IT’S not hyperbole to suggest that one of the biggest games in recent S-League history will be played on Sunday.
It may be the penultimate round of the season, but victory for either Mildura City or Irymple Knights will make them champions-in-waiting before next week’s finale.
The team on top of the ladder at the conclusion of the 15 rounds takes home the title there has been barely anything to split City and Knights in 2023.
Defending champions City are one win ahead but have a final round bye, putting an array of outcomes on the table depending on the result due to their 1-1 head-to-head record and equal goal difference in those games.
Both sides can nip any other paths in the bud by winning at Kenny Park on Sunday.
Opposing captains Jacob Rodi and Chris Romeo said their respective squads couldn’t wait to do battle.
“Everyone is really excited,” City skipper Rodi said.
“We love these games and these important ones are the moments you love being part of and what you play and train for all year.
“It’s been a very competitive season between our two teams.
“We’ve snagged a game off each other and this one will essentially decide who had the better year and who takes it out.
“It’s always a bonus when you play at your home ground.
“We only get the opportunity to play there once a year, twice if we’re lucky.”
Romeo said the contest will be one of the biggest games he has played in as his Irymple side chase their first title since 2017.
“You have two big clubs, two of the best footballing teams in the last decade or so, it’s a big occasion and hopefully it lives up to the hype,” he said.”We’re as confident as we can be. We’ve only lost one game, as have City, so it’s as even as it can get.
“It really is just going to be a matter of who wants it more on the day, and we know what they can bring and what we can do.
“We just hope on the day we bring our best and if it’s good enough, that’s great, but if not we can’t do much about it.”
Rodi credited the “squad mentality” of his club’s senior and reserve grades with their ability to remain near the top of the table.
“We are a unit, anyone in the reserves are more than capable of holding their own in the senior team,” he said.
“With anything our core of players who have been together has helped, but the most important thing for us is that we have everyone buying into the same beliefs.”
Romeo said after a mini rebuild since the last title, the emergence of young talent such as Nathan Monteleone, Kieran Burrows, Sam Leimgruber and George Karallis have propelled them forward.
“Last year we started knocking on a few doors and getting a bit more competitive in bigger games, but as we started pre-season this year, the matches started rolling on and the juniors got more experience, the confidence stuck with us and we had belief we could get to this point,” he said.
The senior men’s contest begins at 3.10pm Sunday at Kenny Park, Merbein, following the conclusion of the senior women’s contest between the same sides.
Back at Aero Ovals, Mildura United collide with Three Colours in the other senior men’s contest.WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE
Here’s how the 2023 S-League senior men’s title can be decided following Sunday’s game:
WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE: How the 2023 S-League senior men’s title can be decided following Sunday’s game:
Mildura City win: They cannot be caught and will become back-to-back S-League champions.
Irymple Knights win: They will draw even on points on the ladder and, despite goal difference or final round results, will win the title on head-to-head win/loss record.
Draw: With City having a final-round bye, a draw would mean Irymple needs to win next week’s contest against Mildura United by at least two goals to take the title. A one-goal win next week would leave both sides dead even on goal difference and head-to-head, while a draw or loss in that final game would see City remain on top.
All even: If both sides are even head-to-head and on goal difference after the final round, goals scored for each side in head-to-head games would be the next decider. As both teams have netted five times in their two games, another draw would see them remain the same, which would leave one remaining option.
Play-off: If the teams still can’t be separated, a final play-off match will be used to determine the overall winner. A penalty shootout will come into effect if a winner cannot be determined during regulation time.
