The 2020 Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) season will kick off this Friday night, as 11 sides vie for the Premiership and promotion to the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Queensland.
Fans of the league will be in for a treat as all FQPL First Grade matches are live streamed in 2020 and available to view live on the FQ YouTube channel.
Ahead of Round 1 this weekend, it’s time to take a look at the 11 teams who will compete in the 2020 FQPL.
View the 2020 FQPL fixtures here.
To view all the confirmed ins and outs, visit the FQ Transfer Centre here.
Holland Park Hawks
After struggling at times to produce consistent form throughout the 2019 season, Holland Park Hawks will be out to reinvent themselves this season as they welcome new coach Danny Gnjidic, who joins from Brisbane Premier League side St George Willawong.
Alongside their new coach, Hawks will also welcome three new players from abroad with the signing of Hanjin Yoo and Beomjun Kim from Korea, and Brodie Hayes from the USA.
Hawks will no doubt feel the loss of some key players from last season, including one of their standout performers from 2019 in Frederick Yinka-Kehinde after his move to Olympic FC and the retirement of former keeper Nicholas Tubbs.
Some NPL Men’s talent will boost their squad in 2020 though with the acquisition of Redlands United’s Nic Stamatiou and Mitchell Ruzicka from Western Pride.
Key players: Andoni Koulouris, William Eaton, Brodie Hayes
Ipswich Knights
Ipswich Knights recorded a mixed bag of results in 2019 to finish the season in sixth.
Exciting Japanese prospects Hayato Kame and Sho Otsuka will join Magpies Crusaders’ Mitchell Hermann as new signings for the 2020 season, however Knights will also have to adapt after the loss of some influential players.
2019 Team of the Season players Chris Parsons and Emmanuel Peter have departed for NPL Men’s sides, while the loss of Corey Lucas, Lincoln Rule and Yuta Kasahara will also have an impact on the side for the upcoming season.
The true effects of their roster changes will be seen come this weekend when Ipswich Knights open their 2020 campaign against Souths United.
Key players: Lachlan Munn, Nahom Woldu, Nicholas Edwards
Logan Lightning
After narrowly missing out on promotion in 2019, Logan Lightning should have plenty of motivation for the upcoming FQPL season and should be title contenders following the promotion of Sunshine Coast Wanderers and Capalaba FC.
A top three side last year, Logan showed they had the quality to be considered for promotion to the NPL Men’s, but it will be fascinating to see how the side shapes up in 2020 after some significant changes to their playing and coaching staff.
Following the loss of Head Coach Royce Brownlie and Assistant Coach Richard Greer to NPL Men’s side Moreton Bay United, Logan have acquired the services of NPL Tasmania Coach of the Year Rick Coghlan.
After leading the Devonport Strikers to the Tasmanian NPL Championship in 2019, Coghlan has recruited well, bringing with him two players in Eddie Bidwell and Max Fitzgerald, and signing NPL Victoria’s Matthew Green and former Gold Coast United attacking midfielder Conor Smith.
Jamie Vesey will be a loss in defence for the side, while Logan will also be without the services of Sam Langley, Nicholas Mooney and Carlton Westerdale as they challenge for the Premiership and promotion in 2020.
Key players: Jed Brown, Adam Edgar, Linden Farr
Mitchelton FC
A top five side in 2019, Mitchelton FC will be without some of their best players for the coming season but still look a strong side who could find themselves in Premiership contention.
FQPL Team of the Season players Emryn Donnelly-Fagan and Carter Glockner are big losses for the side in 2020 after signing with NPL Men’s side Moreton Bay United, alongside a number of other departures from the club.
Some solid recruitment in the off season will see Mitchelton welcome a host of NPL players including striker Mustafa Jafari from Western Pride, experienced defender Luke Leggett who helped former side Eastern Suburbs to promotion in 2018, and a number of other players from Brisbane City and Olympic FC.
With a bye in Round 1 of the FQPL, fans will have to wait until Round 2 to see the 2020 squad in action.
Key players: Kai Barnes, Mustafa Jafari, Paul Falso
Rochedale Rovers
After a strong finals campaign, 2019 Grand Final winners Rochedale Rovers will fancy their chances of challenging for the Premiership this season after their top four performance last year.
The loss of Ben Njie to Pine Hills will no doubt be felt by the team after he scored eight goals in 13 matches for Rochedale in their 2019 campaign, but new coach Marcus Stergiopoulos has made some big signings in the off season to make up for the club’s departures.
Some of their most influential signings look likely to be Matthew McNab from Wollongong United, UK import Declan Rydings from Trafford FC who will be one to keep an eye on, and Jayke Cuschieri, who will return to Queensland from NPL Victoria side Dandenong Thunder FC.
Their first challenge for the 2020 season will be a Round 1 clash against former NPL Men’s side SWQ Thunder on Sunday afternoon.
Key players: Matthew McNab, Caleb Ackland, Todd Norris
Souths United
A new-look Souths United side will compete in the 2020 FQPL competition after making a multitude of signings over the summer.
Some key losses for the side include former players Jake Kallis, Shunjiro Shibuya and Jacob Mitchell, but Souths have wasted no time in recruiting a number of other players to fill the void.
Five players will join the squad from Brisbane Premier League side Brisbane Knights, while two other recruits join Souths from St George Willawong and Lachlan Sharma signs from Logan Lightning.
After the squad overhaul, Souths United will be a fascinating side to watch in 2020 as they kick off their campaign against Ipswich Knights this Saturday night.
Key players: Rinichi Mikami, Jordain Marshall, Xander Gwynn-Jones
Southside Eagles
Southside Eagles have had a quiet transfer window following their 9th place finish in the 2019 FQPL.
The side will welcome new recruit Jaeho Hwang from Brisbane Premier League’s Taringa Rovers as they look to get their 2020 season off to a strong start against Wynnum Wolves in Round 1 of the FQPL this weekend.
Key players: Justin Weier, Mambo Kashindi, Nicholas Piper
Sunshine Coast FC
Sunshine Coast FC should fancy their chances for promotion in 2020 after maintaining the majority of their squad from last year’s NPL Men’s season.
While Harrison Bowen will be a loss in defence, Sunshine Coast have added depth to their squad for the year ahead with the recruitment of five players from the Sunshine Coast Premier League, as well as former Virginia United player Ben Wilks.
Their first match in the FQPL will see Sunshine Coast take on former NPL Men’s opponents Western Pride on Sunday afternoon.
Key players: Eligh Williams, Kaelan Debbage, Taj Hudson
SWQ Thunder
SWQ Thunder have lost some key players following their 2019 NPL Men’s season, and will be without Eli Adams, Kimba Kimbombo and Mattia Binatti for their FQPL campaign.
Despite the player departures, Thunder will welcome five players from the Toowoomba Football League to strengthen their side, as well as an exciting recruit from Italy in Pasquale De Vita.
The Toowoomba side will face 2019 FQPL Champions Rochedale Rovers this weekend in what is set to be a fascinating Round 1 clash.
Key players: Anthony Grant, Jace Hudson, Wade Hall
Western Pride
Western Pride will consider themselves a strong chance for promotion in the 2020 FQPL season after being relegated from the NPL Men’s.
The 2017 Grand Final winners and former force in the NPL Men’s competition welcome a new coach to their first grade side in club coach Andrew Catton and have made some solid signings including Capalaba FC striker Nathan Yoon, Adam Sawyer from Lions FC and Will Orford from the NPL Victoria.
Western Pride have also lost some of their former key players though in the form of Alex Parsons, Mustafa Jafari, keeper Griffin Bambach and former captain Cameron Crestani.
Pride open their FQPL campaign against former NPL Men’s opponents Sunshine Coast Fire in Round 1 this weekend.
Key players: Nathan Yoon, Adam Sawyer, Will Orford
Wolves FC
After finishing last season just outside the top six, Wolves FC have a new coach at the helm for the 2020 season in Capalaba FC’s Matt Chandler.
Former Logan Lightning forward Carlton Westerdale will be a significant boost to Wolves’ squad in 2020, linking up with other key players including midfielder Peter Gaffney and last season’s equal top goal scorer for the FQPL side Robert Irving.
Wolves will open their 2020 FQPL campaign against Southside Eagles this Friday night in the opening match of the season.
Key players: Robert Irving, Peter Gaffney, Jordan Davie
