Central League 2025

Fascinating last round at the bottom of the table.

Upper Hutt, Island Bay and North Wellington can all control their own destiny by winning.  Can all be relegated.  Yet can all survive if they only draw, and Upper Hutt and Island Bay can survive a loss if the other result goes their way.  For NW to survive with a draw would mean a massive loss for IB to lose on goal difference, so NW really need to win.  Adding to the spice is UH and NW playing each other.  Might be worth a watch.

Awesome that the season has something on it in the last week. 

Walsall Boy

Fascinating last round at the bottom of the table.

Upper Hutt, Island Bay and North Wellington can all control their own destiny by winning.  Can all be relegated.  Yet can all survive if they only draw, and Upper Hutt and Island Bay can survive a loss if the other result goes their way.  For NW to survive with a draw would mean a massive loss for IB to lose on goal difference, so NW really need to win.  Adding to the spice is UH and NW plating each other.  Might be worth a watch.

Prediction?

Feverish

Walsall Boy

Fascinating last round at the bottom of the table.

Upper Hutt, Island Bay and North Wellington can all control their own destiny by winning.  Can all be relegated.  Yet can all survive if they only draw, and Upper Hutt and Island Bay can survive a loss if the other result goes their way.  For NW to survive with a draw would mean a massive loss for IB to lose on goal difference, so NW really need to win.  Adding to the spice is UH and NW plating each other.  Might be worth a watch.

Prediction?

 Hard to say. i would personally hate to see north welly go down. they had a good spell beating naiper and go unbeaten for about a month after they look almost certain to be going down. In their last 3 matches from oldest to newest they conceded 8 to western suburbs then 6 to waterside before this past weekend getting 2 late goals to draw nix reserves. Island bay on the other hand last three were 0-3 to miramar, 0-5 to petone and 0-5 to olympic this past weekend. If i had to predict i would say a close match with potential for late fire so i'd hazard a guess 2-1 or 3-2 to either but i'll go 2-1 north welly for the last day relegation fight

Themooseman

Feverish

Walsall Boy

Fascinating last round at the bottom of the table.

Upper Hutt, Island Bay and North Wellington can all control their own destiny by winning.  Can all be relegated.  Yet can all survive if they only draw, and Upper Hutt and Island Bay can survive a loss if the other result goes their way.  For NW to survive with a draw would mean a massive loss for IB to lose on goal difference, so NW really need to win.  Adding to the spice is UH and NW plating each other.  Might be worth a watch.

Prediction?

 Hard to say. i would personally hate to see north welly go down. they had a good spell beating naiper and go unbeaten for about a month after they look almost certain to be going down. In their last 3 matches from oldest to newest they conceded 8 to western suburbs then 6 to waterside before this past weekend getting 2 late goals to draw nix reserves. Island bay on the other hand last three were 0-3 to miramar, 0-5 to petone and 0-5 to olympic this past weekend. If i had to predict i would say a close match with potential for late fire so i'd hazard a guess 2-1 or 3-2 to either but i'll go 2-1 north welly for the last day relegation fight

So Island Bay for the chop

I left the Upper Hutt game when they were losing 2-0 . What was the final score?

LG

I left the Upper Hutt game when they were losing 2-0 . What was the final score?

3-0 late tap in by west #9

Feverish

Walsall Boy

Fascinating last round at the bottom of the table.

Upper Hutt, Island Bay and North Wellington can all control their own destiny by winning.  Can all be relegated.  Yet can all survive if they only draw, and Upper Hutt and Island Bay can survive a loss if the other result goes their way.  For NW to survive with a draw would mean a massive loss for IB to lose on goal difference, so NW really need to win.  Adding to the spice is UH and NW plating each other.  Might be worth a watch.

Prediction?

Upper Hutt benefit the most from not losing.  So I can see Rory having a lot of time in training this week making sure things are tight at the back and looking to win on the break.  Having said that, he has a squad with a very low average age, so could be a dangerous tactic.  Suspect if they do get in front, they will look to protect it.

1-1 full time at alex moore with nw going ahead after about 78 minutes but shortly after conceding with a deflected header into their own net they fought forward till the end but are going down.

what else happened around the grounds?

Themooseman

1-1 full time at alex moore with nw going ahead after about 78 minutes but shortly after conceding with a deflected header into their own net they fought forward till the end but are going down.

what else happened around the grounds?

Karori got trounced 7-0 by the Nix Reserves, the game had to be halted temporarily when the wind blew the goal over. Their captain Birhanu Taye went off injured at the end, at least this is the end for Karori's season.

Themooseman

1-1 full time at alex moore with nw going ahead after about 78 minutes but shortly after conceding with a deflected header into their own net they fought forward till the end but are going down.

what else happened around the grounds?

Who had the worst season NW or Vic Uni having their first men’s and women’s relegated?

Went to NW vs Upper Hutt. Good game very lively crowd, and it was sure close. Upper Hutt happy for the draw for most of the game, NW worked hard to get the lead but unfortunately blew it within about 10 minutes. A shame but seems over the season they deserved to go down.

NWs substitute Miles Woodhall with a cracking goal, swerved into the top left corner with a belter of a strike and the wind influencing too. Shaun Marshall had another good game in goal for Upper Hutt, but by far the best player on the park was Upper Hutts Mick Reid - a real playmaker who looked to make things happen, won heaps of fouls and opened up the hosts a lot. Considering the direct long ball approach they typically play and did so again today, he was a critical player to vary that up a bit and give NW some issues on the counter.

NB this post is a response to Feverish but I seem to have deleted that one :-)

NW women will likely stay up now due to Vic Uni getting relegated (as there can't be 2 teams from same club in Cap Prem)

But to be honest the worst season has to be your mens first team if it hadn't been for the 15 point they got in the first half of the season you'd be in central 2 now. 70 goals conceded - 9 times more than 4 (including 0-5, 1-6, 1-9, 0-6, 0-6, 1-8 & 0-7) - you really need to find some defenders in the off season!!!!

The JourneyFan

NB this post is a response to Feverish but I seem to have deleted that one :-)

NW women will likely stay up now due to Vic Uni getting relegated (as there can't be 2 teams from same club in Cap Prem)

But to be honest the worst season has to be your mens first team if it hadn't been for the 15 point they got in the first half of the season you'd be in central 2 now. 70 goals conceded - 9 times more than 4 (including 0-5, 1-6, 1-9, 0-6, 0-6, 1-8 & 0-7) - you really need to find some defenders in the off season!!!!

If my grandmother had wheels, she would have been a bike

Karori may be on the hunt for a new coach? They faltered badly second half of the season. Just speculation, I’m not in the know. 

The JourneyFan

NB this post is a response to Feverish but I seem to have deleted that one :-)

NW women will likely stay up now due to Vic Uni getting relegated (as there can't be 2 teams from same club in Cap Prem)

But to be honest the worst season has to be your mens first team if it hadn't been for the 15 point they got in the first half of the season you'd be in central 2 now. 70 goals conceded - 9 times more than 4 (including 0-5, 1-6, 1-9, 0-6, 0-6, 1-8 & 0-7) - you really need to find some defenders in the off season!!!!

NW Coach has stepped down, given some of the performances across the year and rumours around the grounds there could be a big merry go round of coaching appointments.

IBU have just had a change and managed to stay up on the back of one win against Karori and a draw against Wests (which all things considered wasn’t a bad effort). Martin will probably stay out for the time being.

I’ve heard a *rumour* that Rory might go overseas so Upper Hutt could be on the lookout. Only a rumour though so I don’t hold much weight in it.

Karori will want to do some soul searching going into 2026. They stayed up due to the first half of the season. 

Petone were the best of the rest but dropped points in games they should have won. 

Napier were still in the hunt until round 15 but marked a clear divide on the table so I’d say Bill is safe. 

I have also heard that Ifill might be moving on. I reckon almost everyone will be seeking new coaches! 

Tyler

I have also heard that Ifill might be moving on. I reckon almost everyone will be seeking new coaches! 

Ekow Quainoo has been Paul Ifill’s right-hand man for a few years now and I don't think this time if Paul Ifill leaves and joins a different club that Ekow Quainoo will follow Ifill this time. Paul rates Ekow highly as a top coach and sees him as deserving of managing his own side as head coach so maybe Ifill is leaving to give Ekow that opportunity. 

These were my predictions from the beginning of the season 
Happy to say I was wrong on everything bar top and bottom because Olympic got the 5peat!

On review I underestimated the Weenix and over estimated Napier. I think Petone were good value for their 6th position because despite playing well against top four teams (I mean losing by a goal, not winning) I think they tossed up too many points against the teams beneath them on the table. 

I say this cautiously as an Olympic fan, but Miramar played some good football. 

1) Olympic (5 peat)
2) Wests (strong start but a late fall off, they spent all of the Hilton Petone fouling teams out of possession, I didn’t love it, but it works)
3) Napier (Consistent performers not sure how well they will do without failds but one man doesn’t make a team) 
4) Petone (wildcard)
5) Miramar (solid squad but hit and miss performances if last year is anything to go by)
6) Karori (I’m probably wrong but I’m sticking to my guns)
7) Weenix (give them another season and they will be back up qualifying in their own right)
8) Island Bay (three or four good signings)
9) Upper Hutt (they will do enough to stay up)
10) North Wellington (have been there or there abouts for a while)

So he (Ekow) may stay at Olympic? 

NZKnowledge

Tyler

I have also heard that Ifill might be moving on. I reckon almost everyone will be seeking new coaches! 

Ekow Quainoo has been Paul Ifill’s right-hand man for a few years now and I don't think this time if Paul Ifill leaves and joins a different club that Ekow Quainoo will follow Ifill this time. Paul rates Ekow highly as a top coach and sees him as deserving of managing his own side as head coach so maybe Ifill is leaving to give Ekow that opportunity. 

Have gotten a ton of player stats, so here they are.

All stats are from 2021 to 2025.

Unfortunately, I mucked something up in the code and am currently unable to do most clean-sheets, most goals conceded and most pens scored. If y'all want I will do a part two with more stats and an updated code to fix the missed stats (maybe like when the most goals are scored, most multi goal games, most matches as captain etc).

There have been 744 player that have played in the league.

Most Appearances:
80 Oliver Pickering
80 Gavin Hoy
78 Scott Basalaj
77 Samuel Mason-Smith
77 James Hoyle
76 Tor Davenport Petersen
76 Cameron Emerson
74 Joshua Zatorski
74 Ben Mata
72 Luca Barclay

Most Goals:
64 Hamish Watson
52 Jack-Henry Sinclair
44 Samuel Mason-Smith
42 Gianni Bouzoukis
33 Ihaia Delaney
31 Kieran Mcminn
31 Ben Mata
31 Kailan Gould
30 Martin Bueno
26 Tomas Alvarado

Most Yellow Cards:
27 Cameron Emerson
20 Tor Davenport Petersen
20 Harry Fautley
17 Thomas Scott
14 Bradley Whitworth
14 Connor Gaul
14 Amir Mandalawi
14 Isaac Snell
14 Fin Conchie
14 James Hoyle

Most Red Cards: *(Only as straight red cards)
2 Isa Prins
2 Ahmad Othman

Most Minutes Played:
6,960 Scott Basalaj
6,859 James Hoyle
6,297 Samuel Mason-Smith
6,279 Ben Mata
6,179 Justin Gulley
6,162 Tor Davenport Petersen
6,022 Oliver Pickering
5,884 Gavin Hoy
5,866 Joshua Zatorski
5,784 Cameron Emerson

Most subbed on players:
48 Harry Mason
33 Nathanael Hailemariam
30 Stefan Cordwell
28 Jared Eglinton
26 Sam Lack

Most subbed off players:
48 Harry Mason
33 Nathanael Hailemariam
30 Stefan Cordwell
28 Jared Eglinton
26 Sam Lack

Most benched players:
32 Nick Stanton
31 Jacob Daly
28 James Stuart
25 Alex Britton
21 Ruben Dray

Most Own Goals:
2 Joshua Brown
2 James Sutcliffe
2 Hami Paranihi-Nuku
2 Birhanu Taye
2 James Hoyle

No mention of looking at the Nix, or overseas re any plan to become a pro. 

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/10/23/wellington-olympics-isa-prins-how-futsal-helps-me-become-a-better-player/

coochiee

No mention of looking at the Nix, or overseas re any plan to become a pro. 

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/10/23/wellington-olympics-isa-prins-how-futsal-helps-me-become-a-better-player/

I was shocked to see the NZU20’s  or give him a look. He’s a much better footballer than I’ve seen in any of the academies. 

Although I’ve always seen the nix as a pay your way to pro/age grade representation so it makes sense 

Kale Herbert gone!

rather dramatic there - he's stepping down at the end of the season

Tyler

Kale Herbert gone!

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/11/13/kale-herbert-to-step-away-from-coaching-role-at-miramar-rangers/

Miramar Rangers have announced Kale Herbert is stepping down as head coach and director of football at the Wellington club at the end of the men’s National League season.

“He is stepping away to spend more time with his young family,” the club’s statement says.

“The club understand and respect Kale’s decision and wish him, his wife Jess, and their family all the best for the next part of their journey.”

Kale Herbert turns up at Te Kotahitanga. Big score for them

Tyler

Kale Herbert turns up at Te Kotahitanga. Big score for them

Spending time with ones family on Transmission gully? I guess there is slightly less in season travel in cap prem...

The social media post doesn’t mention he will be first team coach so may not be full time?

He used to play for KCU and I think his missus is from that part of the world. The Rikki Herbert Academy has been doing stuff on the coast for years.

zonknz

Tyler

Kale Herbert turns up at Te Kotahitanga. Big score for them

Spending time with ones family on Transmission gully? I guess there is slightly less in season travel in cap prem...

I think you'll find he'll be saving himself daily trips up and down transmission gully