NPL men's NNSW 2023 preview: Maitland Magpies set to fly high again

Premiers last season, Maitland appear everyone's pick as the team to beat in the 2023 NPL men's Northern NSW competition. Although losing centre-back Zach Thomas, the Magpies have otherwise strengthened their squad, while leading contenders from last season - Broadmeadow, Charlestown and grand final winners Lambton Jaffas - have new coaches. Broadmeadow also have player losses and Jaffas mass changes to their roster, making it difficult to predict who could offer the biggest challenge to Maitland. Or could another threat emerge from the last season's congested mid-table pack? Coach: Michael Bolch 2022: 1st (42 pts), grand finalists. OUT: Zach Thomas (Oakleigh), Joe Melmeth (Edgeworth), Joel Clissold (Cooks Hill). IN: Damon Green (Magic), Rhys Cooper, Tom Davies (Olympic), Isaac Collins (Jets Youth). KEY: Braedyn Crowley and James Thompson were close to unstoppable up front last season, and with their support cast in midfield boosted this year, the Magpies are clear favourites. TIP: 1st Coach: John Bennis 2022: 2nd (41 pts) OUT: Jose Atayde (Central Coast), Damon Green (Maitland), Ben McNamara (Azzurri), Zac Bowling (Altona), Chris Berlin (retired), Jordan Jackson, Aaron Oppedisano (Melbourne). IN: Sam Kamper (Weston), Riley Smith (Azzurri), Cesar Serpa (Uruguay). KEY: Magic were outstanding last season with a young squad but the departure of coach Damian Zane and some top talent will make a repeat difficult. TIP: 5th Coach: David Tanchevski 2022: 3rd (38 pts), grand final winners. OUT: James Virgili, Luke Virgili (retired), Mitch Rooke (Bentleigh), Finn Parris (travelling), Andrew Pawiak (Edgeworth), Alex Hilton (Cooks Hill), Kai Bradley (New Lambton), Isaac Quinn (Olympic), Tom Waller, Bren Hammel. IN: Josh Benson, Bailey Newton, Pat Bond, Sam Webb, Riley McNaughton, Finn Todhunter, Jagger Wholert, Ryan Furness (Cooks Hill), Dylan Newbold (Valentine), Charlie Kelly (Jets youth). KEY: A huge turnover of players followed the shock axing of grand final-winning coach Shane Pryce to bring back Tanchevski from Cooks Hill. Jaffas have lost experience but will still carry a deep squad with many young additions. How well they gel will be crucial. TIP: 3rd Coach: James Pascoe 2022: 4th (34 pts) OUT: Riley Smith (Magic), Matt Tull (retired). IN: Miguel Fernandez (Spain), Kyle Munns (Adamstown), Luke Callan (Lakes), Matt Johnson (Central Coast), Ben McNamara (Magic). KEY: With a familiar squad and former A-League players Nigel Boogaard, Taylor Regan and Jacob Melling back again, Azzurri have the roster to challenge for silverware under experienced coach Pascoe. But can they maintain the rage after leading the way last season then fading to finish fourth and falling in the first final? TIP: 2nd Coach: Joel Griffiths 2022: 5th (34 pts) OUT: Rhys Cooper, Tom Davies (Maitland), Kent Harrison, Louis Townsend (New Lambton), Daniel Eisenhauer (Cooks Hill), Vince Unie, Jarrod Dodds, Malik Thom, Musa Kamara. IN: Nathan Toby (Adamstown), Isaac Quinn (Jaffas), Tom O'Connor, Lachlan Griffiths (Jets Youth), Grant Michaels, Hamza Moosvi (US). KEY: After a slow start, Olympic climbed the ladder after the addition of Thom and Kamara, who then left before season's end. They have lost experience since but still have a core of young talent that took their chance in 2022, plus a few additions. TIP: 6th Coach: Peter McGuinness 2022: 6th (32 pts) OUT: Liam Wilson (Weston), Sam Maxwell (New Lambton), Will Bower (Dandenong), Jordan Bower, Jackson Pereira (injury), Jeremy Brockie. IN: Andrew Pawiak (Jaffas), Jacob Pepper (Cooks Hill), Nate Cavaliere (Magic), Joe Melmeth (Maitland), Kevin Dagnet (France), Tom Curran, Mason King. KEY: Made a slow start in 2022, after the late appointment of McGuinness to replace Michael Bridges, and they never fully recovered. They have strengthened, especially in midfield, but how they handle the loss of Will Bower and Brockie up top will be pivotal. TIP: 4th Coach: Adam Hughes 2022: 7th (31 pts) OUT: Nick Cowburn (Gold Coast), Dylan Newbold (Jaffas), Jye Bailey (Germany), Adam Mlinaric, Ryan Clarke, Matt Thompson, Mitch Lawrence, Joey Cacic, Shukurani Sunzu. IN: Cooper Verstegen, Tom Parkes (Lakes), Sakeel Balfour-Brown (Cooks Hill), Scott McGinley (Central Coast), Chris Fayers (Canberra). KEY: Phoenix have lost experience and class in Thompson, Clarke and Cowburn but coach Hughes and former skipper McGinley return to soften the blow. Valentine jumped from last in 2021 to almost make finals last year but face a stern test with a younger group. TIP: 8th Coach: Kew Jaliens 2022: 8th (26 pts) OUT: Sam Kamper (Magic), Nathan Morris (retired), Zac Sneddon, Moustafa Mohammad. IN: Connor Evans (Marconi), Liam Wilson (Edgeworth), Gerard Roebuck (Lithgow), Alessandro Ouwerkerk (Netherlands), Yuta Konagaya (APS Zakynthos), Mitch Dobson. KEY: The Bears, in the finals mix until late in 2022, have recruited near and far under Jaliens and should push for a play-offs spot, especially if the imports prove valuable additions. TIP: 7th Coach: Chris Zoricich 2022: 9th (18 pts) OUT: Josh Benson, Bailey Newton, Pat Bond, Sam Webb, Riley McNaughton, Finn Todhunter, Jagger Wholert, Ryan Furness (Jaffas), Sakeel Balfour-Brown (Valentine), Jacob Pepper (Edgeworth), Adam Sherratt, Jay Kitcher, Tom Smart. IN: Matt Berrigan, Brock Beveridge, Alex Hilton, Harry Evans (Jaffas), Campbell Ross, Carter Smith, Tap Goora (Lakes), Daniel Eisenhauer (Olympic), Joel Clissold (Maitland), Zaik Luck (Adamstown). KEY: Rookies last year in the NPL, Cooks Hill recruited heavily but most of those players have now moved on, leaving new coach Zoricich with a difficult rebuild. TIP: 9th Coach: Dave Rosewarne 2022: 10th (8 pts) OUT: Kaleb Cox (Brisbane), Kyle Munns (Azzurri), Nathan Toby (Olympic), Zaik Luck (Cooks Hill), Ewan Von Essen, Tom Jenkin, Drew Grierson, Anthony Wood, Denis Fajkovic. IN: Nick Hartnett. KEY: Rosebud have lost most of their attacking force but gained keeper Hartnett. They will again rely on young talent to rise to the occasion but a finish in the bottom few looks likely again. TIP: 11th Coach: Steve Piggott 2022: 11th (7 pts) OUT: Campbell Ross, Carter Smith, Tap Goora (Cooks Hill), Cooper Verstegen, Tom Parkes (Valentine), Luke Callan (Azzurri), Blair Ryan, Coen Ungaro. IN: Scott Manning (Gold Coast), Kougha Dunkerley (North Qld), Charlie Buffon (Central Coast) Marco Porcellini, Tim Davies, Brock Oakley. KEY: Lakes have snared a proven coach in Piggott but he comes in after a tough season, several departures and not much in the way of major recruits. TIP: 12th Coach: Tom Davies 2022: 1st in second division. IN: Kent Harrison, Louis Townsend (Olympic), Kai Bradley (Jaffas), Sam Maxwell (Edgeworth). KEY: First year up and the Golden Eagles are backing their group from 2022, with a handful of additions, to get the job done. TIP: 10th IN THE NEWS: To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.