Conference B

Fabian Monge

Western Sydney Wanderers

2018/19 A-League Minutes for Players 21 and Under: 6,442 (First in A-League)

Home Ground: Marconi Stadium

Head Coach: Arthur Diles

Squad: Jack Greenwood, Nicholas Suman, Thomas Aquilina, Jamie Percevski, Tate Russell, Mohamed Al-Taay, Daniel Wilmering, Angelo Kalamvokis, Paolo Bonanni, Isaac Hovar, Lochlan Constable, Fabian Monge, Yousef Sawalha, Rory Jordan, Dean Pelekanos, Mohamed Adam, Jake Trew, Jarrod Carluccio, Jacob Vasiliou, Ali Auglah, Evan Tsakos, Oliver Kalac, Nicolas Milanovic

2018/19 Season: Grand Finalists. First in Conference B. Six wins, no draws, two losses and a goal difference of +7.

Best Y-League Result: Champions (2017/18)

Young Player to watch: Fabian Monge

The 2018/19 Y-League Player of the Year, baby-faced Monge is symbolic of the ethos Western Sydney are attempting to instil within their club.

The 18-year-old midfielder was raised in the western Sydney suburb of Bossley Park and, after making the leap to the academy of the Wanderers from Marconi, has quickly become a fixture of the Red and Black academy; playing in every game of their Y-League title-winning campaign of 2017/18 and their 2018/19 season that ended in defeat to Brisbane Roar in the Grand Final.

A frequent recipient of call-ups to Australian junior sides, Monge was most recently a part of the Young Socceroos side that secured passage to the 2020 AFC U19 Championships.

With A-League Head Coach Markus Babbel showing no hesitation in turning to youth should the need arise, expect Monge – who recently received a two-year scholarship contract – to push for senior football in the coming year.

Sydney FC

2018/19 A-League Minutes for Players 21 and Under: 322 (Tenth in A-League)

Home Ground: Leichhardt Oval/Jubilee Stadium

Head Coach: Jimmy Van Weeren

Squad: Aaron Gurd, Adam Pavlesic, Adrian Segicic, Anton Mlinaric, Ben Koop, Calem Nieuwenhof, Calum Talbot, Cameron Fong, Cameron Peupion, Fletcher McFarlane, Jaiden Kucharski, Jake Hollman, Jayden Trenkoski, Jordi Swibel, Levi Kaye, Marco Tilio, Matteo Scali, Mitchell Mattison, Nathan Grimaldi, Olayinka Sunmola, Patrick Wood, Ryan Teague, Samuel Amey, Scott Browning, Thomas Fay, Thomas Main

2018/19 Season: Second in Conference B. Five wins, no draws, three losses and a goal difference of +7.

Best Y-League Result: Champions (2008/09 and 2015/16) and Premiers (2013/14)

Young Player to watch: Cameron Peupion

Head Coach Jimmy Van Weeren has a bevy of U17 World Cup players at his disposal this coming campaign, but Peupion could loom as a dark horse breakout player for the Harboursiders – either in 2019/20 or the years ahead.

Initially coming off the bench for a 24-minute cameo against Ecuador in the Joeys’ opening game of the U17 World Cup, Peupion’s flashes of potential were noticed by Head Coach Trevor Morgan and subsequently rewarded with starts against Hungary, Nigeria and France.

Showing a deftness of touch and an ability to beat players one-on-one, the 17-year-olds ability to force his way into minutes with Sydney’s strong Y-League team will be a storyline to watch in the coming season.

Jack Simmons

Newcastle Jets

2018/19 A-League Minutes for Players 21 and Under: 1,585 (Seventh in A-League)

Home Ground: No.2 Sportsground

Head Coach: Daniel McBreen

Squad: Blake Archbold, Tom Beecham, Pat Bond, Tom Curran, Sam Donnellan, Ryan Goodhew, Tao Grieves, Kieran Hayes, Keegan Hughes (GK), Noah James (GK), Patrick Langlois, Nicholas Martinelli, Lucas Mauragis, Cole Mutton, Joey O'Connor, Maki Petratos, Adam Sherratt, Jack Simmons, Riley Smith, Bailey Wells, Adam Zervas

2018/19 Season: Fourth in Conference B. Three wins, one draw, four losses and a goal difference of 0.

Best Y-League Result: Runners Up (2013/14)

Young Player to watch: Jack Simmons

Compared to Mustafa Amini by Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna, although he prefers to model his game on Croatian superstar Luka Modrić, Simmons entire footballing life – bar a single season with the Mariners – has been spent in the Hunter.

Although he wasn’t on the plane to Brazil as part of the World Cup squad, Simmons has been in and around the periphery of the Joeys setup in the past and made his A-League debut in a 21-minute cameo against Brisbane Roar in round 26 of the 2018/19 A-League season.

With the Jets sputtering commencement to the 2019/20 A-League season, a strong Y-League campaign from Simmons could see him force his way into the plans of Head Coach Ernie Merrick sooner rather than later.