The annual excellent Niche Cache wrapup of the best players in the National League.
For some context in the 2023 edition 'First Eleven' - Louis Toomey and Cam Howieson are now ALM footballers, and GK Scott Morris is with Stoke City in the UK. Francis de Vries at Eastern Suburbs making his post ACL injury comeback only made the 'Third Eleven' in 2023.
Some of the younger U20s guys below, likely possibilties to be signed for Auckland FC's reserve team in next year's Northern League.
Myer Bevan also one to watch with his Canadian club (Cavalry) deal to finally expire next month.
https://theniche-cache.com/football/2024/12/20/2024-mens-national-league-team-of-the-seasonFIRST ELEVEN
GK - William Tønning (Napier City Rovers)
The Danish Denier. Finest gloveman in the competition, in fact he was the one keeper who deserved up to be up in MVP consideration. He’s got great reactions, he’s aggressive coming off his line (and out of his area), and he’s fearless in the air. Big expressive personality too. Perfect foil for the way that Napier City play and a deserving selection in the first team right here. He’s also yet another example of Rovers hitting the jackpot with their import additions, those scouting connections are the real deal.
CB – Dino Botica (Birkenhead United)
All that dashing transitional footy from Birko needed a sturdy platform behind them and they don’t come any sturdier than Dino Botica. A header doesn’t go unchallenged when this bloke is in the vicinity. He was inspirational in the grand final, combating the Auckland City onslaught that ensued from the second half onwards, running himself into exhaustion. And that’s just how he plays. A leader by example if ever there was one... and one heck of a defensive maestro.
CB – Aidan Carey (Western Springs)
Pat Tobin and Kurtis Mogg were also great but it was Aidan Carey who ran the show for Western Springs as the man in the middle of the back three. Very silky with the ball, capable of getting their possessions rolling. Also showed himself to have a superb knack for anticipating where he needs to be at any given time and how he plans to take that ball away from the opponents. Wouldn’t you know it, he scored a couple of goals too. Some of these first-teamers are regulars from years gone by. Some are high calibre imports. But every year there are also one or two breakthrough players, announcing themselves to the nation as elite domestic players, and Aidan Carey was one of those this year.
CB – Michael Den Heijer (Auckland City)
The rock at the heart of another ACFC championship. MDH is a converted midfielder so he brings the necessary ball skills for a City defender and he’s really grown to own this centre-back position over the last 24 months. Always in control. Always a steady head (mentally and also winning headers). There are games when he emerges spotless and there are games when he emerges with his noggin wrapped in bloodied bandages, it all depends on what that game required. They don’t make ‘em any more reliable than this dude.
RWB – Dylan Connolly (Birkenhead United)
If it wasn’t for the injury suffered by Everton O’Leary (which was a real bummer) then perhaps Dylan Connolly might not have even played that much for Birko. As it happens, he was one of their essential weapons whipping in wicked crosses from that right wing-back position, the Irishman even setting up Monty Patterson’s goal in the grand final to add to the four assists he bagged during the regular stuff. Heaps of running up and down that touchline, there’s no team that his style suited better than the run-and-gun Birkenhead United dashers.
CM – Luke Jorgensen (Birkenhead United)
We’ll ignore the bit where he scored an own goal in the final, that was unlucky, and focus on how his tireless work in the Birkenhead midfield was such a big part of what got them to the final in the first place. There’s not a blade of grass (or chunk of turf) on a National League pitch unaccustomed to the sprigs of this man’s boots. Relentless. Abrasive. And sneakily creative too. And a quality leader on top of everything else. It’s a tough gig playing for a team as hectic as this but with Jorgo there to tie things together it all flows.
CM – David Yoo (Coastal Spirit)
This 25yo former Eastern Suburbs youth bounced around a few academy/lower tier clubs in Portugal over recent years but returned to do his thrilling thing for Christchurch United in 2024. He was fantastic for the Rams... but they didn’t qualify for Nats. So you know what? He simply joined Coastal Spirit as a guest player and despite it being a relatively short notice thing (even heading into the last week or two, Chch Utd still had a genuine chance of qualifying), he slotted into that Spirit side like he was born for it. Yoo’s dribbling and directness were ideal for a counter attacking side like Coastal and even with guys like Alex Steinwascher and Dan MacLennan ahead of him it was David Yoo who seemed to be the instigator. Six goals and four assists. The five-minute hat-trick against Western Suburbs. He was amongst the National League’s very finest this term.
LWB – Matthew Ellis (Western Springs)
Had to squeeze Matty Ellis into the top side. After all, he was so often the instigator for Western Springs with his searing, sizzling, stunning pace out wide... leading to five goals and five assists – meaning that he directly contributed to 40% of third-placed Western Springs’ goals this MNL. Like Carey, he used to be one of those youngsters that Auckland City rotate around but he’s come into his own since moving to WSAFC. If you didn’t know him before, you do now. This dude is the Electric Swan.
FW – Oscar Faulds (Napier City Rovers)
Although he was born and raised in Sweden, Oscar Faulds considers himself an equal-part New Zealander and has a big ol’ silver fern tattoo on his arm to prove it. One of the reasons he moved here was to try and have a crack at making the Olympic squad earlier in the year. That proved a little too late for him... but the goals were extensive. So much so that he almost didn’t play the National League phase because it took not one but two pro deals in Scandinavia to collapse before he was forced to return to Napier City Rovers, though definitely not with his tail between his legs. Faulds promptly picked up where he left of with a magnificent run of performances, hauling a very good Napier City side into the genuine title contention. A very late defeat against Auckland City ended that dream but Faulds still emerged with six goals and four assists to ensure that all of Aotearoa knows his name (or at least those of us who’ve been paying attention). And there’s a January transfer window opening up in Europe very shortly.
FW – Garbhan Coughlan (Cashmere Technical)
For the third year in a row, Garbhan Coughlan has won the MNL Golden Boot... although for the third year in a row he’s also had to share it. This time not with Gianni Bouzoukis but with Daniel Bunch (and possibly Monty Patterson since it seems that NZF count grand final goals as well). It didn’t feel like Garbs was as triumphantly dominant as last year yet he still scored eight goals in eight appearances. Netted in four straight weeks at one stage. There’s nothing new to be said. We all know how amazing he is.
FW – Monty Patterson (Birkenhead United)
The rightfully crowned MVP. There were other candidates, sure, and Monty’s injury issues over the first few weeks held him back slightly. But even then he was still coming off the bench and having an impact. His presence up top was the Rome that all roads led to for Birkenhead. The focal point. For a fella that used to be known as a tricky winger, his hold-up play as a striker has gotten so good plus he’s a very mature player these days too... and knows exactly where that goal is, as his seven goals and two assists can attest (plus he scored in the final too). It was when Patterson settled into the starting line-up that Birko went next level. We’re talking a goal and assist off the bench in the comeback draw against Wests. We’re talking his hat-trick against the WeeNix. We’re especially talking that match-winning double against Coastal Spirit including a 90+5th minute winning penalty. What a player, what a season.
SECOND ELEVEN
GK – Quillan Roberts (Western Suburbs)
CB – Riley Grover (Coastal Spirit)
CB – Danny Kane (Cashmere Technical)
CB – Adam Mitchell (Auckland City)
RWB – Haris Zeb (Birkenhead United)
CM – Jackson Manuel (Western Springs)
CM - Joseph Hopper (Wellington Olympic)
LWB – Stipe Ukich (Auckland City)
FW – Emiliano Tade (Western Springs)
FW – Daniel Bunch (Birkenhead United)
FW – Myer Bevan (Auckland City)
THIRD ELEVEN
GK – Conor Tracey (Auckland City)
RB - Lewis Partridge (Wellington Phoenix Reserves)
CB – Dylan Gardiner (Wellington Phoenix Reserves)
CB – Aaryan Raj (Eastern Suburbs)
LB – Stephen Hoyle (Napier City Rovers)
CM – Campbell Strong (Eastern Suburbs)
CM – Joe Hoole (Coastal Spirit)
CM – Dylan Manickum (Auckland City)
FW – Isa Prins (Wellington Olympic)
FW – Adam Hewson (Napier City Rovers)
FW – Alex Steinwascher (Coastal Spirit)