After last week’s gripe with the weather in which Newcastle Olympics’ First Grade team were allowed to play but Reserve Grade wasn’t, fine skies today promise to ensure that both sides take the field at Arthur Edden Oval.
Reserve Grade who have been wrapped up in moth balls since their Round 5 fixture against Maitland will take on a Jaffas side who have won only one game all season! On paper Olympic are favorites to collect the 3 points which will propel them into the top four positions and with the wash out match against Broadmeadow Magic still to be played.
The match at Arthur Edden Oval kicks off at 12:00pm.
First Grade who dominated against Broadmeadow Magic despite their narrow loss take on a Jaffas team which also has won only one match all season and are favourites to collect all 3 points. Jaffas’ match against Weston Bears in round 6 was a wash out and their squad should be fresh. By the same token they have been inactive from playing against another team in that period and this probably negates the freshness! Regardless of the statistics going into this match, Olympic will have to work harder to collect the 3 points and edge closer to the top four while Jaffas will have to work even harder to record their second victory of the season.
The match at Arthur Edden Oval kicks off at 2:00pm.
The round 5 fixture of the Northern NSW NPL competition between Maitland FC and Newcastle Olympic at Cook Square Park proved too difficult a task for the local Magpies. In the Reserve Grade fixture Newcastle Olympic put the locals to the sword by 1-0 while in First Grade, 5-3, after going behind 3-1 within the first 29 minutes of play!
In heavy and wet conditions, the reserve team of Newcastle Olympic took on a Maitland side that was one of two teams not to have tasted defeat so far this season! This statistic was laid to rest through a late second half goal scored by Oliver Steinerts. The game was entertaining to watch with goal mouth action throughout. Both teams had opportunities to score and win but Olympics’ composure enabled them to record their third consecutive win and place them in a showdown with league leaders Broadmeadow Magic next week.
Midfielder George Tsamouras who returned after a 4 week spell through injury, was able to get through 90’ of play without any issue!
First Grade decided to give the Magpies a 3-1 lead within the first half hour of the match before switching on their motor and making it 3-5 by the 68th minute!
Goals by Cowburn in the 8’ and McFarlane in the 15’ gave the home team a great start to the game before Nathan Toby for Olympic drew one back in the 16’ minute. No sooner had the smiles disappeared from the faces of the Olympic players, Maitland struck again with McFarlane in the 29’ minute. In the space of two minutes 37’ and 39’, Olympic levelled the score at 3-3 through goals from Toby and Bradbery. The teams went into the half time break locked at 3-3.
The second half commenced with a goal straight from kick off with a goal from Adam Zervas for Newcastle Olympic. Another goal from Bradbery in the 68’ minute brought the score to 3-5 and with the two-goal buffer, Olympic were able to steer themselves to another away victory which secured them 4th spot on the ladder.
The round 5 clash between Maitland FC and Newcastle Olympic at Cook Square Park on Sunday marks the return of midfield player George Tsamouras after an injury sustained in the opening game of the season against Cooks Hill United.
The Men’s reserve Grade clash is scheduled for a 10.00am kick off at Cook Square Park with the Maitland team in 2nd place on the ladder with three wins and a draw in the opening four games of the season. This should prove to be a tough test for the Olympic team who are in 7th spot with two wins and two losses. Will Olympic inflict the first defeat of the Magpies on home soil and record their 3rd consecutive win of the season or will they sustain their 3rd loss and distance themselves from league leaders Broadmeadow Magic?
One player who will be relishing his return against Maitland will be midfielder George Tsamouras who missed the past three games through injury. He has been back to training over the past two weeks and with additional agility sessions will be available to play on Sunday
First Garde who are slightly higher on the points table, 5th place, and with one point more, 7 points, look stronger on paper to collect the 3 points from a Maitland team in 10th place who have managed to win only one game all season! Having rested from a bye in Round 4, Olympic will be trying to capitalize on a Maitland team which was overrun 5-1 by Weston Bears over the weekend! A win for Olympic in the 2.00pm kick off at Cook Square Park will propel them even closer to league leaders Broadmeadow Magic and Charlestown Azzurri while a loss for Maitland will sink them even further to the tail end of the points table.
Following two weeks rest, two x-rays, and numerous visits to team and private physios, George Tsamouras has received the green light for restrictive training two weeks after receiving a knock in Round 1 of the season against Cooks Hill United.
A final x-ray this morning followed by a visit to the team physio has resulted in the 18 year old being able to begin restrictive training during this afternoon’s training. While there is no possibility of playing in Sunday’s match against Charlestown Azzurri, another assessment of his condition on Monday afternoon as well as Thursday afternoon will determine if he can return to normal training next week and a possibility of being available for the match against Valentine.
After a three-year absence from Newcastle Olympic the debut of George Tsamouras in the club’s senior team was spoiled by injury! Starting the first match of the 2024-25 NPL season of Northern NSW with the reserve team of Newcastle Olympic against Cooks Hill United, the 18 year old Novocastrian was forced to limp off in the 60th minute with ligament damage to his right ankle!
Having spent two season with the Newcastle Jets Academy and one with the Academy of Super League 2 Greek side ASA Karditsa, in Greece, the player was looking forward to the opening game of the season after working very hard during the pre-season.
In a tight and well contested game in which 5 yellow cards were issued by the referee there were many physical challenges by both teams. The first half belonged to Cooks Hill during which the visitors were able to race to a 2-0 lead and the second half belonged to Olympic who were very unfortunate not to have scored.
During one of the many midfield tussles between two ex-Jets and ex-Olympic players Stanley Manning-Lourey and George Tsamouras, the later received a yellow card for a foul on the former. At the 60th the exact opposite occurred! There was no malice in the incident, simply hard contested tackling by two players who were cancelling each other out throughout the match!
Following a visit to the hospital after the game which eliminated the possibility of a break or fracture, as well as a visit to the team physio, the diagnosis was ligament damage with a 3-4 week recovery period!
NPL ROUND 1 Results:
Belmont Swansea United FC – Adamstown Rosebud 5-2, Reserves 1-2.
After trial games against Sydney Olympic, Cooks Hill, Charlestown Azzurri, University of NSW, and Wollongong Olympic, Newcastle Olympic are ready for Round 1 of the NPL competition of Northern NSW. Bolstered by experienced campaigners such as Roy O’Donovan, Ben Hay and Nathan Tory as well as youth returning to the club like Adam Zervas, George Tsamouras and Oliver Steinerts, expectations are high.
Darling St Oval will be hosting Old Boy’s Day with many faces from the past adding to the excitement of the starting game of the season.
The Newcastle Olympic reserve team will begin proceedings at 4.30pm and First Grade will commence at 6.30pm.
In matches played so far Belmont Swansea Utd defeated Adamstown Rosebud 5-2 and Edgeworth Eagles edged out Broadmeadow Magic 1-0.
Northern NNSW Football announced the fixtures for the 2024-25 NPL Men’s NNSW Premiership which commences on Thursday 13th February 2015.
Defending double winners Broadmeadow Magic will start their 2025 NPL Men’s NNSW title defences against Edgeworth FC.
Northern NSW Football announced the draw for its 2025 premier competitions on Wednesday, including its top tier men’s competition which will showcase the game with five straight days of matches to open the NPL Men’s NNSW season.
Magic, who downed Edgeworth on penalties following a nail-biting grand final, will travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval to start the new campaign against the Eagles on Friday 14 February.
NPL Men’s NNSW newest club Belmont Swansea United, who were promoted from HIT106.9 Northern League One, will host the competition opener against Adamstown Rosebud at Blacksmiths Oval on Thursday 13 February.
Elsewhere in round one, Newcastle Olympic will host Cooks Hill United at Darling Street Oval and Valentine FC will travel to Cooks Square Park to face Maitland FC on Saturday 15 February. Charlestown Azzurri will welcome Weston Bears to Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday 16 February before Lambton Jaffas take on New Lambton FC at Arthur Edden Oval on Monday 17 February.
Promotion and relegation will return after being reintroduced for the 2024 season. At the end of the 2025 season, the team that finishes 12th in NPL Men’s NNSW will be relegated to HIT106.9 Northern League One, while the team that finishes first in HIT106.9 Northern League One will be promoted to NPL Men’s NNSW.
The team that finishes 11th in NPL Men’s NNSW will join teams that finish second, third and fourth in HIT106.9 Northern League One in a Promotion/Relegation Play-Off series to determine the 12th team in the NPL Men’s NNSW in 2026.
Next year will also see the HMRI Charity Shield take place at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Friday 7 February. The one-off match will see the reigning premiers and champions Broadmeadow Magic up against Men’s State Cup winners Lambton Jaffas with proceeds going to the Hunter Medical Research Institute.
The match will be played as a double header alongside the clash between the NPL Women’s champions Charlestown Azzurri and Women’s State Cup winners Newcastle Olympic.
2025 NPL Men’s NNSW Round One Fixtures
Belmont Swansea United v Adamstown Rosebud – Blacksmiths Oval – Thursday 13 February – 7.45pm
Edgeworth FC v Broadmeadow Magic – Jack McLaughlan Oval – Friday 14 February – 8pm
Newcastle Olympic v Cooks Hill United – Darling Street Oval – Saturday 15 February – 6.30pm
Maitland FC v Valentine FC – Cooks Square Oval – Saturday 15 February – 4:30pm
Charlestown Azzurri v Weston Bears – Lisle Carr Oval – Sunday 16 February – 4.30pm
Lambton Jaffas v New Lambton FC – Arthur Edden Oval – Monday 17 February – 6.30pm
After an absence of three years, 18 year old George Tsamouras returns to Newcastle Olympic for the 2024-25 season! In addition to winning the u14s, and U15s Premierships with Newcastle Olympic in 2020 and 2021, as well as being voted Player’s Player of the Year in 2021, George has been busy adding to the titles over the past three years at the Newcastle Jets and in Greece.
In 2022 he helped the Newcastle Jets win the U16s Premiership, Grand Final as well as promotion to Youth League One! In 2023 George was part of the U18s Jets Boys Youth team as well as the U20s Jets Men’s team! He played a total of 17 games for U20s and was successful in winning the U20s FNSW League Two Men’s Premiership before leaving for Europe!
In 2023 George also began his European football journey as he received invitations to trial at Super League 1 sides Asteras Tripolis and Panathinaikos of Greece! Unable to secure a spot in these two clubs, more because of his young age than talent, George succeeded in winning a place in the U19s squad of Super League 2 side ASA Karditsa. George played the entire season for the U19s and by November, was invited to train with the senior team until the end of the competition!
During the off-season George returned to Australia and spent two months training with Newcastle Olympic to maintain his physical fitness.
In 2024-25 ASA Karditsa invited George to participate in the senior team’s pre-season training programme! Sadly, after three weeks of training, the newly appointed coach showed little interest in the club’s youth and began signing senior players from all over the country! After refusing to offer a single position to any of the club’s U19s players, George was left with no other option but to return home.
Celebrating his 18th birthday as well as gaining an apprenticeship with a local Newcastle firm within a month from his return, George became committed to living and playing in Newcastle for the next three years!
Returning to Newcastle Olympic and playing for the club where his football journey began as a six year old was a decision that didn’t require much deliberation!
Source: Tom Tsamouras
Ο Γιώργος Τσαμούρας υπογράφει στην Newcastle Olympic για το 2024-25
Μετά από απουσία τριών ετών, ο 18χρονος Γιώργος Τσαμούρας επιστρέφει στη Νιούκαστλ Ολύμπικ για τη σεζόν 2024-25! Εκτός από την κατάκτηση των πρωταθλημάτων της Κ14 και Κ15 με την Newcastle Olympic το 2020 και το 2021, καθώς και την ψήφο του Παίκτη της Χρονιάς το 2021, ο Γιώργος ήταν απασχολημένος με την συγκομιδή και άλλων τίτλων τα τελευταία τρία χρόνια στους Newcastle Jets και στην Ελλάδα.
Το 2022 βοήθησε τους Newcastle Jets να κερδίσουν το πρωτάθλημα με την Κ16, το τελικό Κυπέλλου καθώς και την άνοδο στη Youth League One! Το 2023 ο Γιώργος ήταν μέλος των ομάδων Κ18 Jets Νέων καθώς και της Κ20 Jets Ανδρών! Έπαιξε συνολικά 17 παιχνίδια για την Κ20 και κατάφερε να κερδίσει το πρωτάθλημα Κ20 FNSW League Two Men’s Premiership πριν φύγει για την Ευρώπη!
Το 2023 ο Γιώργος ξεκίνησε και το Ευρωπαϊκό ποδοσφαιρικό του ταξίδι, καθώς έλαβε προσκλήσεις για δoκιμή από ομάδες της Super League 1, τον Αστέρα Τρίπολης και τον Παναθηναϊκό! Αδυνατώντας να εξασφαλίσει μια θέση σε αυτές τις δύο ομάδες, περισσότερο λόγω του νεαρού της ηλικίας του παρά λόγω του ταλέντου του, ο Γιώργος κατάφερε να κερδίσει μια θέση στην ομάδα Κ19 της ομάδας της Super League 2 ΑΣΑ Καρδίτσας. Ο Γιώργος έπαιξε όλη τη σεζόν στην Κ19 και από τον Νοέμβριο κλήθηκε να προπονείται με την πρώτη ομάδα μέχρι το τέλος του πρωταθλήματος!
Κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάπαυλας του πρωταθλήματος στην Ελλάδα ο Γιώργος επέστρεψε στην Αυστραλία και προπονήθηκε δύο μήνες με τη Newcastle Olympic για να διατηρήσει τη φυσική του κατάσταση.
Το 2024-25 ο ΑΣΑ Καρδίτσας κάλεσε τον παίκτη να συμμετάσχει στην βασική προετοιμασία της πρώτης ομάδας! Δυστυχώς, μετά από τρεις εβδομάδες, ο νεοδιορισθείς προπονητής έδειξε ελάχιστο ενδιαφέρον για τους νέους του συλλόγου και άρχισε να υπογράφει παίκτες από όλη τη χώρα! Αφού αρνήθηκε να εμπιστευτεί ούτε μία θέση σε παίκτη της Κ19 του συλλόγου, ο Γιώργος δεν είχε άλλη επιλογή από το να επιστρέψει στην πατρίδα του.
Γιορτάζοντας τα 18α γενέθλια του καθώς και αποκτώντας μια μαθητεία σε μια τοπική εταιρεία του Newcastle, μέσα σε ένα μήνα από την επιστροφή του, ο Γιώργος δεσμεύτηκε να ζήσει και να παίξει στο Newcastle για τα επόμενα τρία χρόνια!
Η επιστροφή στην Newcastle Olympic, τον σύλλογο όπου ξεκίνησε το ποδοσφαιρικό του ταξίδι, ήταν μια απόφαση που δεν χρειάστηκε πολύ σκέψη!
George Tsamouras returns to Australia for season 2024-25 after being denied a position in the first Grade team of ASA Karditsa! The decision by Greek club ASA Karditsa to not offer a single position in their first grade squad to any of their U19 players has resulted in the young Australian to return home.
After securing an apprenticeship with a Newcastle firm, the now 18 year old is committed to living and working in Newcastle for the next three years. Although he is yet to sign with any NPL club of Northern NSW Football for season 2024-25, he is currently in pre-season training with the senior team of his childhood club, Newcastle Olympic!
Source: Tom Tsamouras
Ο Γιώργος Τσαμούρας επιστρέφει στην Αυστραλία για τη σεζόν 2024-25
Ο Γιώργος Τσαμούρας επιστρέφει στην Αυστραλία για τη σεζόν 2024-25 μετά την άρνηση θέσης στην πρώτη ομάδα της ΑΣΑ Καρδίτσας! Η απόφαση του ελληνικού συλλόγου ΑΣΑ Καρδίτσας να μην προσφέρει ούτε μία θέση στην πρώτη ομάδα σε κανέναν από τους παίκτες που αποτελούσαν την περσυνή Κ-19, είχε ως αποτέλεσμα ο νεαρός Αυστραλός να επιστρέψει στην πατρίδα του.
Αφού εξασφάλισε μια μαθητεία σε μια εταιρεία του Newcastle, ο τώρα 18χρονος δεσμεύεται να ζήσει και να εργαστεί στο Newcastle για τα επόμενα τρία χρόνια. Αν και δεν έχει υπογράψει ακόμη σε καμία ομάδα NPL της Northern NSW Football για τη σεζόν 2024-25, αυτή τη στιγμή συμετάσχει στην βασική προετοιμασία με την πρώτη ομάδα του παιδικού του συλλόγου, Newcastle Olympic!
After three weeks of energy sapping pre-season training, 17 year old George Tsamouras was informed that he did not gain a place in the first grade men’s team of ASA Karditsa, for the 2024-25 season.
This information was conveyed to the player after he requested an appointment with the club’s General Manager!
Despite the disappointment and the lack of any feedback from the First Grade coach, George is thankful to the club and will have fond memories of his experience playing in the U19s and training with First Grade during the 2023-24 season.
Source: Tom Tsamouras
Ο Γιώργος Τσαμούρας στερείται μια θέση στην ομάδα ανδρών της ΑΣΑ Καρδίτσας.
Μετά από τρεις εβδομάδες εξαντλητικών προπονήσεων, ο 17χρονος Γιώργος Τσαμούρας ενημερώθηκε ότι δεν κέρδισε θέση στην ομάδα ανδρών του ΑΣΑ Καρδίτσας, για τη σεζόν 2024-25.
Η πληροφορία αυτή μεταφέρθηκε στον παίκτη μετά από ραντεβού που ζήτησε ο ίδιος με τον Γενικό Διευθυντή του συλλόγου!
Παρά την απογοήτευση και την ανύπαρκτη επικοινωνία από τον προπονητή της ομάδας ανδρών, ο Γιώργος είναι ευγνώμων στον σύλλογο και θα έχει ευχάριστες αναμνήσεις από την εμπειρία του παίζοντας στην Κ-19 και προπονούμενος με την ομάδα ανδρών τη σεζόν 2023-24.
George Tsamouras Football Journey 