top of page

"If you're not trying to progress, you're going backwards" - How NWS Spirit have surprised everyone in the NPL NSW

  • Writer: Jose Campo
    Jose Campo
  • 1 day ago
  • 7 min read

In one of the underdog stories in the NPL Australia-wide, North West Sydney Spirit have defied pre-season predictions to jump from mid-table obscurity to become legitimate title contenders for the 2025 NPL NSW season. Spirit kicked off their campaign brilliantly with five wins in a row and have since maintained solid form in the race for the title against some of the most prestigious clubs in NSW. Head coach David Perkovic is pleased with his side's success so far, and he hopes to end the season with a maiden first-tier league title in hand. Speaking with Front Page Football about the season so far, Perkovic shared his insights into the changes the club has made and the impact they have had on the squad, which has elevated their performances in 2025.

Front Page Football NPL NSW

The NWS Spirit team huddle ahead of a match back in April. (Image: NWS Spirit FC Facebook)


Since NWS Spirit's promotion to NPL NSW in 2022, they have hovered around mid-table over the last two seasons and successfully solidified their place at NPL level. Spirit achieved its highest-ever finish in the club's history last season, finishing in tenth place. Despite the slow progress, head coach David Perkovic wanted to push the club's ceiling further heading into the 2025 pre-season.


"I'm a firm believer that if you're not trying to progress, you're going backwards. You can not stay stagnant because everyone else is trying to move forward, and you are going to create problems for yourself. This is a tough league, and it is very competitive," Perkovic told Front Page Football.


"We wanted a significant improvement from our mid-table finishes and a push to make finals this year; that was one of our objectives."

The opening rounds of Spirit's season started beyond expectations, as they won five consecutive matches to top the table. The team underwent a crucial squad rebuild to fill the gaps left by their departures from last season, resulting in many notable changes. Perkovic also experimented with a different formation, using a back five instead of a back four, which Spirit had utilised in their two previous seasons.

The rebuild was crucial to sustaining this approach, enabling the team to build around a fluid, high-tempo playing style that combines direct attacks with a possession-based focus through quick link-up play and dynamic movement. The extra man at centre-back improved possession in the defensive third and through the middle, allowing the team to link passes and avoid the opposition's press.


"A lot has changed from what we have done in the past. There have been a lot of personnel changes—that's one—but our staff has stayed the same, which is good for continuity," Perkovic said.


"It all started because we lost a few centre-backs. Ante Bakmaz retired, and we lost Kyle Shaw to Sydney FC. Those were our starting centre-backs, as well as Grant Cornwell, because we build up with a back three and defend with a back four. With these personnel changes, we had to change a bit of our system.


"This is the first year that I coached a back five, and most people, when they think of a back five, they think of a negative playing style, but we are quite aggressive when we play with a back five."

To show the impact of these changes in terms of statistics, a quick comparison with last year and this year's table will show that NWS Spirit have already passed their goalscoring tally of 39 from 2024 after their win against Sydney United in Round 21, and have a league-wide second-best defensive record so far with only 22 goals conceded compared to the 53 allowed in each of their last two campaigns. Although these are surface-level statistics, it is apparent that the changes in both tactics and personnel have vastly improved the squad.

In addition to this, after 22 games, the club is on course for finals football and a potential premiership title, being three points behind the top two, Rockdale and Marconi, both of whom are on 49 points. Perkovic is pleased with the current form of the team and has given his insight on what is most important when it comes to recruiting players.


"I think there is an art to recruitment. You have to know what you want; it's not just about getting the good players in. There are many good players in the league who just wouldn't suit the way we want to play. It's about getting good players that will fit your style of play and also fit culturally at the club.

"It's a long season, longer than the A-League, and it's very easy to get lost and lose focus in the league as a semi-professional. So you want to make sure that the dressing room environment is very good and that the group of players are aligned in what the focus is, short, medium and long term, and it's working for us.


"The acquisition of our Visa players in Yu Okubo, Takumi Ofuka and Frankie Ljucovic has added the quality we needed in those positions that we could not find locally. [One of] our new recruits in Jordi (Jordan) Perez, who is new to the league after coming back from overseas, has aspirations in what he still wants to achieve. So we do our best with the resources that we've got."

Many players in the current squad can't be singled out for their performances and contributions both on and off the pitch, and it is a task that Perkovic is fortunately unable to do. It speaks to the characters in the squad who have brought the team to where it is now and what the club is looking for in a squad.


"On the pitch, it's hard to single out players because I feel the contribution of the squad has been immense. We have had periods during the season where we had key players injured and players stepping up and doing a really good job. Not that [the absence of key players] hasn't almost been felt, but we've picked it up and run with it. It's our job as coaches to tweak things and to work with what you've got. The coaching staff and I, and the players' belief in what we put forward to them, is critical to that.


"In terms of off the pitch, Grant Cornwell is a significant figure of our club. He was there before me, and I've been there for a long time, so it says a lot about his passion and dedication towards the club. When it comes to the dressing room, he sets the standards for what is acceptable and what is not. Corey Kavanagh is stepping up into those leadership roles, and now we also have existing players who have been with us for a few years, like Mikey Konestabo and Simon Nicholas, who are having outstanding seasons so far.

"These players have been growing season on season, and they are just some examples, so I can't single out anyone. In the dressing room environment, the culture has been set by them. I think, as a coaching staff, we have done a good job in bringing in the players that would fit in nicely, so it's been a pleasure to manage that side of the squad."

Front Page Football NPL NSW

NWS Spirit captain Grant Cornwell on the ball during his side's 1-0 win over the Wollongong Wolves in Round 13. (Image: Brett Nielsen Photography)


Looking more in-depth at the squad, the club promotes its use of young players with an average squad age of 24.04 years, which is not uncommon for most clubs in the NPL NSW. Since Round 15, 23 total players have been named in matchday squads. Ten were under the age of 23, which demonstrates the club's commitment to providing opportunities for its young players to progress into senior football, although not undeservedly.


"The player needs to bring something to the squad first and foremost. The younger players have been given an opportunity to be in this environment, and having a really competitive squad makes it a good challenge for them," Perkovic said.


"By having a competitive squad, it really benefits the younger players, and if they get in [the matchday squad] or make a starting appearance, it's because they've earned it. It's about getting that balance right of getting players to come in and set the standard for the young players to flourish, and if you bring in the quality players to raise the levels, that's when they are able to shine.


"Our more experienced players have definitely raised those levels, hence why we are where we are. We've got Harry Keys setting up a brilliant team goal against Sydney United, and Kyah Williams defending those [crucial] moments in the box. We have young boys to give these opportunities; they are playing with confidence, and we have some other ones that are taking a little bit longer, but everyone has their path.

"It's about being patient and working hard, and all our players, whether they are young or experienced, have been working hard to improve the team the best they can."

READ MORE ON FPF

WHY I TOOK A BREAK FROM AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL - PART 5: Every cloud has a silver lining

Anticipating the fixtures for Round 23, Spirit only sits three points behind second-place Marconi, who have notched consecutive wins after a three-game winless run. Both Spirit and first-placed Rockdale have experienced their best form so far over the past five matches—Perkovic hopes to catch up to the leaders and potentially usurp their position on the ladder.


"I think what's important is to play game by game because they are worth the same three points, whether you're playing Marconi or Mt Druitt [Town Rangers], it doesn't really make a difference. Those key matches against Marconi and Rockdale back-to-back are coming soon, so if we are three points behind or better [by then], then the premiership is in our own hands.


"There are 24 points available, and we are only three points away. I think it was only until Round 21 that people started to see us as contenders, and that's ok. We have our own belief within the squad and what we are able to achieve, and we will do our absolute best."

bottom of page