2010 promises to provide an evenly matched playing field with no clear outright favourite in the lead-up to Round 1.

The usual suspects in Sutherland Sharks, Bankstown City, Sydney United, Marconi Stallions and Sydney Olympic start each season with a strong case for a tilt at the title, though the consistency of Manly United could state their own claims for a strong league run.

The talking point of the launch was that of the Bonnyrigg White Eagles however who were given the task of being the team to beat after securing as many as twelve new faces for the new season while Blacktown City were deemed the 'dark horses' of the NSW Premier League.

During the course of the NSW Premier League media launch two special guests in the form of Central Coast Mariners young gun Panny Nikas and Sydney FC's Head of Football Stefan Kamasz were interviewed by MC and Football NSW Executive Manager of Commercial Services Tony Peters about their involvements with the NSW Premier League.

Nikas has had the NSW Premier League to thank after coming up through the ranks as a promising youngster at Bankstown City, Penrith Nepean United and more recently the Sutherland Sharks.

"The NSW Premier League will always hold a special place with me as it was where I developed as a footballer and got noticed by the Central Coast Mariners.

"I had a great year with the Sutherland Sharks last year as we won the Waratah Cup and the Championship and this is something I will never forget."

Nikas has been starring with the Mariners' youth side skippering the squad and also got some game time with the senior squad.

While Kamasz was equally proud to have said that the NSW Premier League clubs played a pivotal role in the success of the current batch of stars in the National Youth League squad as well as a few in the senior side.

"When you look at our Under 20's side you will see that the players are littered with NSW Premier League experience and we are proud of that.

"We are also happy with the connection we have with Football NSW as well as the NSW Premier League clubs in pushing forward the sport of football.

"I know that the NSW Premier League is a great competition with some great players and it assists with the development of our game here in Australia."

Representatives from all 12 NSW Premier League clubs were on hand to chat to the media about their chances for 2010 and this is what they had to say.

Rockdale City Suns:

Louie Belevski (General Manager): "We are extremely delighted to be back in the NSW Premier League and I am sure that the club along with the players will be fighting and raring to go when round 1 commences. We have been waiting for this day for a while now so it is up to the club and players to cement a permanent spot as being part of the NSW Premier League for good."

Peter Apolevski (Captain): "We will definitely be competitive this season, even though we have just come up from the Super League. We have had some good results in pre-season, and even though pre-season matches are not worth three-points, we have managed to build some confidence up to boost the confidence amongst the team."

Manly United FC:

Phil Moss (Coach): "The team has lost a lot of experience with Spencer Prior and Matthew Bingley leaving. In recent seasons we have been tipped as a chance for the title, though I don't think we figure amongst the top contenders. We have a number of younger faces coming in, so I feel that we will really have a challenge ahead of us this season."

Craig Midgley (Captain): "I had a difficult season in 2009 with injury, though the hamstring is coming along nicely. With the assistant coaching role, I am looking forward to the challenge of working alongside Moss (Phil Moss) and hoping to take as much experience from the challenge as possible. On the field, I will be hoping to have an injury free run and give the best of myself to the team."

Sutherland Sharks:

Robbie Stanton (Coach): "Our pre-season has been a little 'up-and-down' with a number of injuries disrupting our preparations. However, I have had the chance to look at a few of the younger boys and am pleased with their response. We obviously have lost a couple of key elements from last year with the likes of Brad Boardman and Panny Nikas -these boys are moving on to take a further step in their careers, and I wish them well."

Nick Stavroulakis (Player): "We've come a long way in recent years, and the achievements of last season will be difficult to repeat this time around. The mentality at the club is a winning one, and with the new boys coming into the set-up, there has been no change to this. We will be working hard to challenge from the start to the finish, and we hope to be there at the business end of the season."

Bankstown City:

Richard Luksic (Captain): "I've been at the club for a long time now and I am happy with what I have seen in the pre-season. We've had some additions to the team, and at this point, I am confident that we can really put in a big challenge for a successful year."

Peter Tsekenis (Coach): "We have a fairly mixed squad in-terms of youth and experience. A number of the Under 20s players have made the step-up and I am pleased with what they have shown in pre-season. I am at 36 years of age, and really it is a week-to-week prospect. As so long as I can compete and help the team, then I am happy."

Sydney United:

Ivo Bosnar (Player): "The entire group is really looking forward to the new season. We have kept the core of last season's squad, with some very important additions, and the belief amongst the group is that we can go all the way. We finished first last season in the regular season which was fantastic, though in Australia the champions are determined by who wins the grand-final, so we will be out to go that step further this time around."

David Zdrilic (Coach/Player): "I am looking forward to the challenge. Getting into coaching, I could not see a better club to start at than Sydney United. We have a great group of players, and I am really happy with what I have seen in this pre-season. I believe the entire group at my disposal is more than capable of a starting spot, and this will help the club achieve our objectives this season."

South Coast Wolves:

Jason Trifiro (Player): "The set-up is looking good so far, I am looking forward to the season. The opinions of a lot of people were very negative last season after the club finished last, though it is a new start for us, and we will be out to change those opinions."

Trevor Morgan (Coach): "We will be looking to make a mark this season, no doubt. We've got a number of young boys coming through, though the Premier League experience of Jason Trifiro and Lisandro Berbis will definitely help."

Sydney Olympic:

Pat Marando (Coach): "It is an exciting time for the team. We are re-building and we do expect a lot from ourselves. A number of young boys are coming through which is always a positive, and with the experienced heads of Anthony Doumanis and Mark Bosnich, I am sure we will get the young boys up to the required level very quickly. For me personally, coaching the first team is an honour. There is pressure at a club like Sydney Olympic, though I enjoy it. If there were no pressure then there would be no point in being there."

Anthony Doumanis (Captain): "I've been at the club since I was a kid and it really is important to me. Off the field we have had some positive news with the facilities we will be using, and this will translate onto the playing surface no doubt. Last season we perhaps lacked a little 'mongrel' in the middle of the park, though I believe we will be a much stronger side this time around."

West Sydney Berries:

John Calleja (Coach): "Our immediate goal is to improve on last season. We have succeeded in keeping the nucleus of the 2009 squad and in the meantime adding some extra depth to the squad. We really improved last season, on 2008's showing, and in 2010 we aim to reach the semi-finals. We have a structure that has been implemented at the club, and I feel that we are on the right track to achieve a top-four finish."

Aheleas Kotsopoulos (Captain): "I love this club, and last year I was honoured for 400 appearances, which was a fantastic feeling. We've come a long way since we came back into the top-flight. We survived in the first season, and really showed signs of improvement last season. 2010's goal is to reach the finals, and give it our best efforts."

Marconi Stallions:

Lee Sterrey (Coach): "We will have an additional two African imports at the club this season, and we hope these boys can deliver some additional flair and flavour to our performances. It will be a difficult year for the team, especially in trying to emulate last season's run. We have had some cuts to the budget and now have a smaller playing squad, which will make our job a little tougher, though we will be giving it our all. Nahuel Arrarte has moved to Korea for a year, and we do wish him the very best over there, even though without someone like him in the middle, my job will be a little harder to find an experience replacement to slot in."

Bonnyrigg White Eagles:

Cliff Pointer (Assistant Coach): "We've kept six of last season's squad and recruited twelve new players, keeping a good blend of youth and experience. The whispers around the traps have it that we are one of the favourites, though I wouldn't pay too much attention to that. Each of the squads appear to have recruited well and are looking strong at this early stage, so I am expecting a level playing field with the competition to run down to the last round of the season. In all though, our boys are gelling well together at this point which is pleasing."

Paul Cotte (Captain): "Our group is a great one which is gelling really well together, despite a number of changes to the team last season. It will be competitive for starting spots and this is great as it will have everyone in the squad fighting for a starting spot. This will certainly give us a good chance of going far this year and doing well."

A.P.I.A Tigers:

Luke McGuire (Coach): "Last year we finished in eleventh-spot, and our goal is obviously to improve on that this season. We too have included a number of young boys coming through the ranks which is something this club prides itself on. Realistically, at this point, our objective is to finish in the top-half of the table."

Nick Rizzo (Player): "I came into the NSW Premier League competition, and I have been surprised with the good standard of play. Physically, the boys are all very strong, and I believe that a number of the players in the competition could walk into an A-League squad. Our situation looks positive with the young boys coming in, and the likes of Marton Vass and Paul O'Grady joining the club, so we will be aiming to improve on last season's campaign."

Blacktown City:

Aytek Genc (Coach): "I wouldn't say our team will be a top-three side, though I feel that we will make life difficult for every team in the competition. We've got some experienced heads who will assist greatly with the young boys coming through the ranks, and I am sure we can reach our objective of a top-five finish. I enjoy coaching, and coming back to Blacktown City is a great feeling for me. We have had much success here in the past, and with the wonderful development model at the club, I believe we can aim high over the coming years."