Melbourne Knights FC Official Website The Melbourne Knights return to action this Friday, 16 May, with a trip to Olympic Village to face a red-hot Heidelberg United in Round 14 of the 2025 NPL Victoria season. With the league leaders sitting ten points clear at the top of the table, and the Knights languishing near the bottom in 13th, the challenge is steep – but not unfamiliar.
This will be the Knights’ second meeting with Heidelberg this year, and they’ll be hoping to draw strength from what was arguably their best performance of the season back in Round 1. On that night first night Somers Street, amidst the opening of the refurbished Tompsett Stadium, the Knights pulled off a thrilling 3-2 win, powered by a brace from Ciaran Bramwell and a defiant team effort. It was a statement victory that hinted at promise and attacking potential.
Since then, however, the journey has been far from smooth. Following the resignation of Ivan Franjic earlier this month, the squad remains under interim management, with leadership responsibilities falling on the shoulders of Steve Whyte and support staff. A period of transition for the club has defined much of their campaign so far, and with just three wins to their name after 13 rounds, the Knights are in desperate need of momentum within the league.
Heidelberg, by contrast, have continued to build their season on consistency. With ten wins from 13 matches and eight straight victories heading into this fixture, they’ve emerged as genuine title favourites within the league. Their ability to grind out results, even when not at their best, has made them the team to beat at their current form. Playing them on their home turf only raises the stakes, as the Bergers will seek to continue their winning streak on their own soil.
For the Knights, the odds may be long, but there is still belief. They’ve done it before. Friday night could be an opportunity to reset the narrative, to prove that form is temporary, and to bring some of the ‘Magic of the Cup’ that the club has been experiencing, into their NPL performances. With unity, discipline, and a spark of that early-season magic, the hope for an upset is not off the cards.
Meanwhile, back at Somers Street, the Melbourne Knights Women will look to continue their positive run in the 2025 State League 3 season as they return to Tompsett Stadium. With a perfect record at home so far, they’ll aim to defend their fortress and continue their impressive campaign as a team in its infancy.
