When teams get off to a bad start in any season they often find it almost impossible to catch up, and that familiar story is being repeated at local level in the National Premier League Victoria.
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Werribee City remains winless after nine games, having ground out a scoreless draw with Port Melbourne Sharks in the opening match of the just concluded round nine. It's the western suburbs team's fourth draw of the campaign but they have yet to pick up three points two months into the season.
Nevertheless, they are not at the bottom. That dubious distinction belongs to North Geelong Warriors, who have just three points to Werribee's four. The Warriors have won once, but they have tasted defeat eight times – including on Saturday afternoon, when they went down 2-0 to mid-table Northcote City.
The top of the table has a familiar look, with ex-NSL clubs South Melbourne, Heidelberg and Melbourne Knights at the head of affairs with Bentleigh Greens in fourth spot. The top four have established a handy break over fifth-placed Port Melbourne.
Bentleigh Greens made national headlines last year when they reached the semi-final of the inaugural FFA Cup, only going out to Perth Glory – who now stand convicted as salary cap cheats.
But the Greens will now only have the NPL Victoria to concentrate on following their elimination last week from this year's FFA Cup in one of the shocks so far of the competition. Bentleigh was eliminated 4-3 by Ballarat Red Devils, a side a division below them, who are coached by former Melbourne Victory striker James Robinson.
