Premier League Fixtures Released
The season fixtures for the Men's and Women's Premier Leagues have been released with a number of debutants featuring in each of the competitions. Two sides will take to the field for their inaugural campaigns in the FCPL with Caboolture and Toowong competing in Football Brisbane's top tier for the first time. Both teams will hit the road in their opening round games - Caboolture, having reached the FCPL following back to back to back promotions, will receive a stiff test first up against reigning Champions Albany Creek, whilst Toowong will head to Cenetenary Stormers for their first round encounter. The other opening round clashes will see UQFC host 2018 league runners-up and Grand Final Winners Grange Thistle; Bayside United will host Brisbane Knights, Acacia Ridge at home to The Gap, and Taringa Rovers will take on North Pine at Jack Speare Park. It's always hard to predict how the season will pan out and what the final table will look like come season's end but here's our very early predictions for the FCPL. Champions: Albany Creek look to have strengthened their side and could prove hard to beat again. Runners-up: A tricky one to assess but Bayside United could be the dark horses in 2019.
Top 4: Bayside United, Grange Thistle and Caboolture to make up the finals series with ACE. Relgation: Possibly a four way battle come season's end with Acacia Ridge, Brisbane Knights, Centenary Stormers and Taringa Rovers vying for survival. Meanwhile five teams will battle it out in the Women's Premier League for the first time in their club's history with The Lakes FC joined by Gold Coast outfits Southport FC, Broadbeach United, Coomera and Robina City in an expanded 12 team competition for 2019. Robina will make the long trip north to face Peninsula Power in round one, whilst Southport and Broadbeach United will face off for an all Gold Coast derby. Coomera will also enjoy home advantage in their opening round game with UQFC the visitors to Viney Park. A Brisbane northside derby will pit newcomers The Lakes FC away to Pine Hills whilst closer to town, Anthony Costa will see his new side Virginia United host his old side Annerley at Albert Bishop Park. The remaining opening round fixture will see potential championship favourites Ipswich City host Taringa Rovers who earned promotion from the Women's Capital League last season. Rovers making a return to the Brisbane women's top flight competition since their relegation in 2014. Predicting the season ahead is even more difficult to assess for this competition, especially given the many changes that have taken place during the off season plus the introduction of the four sides from the Gold Coast, but we'll take a stab in the dark here... Champions: Ipswich City, if retaining much of their side from 2018, ought to go one step further this season and claim the title. Runners-up: Very hard to say. Peninsula Power could well be difficult to beat especially with Brit Whitfield remaining at AJ Kelly Park but with little known about the make up of the other sides, anyone could be a contender.
Top 4: It really would be guess work to predict who will make up the finals spots come season's end but we'll give it a bash - Ipswich City, Peninsula Power, Broadbeach United and UQFC. Relegation: Equally as hard to predict although Taringa Rovers could find the step-up a touch beyond them. As well as the premier league competitions, fixtures for Vilic Law Capital League 1 & 2, and Women's Capital League have also been released. FCPL relegated sides Mt Gravatt and Virginia United will both face away trips first round with Virginia away to Annerley and Mt Gravatt heading to New Farm Utd. Capital League 2 Champions AC Carina will take on North Star for their first clash since earning promotion to Vilic Law Capital League 1 whilst fellow promoted side Samford Rangers will visit Moggill. The first round of fixtures will kick-off on the weekend of the 22-24 February. Vilic Capital League 3 is still currently being finalised and will be available soon.
