When Sydney United coach Mark Rudan said “there’s not much football being played in Victoria” in the aftermath of his club’s loss to Heidelberg United, little did he know the quote would come back to haunt him just a week later.
After Hume City’s victory over Sydney Olympic on Tuesday night, the current record for Victorian state league teams against New South Wales opposition over two years of the competition stands at 7-0.
Plenty more football is set to be played in Victoria in 2015, with five of the eight FFA Cup teams – including the three remaining NPL teams – in the quarter-finals from the state, while three of the four fixtures will be played in Melbourne.
At least two clubs from down south – one from the NPL – are guaranteed to qualify for the semi-finals.
It’s fair to say that up to this point, 2015 has been the year of Victoria in the FFA Cup.
“The Vic teams have done fantastic, it’s a great thing for Victorian football,” Hume City coach Lou Acevski said after his side’s triumph on Tuesday night.
“At the end of the day, if you perform, you’ll beat anybody.
Not sure if @FFACup or Dockerty Cup. 5 out of 6 Vic clubs in last 8. But @nplvictoria is weak says @MarkRudan @CornerFlagOz
— Rory Flanagan (@Rory_Flanagan) September 1, 2015
Alongside A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and City stand three of the four NPL Victoria participants, with South Melbourne arguable unlucky to be pipped on penalties by Palm Beach Sharks in the Round of 32.
Granted, none of Hume, Oakleigh and Heidelberg have faced A-League opposition to this point, but nonetheless have been beating highly regarded teams both at home and interstate.
Oakleigh Cannons, despite struggling to muster a point late in the league season, have now knocked out Far North Queensland and reigning National NPL Champions MetroStars.
Hume City are riding a wave of confidence following a spell including an NPL Victoria elimination final upset over Melbourne Knights, a thrilling Round of 32 triumph over Brisbane Strikers, and now a comfortable 3-1 win over Sydney Olympic.
They’ll have to be wary of the Cannons in the quarter-finals, who prevailed in the clubs’ last encounter in the Dockerty Cup semi-finals.
Heidelberg United backed up a victory on the road to Broadmeadow Magic with a 2-0 win over former NSL giants Sydney United.
They’ll now face Melbourne City, a prospect George Katsakis and the club are salivating at.
Not just because of the potential of a packed out Olympic Village hosting an A-League side, but because the Bergers genuinely believe they can knock off an unpredictable City, whose 5-1 victory over Wellington Phoenix was preceded by a scrappy 2-1 victory over Edgeworth FC.
The performance of the Victorian NPL teams in the Cup may provide a huge shot in the arm for grassroots football in the state.
Exposure-wise, mainstream media and fans are becoming more accustomed to state league clubs and players on their TV screens.
At a competition level, NPL senior level teams may have greater scope to attract quality players to the league, further raising the profile and quality of football in the state for similar future tilts.
Meanwhile, juniors and potential players exposed to the FFA Cup euphoria at this level have an added achievement to aim for at their respective clubs, and perhaps the motivation to embark on experiences at higher levels domestically and internationally.
Right now, however, the Victorian clubs can enjoy their time in the sun, lapping up the spotlight as they continue to pursue the magic of the Cup.