of the 8 NPL competitions around the country will now play off in an 8 team knockout tournament to determine the National Champions.
The game will see the Strikers hitting the road, or more accurately plane, with the game to take place in Northern New South Wales at Cooks Square Park in Maitland,
The Magpies were crowned the NPL NNSW Premiers for their work over the league campaign but they could not consolidate their regular season form with a victory in the Grand Final. They beat Lambton Jaffas and Edgeworth FC to the title, but their 2-0 Grand Final loss to Edgeworth ensured the Premiers could not secure the double.
Without a post-season NPL TAS Cup to contend with Devonport will arrive in Maitland to face the NPL NNSW Premiers having had two weeks to prepare for the tie and should be fresh for the game, as they look to eliminate a Northern New South Wales opposition, just as they did in the 2016 FFA Cup when they downed the Lambton Jaffas.
Looking to watch the game?
Every match in the NPL 2019 Finals Series will be streamed LIVE on www.nationalpremierleagues.com.au as well as via the official National Premier Leagues Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NationalPremierLeagues/).
"We will be firing and ready to go,'' said 2019 NPL TAS Coach of the year Rick Coghlan to the Advocates Alex Fair.
"You are going in against the premiership teams from around the country, so on paper they are the best teams of their respective competitions, so it is a really good opportunity to go against the best and it is really good opportunity to get a scalp and push on to the semis and the grand final.
"You're only three games away from lifting a trophy and we are fully capable of mixing it with the best of them.
"We have a had a cracking season and it is a great way to round off the season regardless of the outcomes over the next three games as it is a fantastic achievement to reach the NPL finals series and it is a great opportunity to go away as a squad and enjoy some time together."