The Australia Cup has officially reclaimed its magic in 2022. Sydney United’s gripping 3-2 win over Brisbane Roar on Sunday saw them become the first state league side to book their place in the competition’s final, while Oakleigh Cannons will become the second if they can defeat Macarthur on September 14.
Interest in the Cup hinges on the romance of the ‘Cupset’, a feat which both Oakleigh and United (twice) have achieved this campaign. That it is possible for a group of players to beat another despite skewed scales of professionalism and resources, is the charm that makes the competition unique in Australian sport.
What is less revered about the success of state league clubs, but is both more important and difficult than winning, is the work done by the clubs off the field when partaking. Take the Cannons, for example. Their ‘reward’ for beating Brisbane City and moving into the quarter-finals against Sydney FC was a $12,000 bill.
“To host Sydney, immediately we faced issues with our lighting,” Oakleigh president Stan Papayianneris told Soccerscene.
“Lighting needs to be 500 lux for an A-League club (as per Australian Lighting Standards), so straight away there’s $12,000 that you have to add. That’s on top of everything else that you have to provide as a minimum.
“We probably made a little bit more from hosting Brisbane City than Sydney. Operating costs will be the same against Macarthur, so hopefully we get a marginally larger crowd which will make it more beneficial.
“The weather is supposed to be good, and being a semi-final versus a quarter-final it’s had a bit of media exposure. Hopefully our crowd increases by 25-30%, and it will be worthwhile.”
Adelaide City also experienced the variant challenges that come with hosting A-League opposition as opposed to state league this season. City edged Logan Lighting in a home clash at Marden Sports Complex, before welcoming Adelaide United to the larger SA Football Centre in a night for South Australian football purists.
City president Greg Griffin explained the second clash was profitable due to high ticket sales (host clubs keep 100% of gate takings up to and including the semi-final stage), but that structural challenges within the competition make the experience otherwise tricky.
“There’s a whole range of imposts that make being in this competition very difficult. It’s expensive, so you have to be very careful about what you spend and get your budgeting right. You can lose $10-15,000 in the blink of an eye, which NPL clubs cannot afford,” Griffin told Soccerscene.
“I think Football Australia needs to recalibrate the requirements on NPL clubs. You can’t impose all the costs of broadcast – certain lighting capacity, infrastructure for extra cameras – on the clubs. If we play an A-League team, surely they should pay for that.
“Football Australia needs to take a reality pill and see that the idea is to encourage NPL teams to be involved, not make it an event they’re financially fearful of.”
Peninsula Power have become well versed in putting on an Australia Cup show this season, welcoming all of NWS Spirit, Green Gully and Sydney United to A.J. Kelly Park.
For the Power and their president Craig Feuerriegel, the difference between hosting A-League and state league sides is dramatic; the attention that came with the visits of Melbourne City (2017) and Brisbane Roar (2021) justified the use of nearby Moreton Daily stadium, holding a capacity 11,500.
“We did raise money this year playing at home at A.J. Kelly, but not as much as we would have playing an A-League side at the bigger stadium. We put in quite a significant effort when hosting games there’, Feuerriegel told Soccerscene.
“With a better facility comes the chance to increase revenue if you’re willing to work at it. The more people you can get through the gate the more you can raise, as well as matchday raffles and selling corporate seats.
“There is a downside to that as well with increased cost for the stadium, and when you host an A-League side Football Australia’s rules say you must have certain requirements around medical access, ambulances, and security. So the level does go up in your outgoings as well.”
Like Oakleigh and Adelaide City, the Power’s home ground tenancy agreement with their local council allows them to play extra matches at A.J. Kelly Park on top of their league fixtures if required, so there is no financial punishment in progressing through the Cup in that regard.
Feuerriegel speaks highly of the Cup experience, where he’s thrilled that players, fans and sponsors can taste a variety of opposition and national attention not possible within the Queensland NPL. He does admit that they’re yet to confront the significant challenge of travel, having never been drawn away in their five matches.
“We certainly weren’t disappointed when the home draws came out, but we have been in it for a number of years now and haven’t drawn an away game. This year I was on board with it. I thought if we do get an away game we’d be happy to support the group to play away and hopefully get a result,” he said.
Papayianneris would like to see Football Australia increase support for travelling sides, which currently includes flights and accommodation for one night as part of a broader travel subsidy. The Cannons were unfazed by their July trip to Bonnyrigg on the park as 5-0 victors, but Papayianneris acknowledges the toll on semi-professional players is significant.
“To negate all the factors that could make you lose a game, you really need to sleep there the night before. If you do that with a group of 25, you’re up for at least $12-15,000.
“If you run with what Football Australia provides, it’s a bit of an impediment to getting the team into the right state to play.
“We rolled with the punches against Bonnyrigg, travelled to New South Wales and played on the same day and won, but it was difficult. It would be good if they could provide two day’s accommodation from next year, as a suggestion.”
Papayianneris states the financial burden of lighting and travel means qualification for the Cup is not a priority for the club, but a bonus on top of their league focus. The current level of prize money is also too low to act as an incentive for the Cannons to strive to qualify, on offer from the Round of 16 onwards.
“I don’t think the prize money comes into it. Even if we were to win, the $50,000 is not an amount you’d steer your efforts towards trying to win. If we’re to lose the semi-final and get a prize of $10-15,000, it would just help us recoup some of our losses,” he said.
‘We’d like to continue playing in the Cup going forward. We’ve had a reasonable amount of exposure which is good for our players, the club, and the local community. But if you happen to draw a couple of away games, it starts to become problematic.
In contrast, Feuerriegel outlined consistent qualification for the Cup is a ‘KPI’ of the Power, while Griffin stated he and City coach Paul Pezos share ‘complete agreement’ that annual Cup participation is essential to the growth of their club.
“As a club we go to the best young talent we can find in South Australia. One of the things we offer is extremely good coaching under Paul and his team, but also that we’ll work very hard to make the Australia Cup to allow them as players to be showcased,” Griffin said.
“A lot of people watched our game against United, and let me tell you a number of our team have received calls from around the country. It’s a very clear target that we have, that we take the Cup very seriously because we want to win it, and to give our talented juniors a chance to shine.”
Despite the financial cost he may be counting, the magic at the Cup’s core is will and truly burning within Papayianneris. While it may still need tweaking there is no doubt it’s roared back to life this season, it’s first unabated post-covid, and the Cannons and United are right in the mix for its flagship success.
“Anything’s possible, everyone has two legs and two arms. If we could get through to the final, we’d play a state league side, there could be a red card to them in the first minute… a lot can happen in a game of football,” Papayianneris said.
“If Greece could win the 2004 Euros, maybe Oakleigh can win the Australia Cup.”
