Welcome to Wonderkid Watch: A weekly piece that keeps you up to date with the players and stories emerging from A-Leagues clubs playing at NPL level in Australia.
Teenager’s whirlwind week in Adelaide
And breathe. What a week it was for Adelaide United young gun Vinko Stanisic.
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“Signing my first professional contract with my boyhood club is something I’ll never forget,” he said at the time. “I’m so thankful to everyone at the club who’s helped me grow as a player and a person.
“I’m determined to keep working hard and help take the club forward.”
Stanisic was on a flight the next day, travelling with the Reds for their 2025 Australia Cup Round of 32 showdown against Newcastle Jets.
The whirlwind week continued for the centre-back, who has been spending more time in midfield, as Adelaide went up against Playford City in Round 20 of the NPLM SA season.
Back in the NPL team’s starting line-up and in the heart of midfield, Stanisic scored his first goal of the campaign in the 39th minute as the Reds played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Playford City.
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Teenage prodigy Amlani Tatu and substitute Ali Mohtashami were also on target for Adelaide, who conceded in the 92nd and 94th minutes to share the points with the 10-man hosts.
For highly-rated Tatu, it was his sixth goal of the season. As for Mohtashami, he bagged his first goal for the senior academy side having found the back of the net eight times at reserve level in 2025.
Adelaide are fifth in the standings through 20 games, 16 points behind runaway leaders MetroStars but just three points adrift of second-placed Croydon FC.
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At reserve level, Adelaide were 2-0 winners away to Playford City.
Sebastian Tarasenko and Mutsa Mupandawana were the goalscorers for the Reds.
Adelaide are seventh in the standings after 20 rounds.
In NPLM QLD, Caleb Butler scored for Brisbane Roar in their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Olympic FC.
Across in NPL WA, third-placed Perth Glory were beaten 3-0 by league-leading Bayswater.
City’s promotion & title push going right down to the wire
There’s drama aplenty in VPL1 this season as Melbourne City vie to make the jump from Victoria’s second tier to NPLM VIC.
Alessandro Diamanti’s City are second and just a point adrift of Bentleigh Greens with two matches remaining following Monday night’s 3-1 success against Bulleen Lions.
Scholarship signing Beckham Baker, Kavlan Rahmani and Luke Becvinovski – whose goal was orchestrated by Ben Dunbar‘s stunning solo run – guided City past Bulleen at the Veneto Club.
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For 16-year-old Baker, it was his 12th goal of the season, fresh off signing his first pro contract.
The race to the title and automatic promotion is going right down to the wire. While City are within a point of leaders Bentleigh, they are only ahead of Caroline Springs George Cross on goal difference, with the top two teams securing automatic promotion to the first division.
City’s final two games are against Kingston City and Brunswick City.
Teams ranked between third and sixth will be involved in a promotion play-off to determine the club that will be promoted to NPLM VIC.
Western United have secured their place in the play-offs after edging North Sunshine Eagles 2-0.
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Second-half goals via Christian Polyzoudis and Zackaria Kaddour lifted the fourth-placed Green and Black – eight points adrift of City – past the Eagles in Tarneit on Sunday.
It is just as chaotic in the Under-23s as Western United and Melbourne City go head-to-head for supremacy.
Western are just a point clear atop the summit following their 5-0 rout of North Sunshine – fuelled by braces via Oscar Tanic and Erton Salievski and a Nahom Yohannes strike, coupled with City’s 4-1 defeat away to Bulleen Lions.
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With just two fixtures remaining, Western are a point ahead of City as they eye back-to-back U23s titles.
Western close out their season against Langwarrin and Caroline Springs George Cross, while City are set to face Kingston City and Brunswick City.
In NPLM VIC, Jonathan Kellis scored but Melbourne Victory lost 4-1 to high-flying Dandenong Thunder.
Victory are second from bottom through 24 rounds.
At U23 level, Victory went down 3-2 to Dandenong Thunder as they slipped three points behind leaders Dandenong City. James Rashio and Cristian Miano scored.
High-flying Jets continue to soar
Newcastle Jets are well and truly in the promotion picture amid their unbeaten streak in Football NSW League One.
The Jets are seven games without defeat following Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Hakoah Sydney City East FC.
Janni Rafty and Makye Buettner scored for the high-flying Jets, who are third in NSW’s second tier but just two points behind league-leading UNSW FC after 26 games.
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Promoted from League Two after an historic undefeated season, the Jets – fuelled by leading goalscorer Oliver Cockle (13), Xavier Bertoncello (12) and Ethan Debono (11) – are in the hunt for back-to-back promotions thanks to a streak that has featured a 4-1 rout of rivals Bulls FC Academy.
There are four matches remaining this season, against Bankstown City, second-placed SD Raiders, Macarthur Rams and Canterbury Bankstown FC.
Bulls FC Academy are seventh in the table but still just six points off the pace after their 2-1 loss to Dulwich Hill FC.
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While Luka Sterjovski gave the Bulls the lead over the weekend, the team are winless in seven matches.
In the U20s, the Bulls hold a one-point advantage over Newcastle atop the table.
The Bulls defeated Dulwich Hill FC 2-0 courtesy of Yusuf Aydin and Kye Cassar while the Jets eased past Hakoah 4-1 via Lucas Johnson‘s double and goals from Markus Wolscher and William Eick.
In NPLM NSW, Western Sydney Wanderers held Rockdale Ilinden to a 0-0 draw while Sydney FC suffered a 1-0 loss at Wollongong Wolves.
At U20 level, a late Georgio Hassarati brace capped Western Sydney’s 5-0 drubbing of Rockdale. Kaan Nizam, Johnny Pavlovic and Joshua Cetinic also scored for the Wanderers who are third in the table.
Sydney are fourth following their 2-0 defeat to Wollongong.
In NPLW NSW, Isabella Coco Di Sipio scored but Bulls FC Academy had to settle for a 1-1 draw away to Manly United.
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Newcastle Jets upstaged Sydney Olympic 1-0 thanks to substitute Makayla Clifton.
Western Sydney Wanderers, meanwhile, lost 2-0 to Sydney University.
In the U23s, the Bulls were beaten 4-1 by Manly United, Marni Duggan guided the Jets to a 1-0 victory against Sydney Olympic and the Wanderers lost 5-1 to Sydney University despite Isabella Sultan‘s opener.
In New Zealand, Wellington Phoenix’s women’s reserve team completed a stunning 3-2 comeback-win over Upper Hutt City, having trailed 2-0. Two goals from Lily Brazendale and one from Sienna Candy turned the game around.
Phoenix’s men’s reserves lost 3-0 to Wellington Olympic.
As for Auckland FC, they made it three on the bounce after taking down West Coast Rangers 1-0 in the Northern League. Ralph Rutherford‘s goals settled the contest.
