Welcome to Wonderkid Watch: A weekly piece that keeps you up to date with the players and stories emerging from A-Leagues clubs playing at NPL level in Australia.
Jai Rose and Mariners STUN Sydney United
Teen’s stunning 95rd-minute free-kick settles VP1 showdown
With the score deadlocked at 1-1 in Victoria’s second tier after Mark Leonard‘s 83rd-minute equaliser, the 18-year-old stepped up in the 94th minute and sensationally curled a set-piece into the back of the net.
It was a moment of individual brilliance at John Cain Memorial Park, where Casci actually played his junior football for Northcote before joining Western as one of the club’s inaugural junior academy players.
Casci was also recently called up by New Zealand’s U20 side, alongside Western teammate Luke Coveny, for friendlies against Chile.
Western’s 95th Minute Free-kick Winner
“He’s steadily progressed and improved working diligently with his coaches,” Western United academy director Anthony Frost told aleagues.com.au after Casci scored his second goal of the season for the club’s senior academy side, who are fourth in VPL1 and eight points off the pace after 18 rounds.
“He’s started to have more exposure to the first team and now with the U20 NZ National team recently taking part in their games in Chile.
“As an attacking midfielder he is technically strong, has good vision to pick out killer passes and clearly the quality to hurt teams from dead ball situations.
“We’re enjoying seeing him play in more advanced positions and should he continue his steady progression, we hope to see more of him at a higher level in the future.”
In NPLM VIC, Melbourne Victory lost 2-1 to Port Melbourne on Monday night.
Daniel Lazarevski equalised in the 56th minute but Victory went down to the Sharks at the Home of the Matildas.
Victory’s U23 team were 4-3 winners thanks to a Noah Tanfara double and goals via Malik Olukhale and John Kellis, who has joined from Melbourne City.
City involved in late drama as prospect with ‘unique ability’ strikes at the death
There was drama across the VPL1 over the weekend after league-leading Melbourne City also left it late to claim all three points against Eastern Lions.
Aaron Cartwright found the back of the net in the 90th minute to lift City past Eastern Lions 3-2.
It was a wild encounter at Gardiners Creek Reserve, where both sides traded goals in the first half as young gun Beckham Baker equalised in the 32nd minute before Xavier Stella‘s brilliant goal put Alessandro Diamanti’s City 2-1 ahead two minutes into the second half.
Eastern Lions thought they had earned a share of the spoils with four minutes of regulation remaining, however, Cartwright struck at the death to sink the home side.
It was the talented New Zealand youth international’s first senior goal of the season, having netted nine times at U23 level in 2025.
“Aaron has a unique ability to carry the ball and glide past defenders which makes him very exciting to watch,” City’s head of academy Simon Zappia told aleagues.com.au.
City top the standings by two points ahead of Caroline Springs George Cross, while rivals Western United are fourth.
In the U23s, City eased past Eastern Lions 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Julian Recchia, Jesse Langa, Daniel Matina and Oliver O’Carroll were all on target for second-placed City.
Western United remain unbeaten and top of the table after their 3-1 win against Northcote. Marcus Tavolaro scored two goals, while Zackaria Kaddour also bagged a goal.
Elsewhere, Adelaide United were beaten 4-1 by second-placed Croydon FC in NPLM SA.
Brody Burkitt scored his eighth goal of the season for the Reds, who are fourth in the table after 15 matches and 14 points off the pace.
Adelaide’s reserve team went down 5-1 to the same opposition, despite Mutsa Mupandawana‘s seventh-minute opener.
In NPLM QLD, Brisbane Roar drew 1-1 away to second-placed Moreton City Excelsior. David Russell was the scorer for the Roar.
Over in NPLM WA, Noah Ieraci scored in Perth Glory’s 3-1 loss against Stirling Macedonia.
Glory remain third in the table through 13 rounds and 10 points adrift.
They continue to lead the way at U23 level, however, following a 6-3 win over Stirling Macedonia.
In-form Cristiano Farfan scored a hat-trick to fuel Glory, while Henri Knight and Luca Mura were also on target.
Farfan tops the Golden Boot standings with 16 goals this season.
Son of a gun helps inspire NPL upset
Jai Rose was among the goalscorers as relegation-threatened Central Coast Mariners stunned Sydney United 3-1 in NPLM NSW over the weekend.
Rose – the son of Mariners legend Josh, who won a Premiership and Championship with Central Coast – scored a goal and set up another to fuel an NPL upset at Pluim Park on Sunday afternoon.
The 17-year-old was in scintillating form along with two-goal hero Ahmad Elhelou to snap Sydney United’s seven-game winning streak.
Jai Rose and Mariners STUN Sydney United
Western Sydney Wanderers suffered a 1-0 loss to Premiership-chasing NWS Spirit 1-0 while Sydney FC were beaten 6-2 by APIA Leichhardt with Lachlan Middleton and Mathias Macallister on the scoresheet.
“I think the first thing is to recognise that that’s why APIA are a top-four team,” Sydney FC head coach Jimmy van Weeren said via NPL NSW.
“Not only in the goals, but just their general level of competitiveness and their ability to win duels all over the park – in possession and out of possession, they were definitely better at that.
“They create chances and they’re ruthless, they converted a lot of their chances and it’s a good lesson for us.
“If we want to be at that end of the table, which our boys are definitely capable of, that’s the benchmark, so for us it’s what we’re aspiring to get to and there’s a little bit of learning in that performance for us tonight.”
In the U20s, Central Coast Mariners lost 4-2 to Sydney United despite goals via Ty Mckibbin and Quinlan Barr and Western Sydney Wanderers went down 6-2 to NWS Spirit with Max Hately and Oscar Morrison on target.
Sydney FC edged APIA 3-2 thanks to Oscar Gultekin, Junior Conde and Reef Farias.
In League One, Bulls FC Academy’s unbeaten streak came to an end following a 3-1 defeat at Inter Lions. Atiya Waraga‘s goal was not enough as the Bulls slipped from first down to second by one point.
Newcastle Jets were 3-0 winners against Dulwich Hill. Xavier Bertoncello led the way with a first-half brace, while Garang Arou added a third in the second period for the seventh-placed Jets.
As for the U20s, the Bulls continue to lead the way atop the summit following their 6-0 demolition of Inter Lions. Ali El-Sabeh scored twice, with Leandro Carle, Alonzo Taulapapa, Harry Hood and Andrew Panayi also on the scoresheet.
Newcastle Jets are second and five points further back after Jackson Chambers‘ 88th-minute goal secured a 3-2 success against Dulwich Hill. Shiwa Dul and William Eick also scored.
In NPLW NSW, in-form Bulls FC Academy dispatched Newcastle Jets 3-0.
Petria Phillips, Amber Luchtmeijer and Gemma Ferris were the goalscorers.
Meanwhile, Western Sydney Wanderers played out a 1-1 draw with Illawarra Stingrays as Alvina Khoshaba struck with a long-range free-kick.
At U23 level, Marni Duggan lifted Newcastle Jets past Bulls FC Academy 1-0 while Western Sydney Wanderers drew 0-0 against the Stingrays.
Wellington Phoenix’s men’s reserve side climbed up to second in the Central League by downing Island Bay United 4-1. Daniel Makowem, Lachlan Candy, Luke Flowerdew and captain Dylan Gardiner were the scorers.
Wellington’s women’s reserves lost 4-2 to Western Suburbs despite goals from Isla Cleall-Harding and Poppy O’Brien.
Elsewhere in New Zealand, Auckland FC reserves were beaten 2-1 by Auckland United in the National League.
