Nicholas James Lawyers Men’s Match Preview: New-Look Royals Head to Mahoneys
Our Senior Men’s Match Previews are proudly sponsored by Nicholas James Lawyers.
There are opponents you respect.
There are opponents you dislike.
And then there are opponents who nag at you.
For the Essendon Royals, Nunawading City FC sit squarely in that third category.
For both footballing and psychological reasons, meetings between Essendon Royals and Nunawading tend to tilt toward the dramatic. Goals arrive in clusters. Leads evaporate. Red cards, late equalisers, and gut-punch finishes tend to lurk just around the corner. Even when Essendon are on top, Nunawading rarely leave quietly.
It is that challenge the Royals must confront as they kick off the 2026 campaign.
Since the mid-2023 stalemate at Cross Keys – a 2–2 draw that felt unresolved long after the final whistle – this fixture has refused to settle into predictability. Seven-goal thrillers. Ten-man resilience. Frustrating draws. And, most recently, that June night last season when Nunawading struck early and held off a late Royals surge to escape with a 3–2 win.
In many ways, it was a match that summed up a frustrating Royals campaign. A 90-minute window of unfulfilled potential.
A new season arrives with the same opponent and familiar tension – but the context has shifted.
Essendon Royals enter Round 1 looking far more like a refresh than a reset. A solid spine remains, now bolstered by the arrivals of Adrian Zahra and Ben Bowler, adding further top-flight experience to a side that already leans on Brad Norton, Vince Lia and Phil Riccobene.
Further forward, Mike Romas – a former Nunawading target man- joins alongside Anthony Trajkoski, two proven VPL2 performers ready to add edge and output to a side with promotion ambitions.
Jordan Adeyemi also returns for the Royals, looking to rediscover the form and goals that saw him crowned VPL2 Player of the Year in 2024.
Underneath, the next wave continues to rise. Marcus Kotronis and Julian Guzzardi’s breakout 2025 campaign has set the standard, with emerging Royals graduates pushing for greater responsibility within a squad that continues to reward development.
Leading them all is Mick Ferrante, set to enter his fifth season as head coach, having taken the reins in early 2022.
There is no bedding-in period here. No introductions required.
Nunawading, by contrast, presents a different kind of continuity. This is not a rebuild, but nor is it a side simply rolling on unchanged.
The additions of Giannis Georgopoulos and Giacomo Luca bring increased quality and expectation, supported by further reinforcements in Patrick Both, Liam Farruggia and Nicholas Hamakiotis. At the same time, familiar faces remain central, with Carlos Abboud, Kane O’Connor, Luca Slavica, Stuart Edgar, Nick Apostolopoulos and Felix Dimitrakis all recommitting, while Christian Manolopoulos, George Margaritis and Kosta Antonopoulos return to the fold.
On paper, it is a group that knows the club well. Early rounds can reward that balance – settled enough to compete, yet still refining connections. That home-grown edge has long been part of Nunawading City FC’s identity.
Past meetings suggest this fixture rarely unfolds calmly. Momentum swings quickly. Crowd reactions follow suit. The ball never seems to settle. It is not a contest for passengers or half-measures.
Which makes it an appropriate way to begin.
Season openers are rarely about perfection. They’re about intent. About tone. About whether last year’s lessons actually landed or just sounded good in pre-season speeches.
For these Royals, this one is less about revenge and more about response. A statement to themselves as much as anyone watching.
February football offers no guarantees. But it does offer opportunity: to set a standard, reclaim the narrative, and remind a familiar foe that Mahoneys, like Cross Keys, is never an easy place to leave with points.
History suggests this one won’t be quiet.
Around the Grounds
Friday Night Under Lights
Eastern Lions SC vs Keilor Park SC
7:45pm, Gardiners Creek Reserve
A fascinating early test between two sides with very different entry points into VPL2. Eastern Lions return at this level after relegation, eager to show last season’s slide does not define them. Keilor Park, meanwhile, arrive as a promoted side with local interest and no shortage of confidence. Gardiners Creek has a habit of exposing hesitation – whoever settles quicker here will learn plenty about where they really sit.
Springvale White Eagles FC vs Box Hill United FC
8:30pm, Serbian Sports Centre
Springvale were one of the quiet achievers of 2025, finishing just outside the top four with one of the league’s best defensive records. Box Hill, by contrast, endured a tougher campaign, finishing eighth after struggling for consistency across the season. Opening night at the Serbian Sports Centre is never straightforward, and Springvale will be keen to turn last year’s solid platform into early momentum. For Box Hill, this is an immediate chance to show that 2026 will look different.
Saturday – Valentine’s Day Football
Moreland City SC vs Altona City SC
2:00pm, CB Smith Reserve
A compelling early-season meeting between a demoted side with something to prove and a 2025 finalist still searching for consistency. Altona finished fourth last season but were anything but predictable, capable of strong performances one week and lapses the next. Moreland’s return to this level brings a renewed edge. This one feels like a proper Round 1 measuring stick.
Werribee City FC vs Kingston City FC
3:00pm, Costas Mitre 10 Park
Two sides who know how unforgiving this level can be. Werribee spent much of 2025 fighting to stabilise, while Kingston arrive after relegation determined to re-establish themselves quickly. Both clubs know how quickly a season can slip away if momentum is lost in February.
Malvern City FC vs Bayside Argonauts FC
5:00pm, Egan Lee Reserve
One of the most intriguing fixtures of the round as State League 1 South-East’s two promoted sides lock horns. Malvern arrive off a record-breaking State League 1 campaign. Bayside Argonauts, meanwhile, are openly hunting back-to-back promotions under Tyson Holmes, bolstered by the additions of Andy Brennan and Marcus Schroen. Two ambitious clubs, two upward trajectories, and a Round 1 meeting that could tell us plenty about how quickly both adapt to the demands of VPL2.
Goulburn Valley Suns FC vs Whittlesea United SC
7:00pm, John McEwen Reserve
The longest trip of the round closes out Saturday night. The Suns were a strong home proposition in 2025, finishing sixth with a positive goal difference and a clear identity under lights in Shepparton. Whittlesea, coached by former Socceroo Ivan Franjic and bolstered by the arrival of former Bulleen and Manningham marksman Ben Everson, gets one of the toughest trips out of the way early doors.