West Australian SFL 5 Team in the Melbourne FAFL Cup
A report from WA on how their team went at the Futsal Oz FAFL Cup
03 October, 2012
Futsal Oz and the rest of Australia finally got to see the most talented Futsal players in Western Australia competing together in a team composed of players from the WA State Futsal league. The Allstar side from the league, named the SFL 5, represented WA at the inaugural FAFL Cup in Melbourne last month and to the shock of many almost took the title from the local side, Pascoe Vale, in the final going down 4-2. The SFL 5 may not have won the final, but they did win many new fans over East and all the compliments only reassured what El Abrahams and the SFL have been trying to achieve in WA. Opportunities to develop good players and for the best players to have their chance to compete in big tournaments across Australia and any other countries. UK and Malaysia in 2013.
The entire SFL 5 touring squad
The WA SFL 5 starting line up consisted of the best that WA has to offer, in Victor Brauner, Nestor Fonseca (Vikings Nationals Allstar 5 in his first year), Brad Kneebone, Diego Garcia and Tiago Fracasso (SFL MVP). All these players were led by a well experienced coach, Raffaele Capasso. An amazing man who was able to bring together the best of the SFL in a short period of time to play some of the best Futsal seen in Australia. As strong as the side was, the team was dealt a huge blow a week before the tournament when they lost their captain, Luke Tidy, to a hamstring injury. Fortunately he was still able to travel and off the court added the much needed support and experience for the team. Even though the SFL 5 were unable to win in the Grand Final, they did manage to produce the Fairest and Best player for the entire Tournament. Fremantle Muita Calma’s own, Tiago Fracasso did it again. After just recently taking out the MVP award in the SFL Winter season, he showed the rest of Australia what he was capable of. A great talent and wonderful person who definitely deserved the award.
The SFL 5 had wins against Sydney Cobras, Parramatta Blues, Hobart Tigers and the almighty Vic Vipers, but were unable to defeat Pascoe Vale both in the group stages and the Grand Final. A testimony to a great side who deserved the honours as the FAFL Champions of 2012. The Pascoe Vale coach had many promising words for the SFL 5 side from WA and we all know that this is just the beginning of what is in stall for Futsal. Not only in WA but in all of Australia as Peter, at Futsal Oz, was able to finally bring together many of the best players and teams from around Australia to compete in a professional environment by his well run Futsal organisation.
The SFL will continue it’s relationship with Futsal Oz and look forward to many more future opportunities for it’s players and teams in WA. A National Futsal Champions League for Clubs could very much be the next challenge that the WA State Futsal League will pursue with Futsal Oz. The possibility is also there for a WA team to enter the V-League as we look to get ever closer to a National Futsal League.
The new SFL season commences on Saturday October 20th at Melville Recreation Centre. To join a team or enter the league email: [email protected]
5 Comments
Oct 4, 2012, 1:16 am
V league – national league?? Here we go! Damian gone from Nsw. No one to push f league, untill it’s too late. Futsal oz to the rescue with their own version. It’s going to be an interesting year next year.
Oct 4, 2012, 5:58 am
Why can’t they try their luck in the F-League? or is it too political?
Oct 4, 2012, 8:25 pm
To enter the F-League, teams needed to be registered with the FFA State governing body e.g. Football West in WA. Unfortunately they would not register a team as they did not recognise Futsal within the association. Also teams were not prepared to travel to WA as the costs were already very high. The SFL is now working with Football West to rectify this, by starting a Futsal league for them. The season commences Oct. 14th and all teams competing will have to be registered with Football West. January should see a return by WA to the FFA nationals, club championships in Sydney 2013 and hopefully also a team in the F-League. Politics and finance have been the major obstacles which the SFL and Football West are trying to overcome. Thanks to the State Futsal league, WA should start to become more involved Nationally.
Oct 4, 2012, 10:29 pm
Ronalso what has happened to Damian Briggs, is it official? What’s going to be interesting? Surely football NSW will run a 3rd edition of the F-league next year? Do you know something we don’t?
Oct 4, 2012, 11:44 pm
Not sure what official is, however every second futsal player in Melbourne knows about it.
Remember people with passion run leagues like the f league. If they don’t get the right people in the position, I fear an f league might be a bit too difficult for them to successfully organise. FFA won’t run it, and I fear the bureaucracies between the federations will make it hard for everyone to be on the right page.