# 2008 NSW Premier League season

The 2008 TeleChoice Premier League season was the eighth season of the revamped NSW Premier League. This season also marked the promotion of two new teams, in the West Sydney Berries and the Macarthur Rams from the Super League (one division lower). This increased the teams competing in the competition from 10 to 12 teams and the number of rounds from 18 to 22 in the regular season.
The 2008 season officially began on 22 February and concluded with the grand final between Wollongong FC and the Sutherland Sharks on 7 September.
Before the start of the season, all the 2008 teams competed in the Johnny Warren Cup, the official pre-season tournament. On 16 February, Sydney Olympic defeated the Sutherland Sharks 2 goals to 1 at Seymour Shaw Park to win the Johnny Warren Cup.
Throughout the season many Premier League, Super League, Division One and Division Two teams competed in an FA Cup-style knockout competition in which the Bankstown City Lions and Sydney Olympic contested the grand final with Bankstown prevailing 3–1 winners.

## Changes from Previous Season

The number of teams competing increased from 10 to 12, with the inclusion of the West Sydney Berries and the Macarthur Rams. The regular season remained a home-away round-robin format, thus increasing the number of rounds from 18 to 22. The final series was therefore also adapted. The number of teams competing in the finals series increased from 4 to 5. The finals series used a 5-team McIntyre system to determine the champions.

## Clubs

Teams promoted from Super League: (After the end of the 2007 season.)
* West Sydney Berries
* Macarthur Rams
Teams relegated to Super League: (After the end of the 2007 season.)
* Nil
| Club | Ground | Capacity |
| A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers | Lambert Park | 7,000 |
| Bankstown City Lions FC | Jensen Oval | 8,000 |
| Blacktown City Demons FC | Fairfax Community Stadium | 7,500 |
| Macarthur Rams | Campbelltown Stadium | 20,000 |
| Manly United FC | Cromer Park | 5,000 |
| Marconi Stallions FC | Marconi Stadium | 11,500 |
| Penrith Nepean United FC | CUA Stadium | 21,000 |
| Sutherland Sharks FC | Seymour Shaw Park | 5,000 |
| Sydney Olympic FC | Belmore Sports Ground | 25,000 |
| Sydney United FC | Sydney United Sports Centre | 12,000 |
| West Sydney Berries FC | Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre | 18,000 |
| Wollongong FC | John Crehan Park | 7,500 |

## Regular season
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sutherland Sharks | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 48 | 19 | +29 | 44 | Qualified for the Championship Finals series |
| 2 | Wollongong FC (C) | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 39 | 19 | +20 | 44 | Qualified for the Championship Finals series |
| 3 | Sydney Olympic | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 38 | 23 | +15 | 41 | Qualified for the Championship Finals series |
| 4 | Manly United | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 42 | 21 | +21 | 39 | Qualified for the Championship Finals series |
| 5 | Sydney United | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 34 | Qualified for the Championship Finals series |
| 6 | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 34 | |
| 7 | Bankstown City | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 27 | |
| 8 | West Sydney Berries | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 41 | −11 | 24 | |
| 9 | Marconi Stallions | 22 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 29 | 41 | −12 | 19 | |
| 10 | Macarthur Rams (R) | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 41 | −25 | 19 | Relegation to Super League |
| 11 | Penrith Nepean United | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 50 | −25 | 17 | |
| 12 | Blacktown City | 22 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 40 | −26 | 16 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | API | BAN | BLC | MAR | MAN | MST | PNU | SUT | SYO | SYU | WSB | WOL |
| APIA Leichhardt Tigers | | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 7–0 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Bankstown City | 3–0 | | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Blacktown City | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Macarthur Rams | 0–3 | 0–4 | 1–0 | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 |
| Manly United | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Marconi Stallions | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Penrith Nepean United | 3–4 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–3 | | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–1 | 0–1 |
| Sutherland Sharks | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 7–0 | | 3–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 1–1 |
| Sydney Olympic | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Sydney United | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 0–2 |
| West Sydney Berries | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–1 | | 0–2 |
| Wollongong FC | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | |

## Finals series

| Qualifying Finals | Qualifying Finals | Qualifying Finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| | | | 1 | Sutherland Sharks | 1 | | | | 2 | Wollongong FC | 4 |
| | | | 2 | Wollongong FC | 2 | | | | 1 | Sutherland Sharks | 2 |
| 2 | Wollongong FC | 3 | | | | 1 | Sutherland Sharks | 2 | | | |
| 3 | Sydney Olympic FC | 2 | | | | 3 | Sydney Olympic FC | 1 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Sydney Olympic | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Manly United FC | 1 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Manly United FC | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Sydney United FC | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

### Grand final
## Gold Medal Dinner

At the end of the season, Football NSW hosted the Gold Medal Dinner, where players, coaches and referees were awarded for their work throughout the Premier League season.
| Award | Grade | Name | Club |
| Player of the Year | First Grade | Brendan Gan | Sutherland Sharks |
| Andreas Golden Boot | First Grade | Robert Younis | A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers |
| Player of the Year | 20's | Daniel Rezo | Sydney United |
| Golden Boot | 20's | Brodie Mooy | Marconi Stallions |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | First Grade | Matthew Nash | A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers |
| Coach of the Year | First Grade | Brian Brown | Sutherland Sharks |
| Referee of the Year | – | Jonathan Streater | – |

### All-Stars Team

Based on a points system in which all match reporters took part in during the course of the 22 rounds, eleven players were selected in various positions highlighting their performances for season 2008.
Goalkeeper: Matthew Nash (A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers)
Defence: Emmanuel Zunino (Sydney Olympic), Pedj Bojić (Sutherland Sharks), Danial Cummins (Wollongong FC), Shane Webb (Bankstown City Lions)
Midfield: Nahuel Arrarte (Marconi Stallions), Robbie Cattanach (Manly United), Brendan Gan (Sutherland Sharks), Christopher Boyle (Sydney United)
Attack: Robert Younis (A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers), Brad Boardman (Sutherland Sharks)
Coach: Brian "Bomber" Brown