The 2022 New Zealand Men's National League was the second scheduled season of the National League since its restructuring in 2021; the 2021 National League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in northern regions. 32 clubs competed in the competition, with four qualifying from the Northern League, three qualifying from the Central League and two qualifying from the Southern League for the National Championship phase. Each team could field a maximum of four foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Each team also had to field at least two players aged 20 or under in the starting eleven.
This season the Wellington Phoenix Reserves replaced Lower Hutt City and was allowed to play in the Central League though they still had an automatic entry into the Championship phase. The Southern League also increased by two teams to have ten, adding three new sides to the league.
Qualifying leagues 2022 Northern League
Northern League teams Twelve teams are competing in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the 2021 NRFL Division 1. The promoted teams are Waiheke United and Takapuna. This is both Waiheke's and Takapuna's first season in the Northern League. They replaced Northern Rovers and West Coast Rangers (both teams relegated after their debut seasons in the Northern League).
TeamHome groundLocation2021 season Auckland City Kiwitea Street Sandringham, Auckland 1st Auckland United Keith Hay Park Mount Roskill, Auckland 2nd Bay Olympic Olympic Park New Lynn, Auckland 6th Birkenhead United Shepherds Park Beach Haven, Auckland 4th Eastern Suburbs Madills Farm Kohimarama, Auckland 3rd Hamilton Wanderers Porritt Stadium Chartwell, Hamilton 7th Manukau United Centre Park Māngere East, Auckland 8th Melville United Gower Park Melville, Hamilton 10th North Shore United Allen Hill Stadium Devonport, Auckland 9th Takapuna Taharoto Park Takapuna, Auckland 2nd in Division 1 (promoted) Waiheke United Onetangi Sports Park Waiheke Island, Auckland 1st in Division 1 (promoted) Western Springs Seddon Fields Westmere, Auckland 5th Source:
Northern League personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Auckland City Albert Riera Cam Howieson Dynasty OckhamTrillian Trust Auckland United José Figueira Ross Haviland Adidas Signbiz Bay Olympic Liam Mulrooney Tom Boss Nike Mitre 10 Mega New Lynn Birkenhead United Paul Hobson Sam Burfoot Kappa Harcourts Cooper & Co Eastern Suburbs Hoani Edwards Michael Built Calcio Winger Motors Hamilton Wanderers Joe Hinds Derek Tieku Dynasty Tall Poppy Real EstateSmith & McKenzie Manukau United Rudy Mozr Joma Munchy Mart Melville United Sam Wilkinson Aaron Scott Joma NZ Roadside Assistance North Shore United Valerio Raccuglia Silvio Rodić Nike Atlas Concrete Takapuna Chris Milicich Connor Cahil-Fahey Lotto Sport Italia None Waiheke United Thabiso Tleane Alan Llunes Nike Fullers 360 Western Springs Chris Zoricich Dane Schnell Lotto Sport Italia Integration Works
Northern League table
Northern League results table
Northern League scoring Northern League top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Derek Tieku Hamilton Wanderers 17 2 Oliver Colloty Melville United 14 3 Joshua Redfearn Auckland United 13 4 Emiliano Tade Auckland City 12 5 Angus Kilkolly Auckland City 11 6 Oscar Browne Western Springs 10 Nicolas Zambrano Auckland United 8 Dawson Straffon Western Springs 9 9 Cameron MacKenzie Birkenhead United 8 10 Matthew Conroy Auckland United 7 Joseph Harris Hamilton Wanderers Kayne Vincent Western Springs Darren White Bay Olympic
Northern League hat-tricks Round Player For Against Home/Away Result Date 1 Thomas Leabourn-Boss Bay Olympic North Shore United Away 0–4 2 Joshua Redfearn Auckland United Manukau United Away 0–4 6 Cameron MacKenzie Birkenhead United Eastern Suburbs Home 4–0 Angus Kilkolly Auckland City Bay Olympic Away 0–4 7 Derek Tieku Hamilton Wanderers North Shore United Home 6–0 11 Daniel Champness Eastern Suburbs North Shore United Home 4–2 13 Kieran Richards Melville United Bay Olympic Away 0–5 14 Mohamed Awad Manukau United North Shore United Home 6–0 15 João Moreira Manukau United Bay Olympic Away 2–4 16 Emiliano Tade Auckland City North Shore United Home 6–0 18 Derek Tieku Hamilton Wanderers North Shore United Away 0–5 20 Matt Ellis Auckland City Western Springs Away 3–5
Own goals RoundPlayerClubAgainst 1 Jaslin Diedericks North Shore United Bay Olympic Joe Wallis Western Springs Hamilton Wanderers 3 Jackson Jarvie Eastern Suburbs Waiheke United 6 Roshan Calustre Waiheke United Melville United 7 Adam Streamer North Shore United Hamilton Wanderers Joe Wallis Western Springs Melville United 10 Joseph Moore North Shore United Melville United 11 Xavier Pratt Hamilton Wanderers Melville United 17 Jackson Jarvie Eastern Suburbs Birkenhead United 18 Sam Brotherton Auckland City Birkenhead United 20 Liam Anderson Takapuna Manukau United 22 Aaryan Raj Eastern Suburbs North Shore United
2022 Central League
Central League teams Ten teams are competing in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the one team promoted from the 2021 play-off between the winners of the Central Federation League and the Capital Premier. The winner of the play-off was Havelock North Wanderers. This is their first season in the Central League, since New Zealand football’s restructuring in 2021. They replaced Wainuiomata (relegated to the Capital Premier League). Wairarapa United was entered as one of the originally 10 teams to play the 2022 season but withdrew with just two weeks to go before the start of the season. They were replaced by Wellington United who had originally missed out on promotion to Havelock North Wanderers. Lower Hutt City was also replaced by Wellington Phoenix Reserves for the Central League games.
TeamHome groundLocation2021 season Havelock North Wanderers Guthrie Park Havelock North 1st in Central Federation League (promoted via play-offs) Miramar Rangers David Farrington Park Miramar, Wellington 2nd Napier City Rovers Bluewater Stadium Napier 7th North Wellington Alex Moore Park Johnsonville, Wellington 8th Petone Memorial Park Petone, Lower Hutt 9th Waterside Karori Karori Park Karori, Wellington 6th Wellington Olympic Wakefield Park Wellington 1st Wellington Phoenix Reserves Fraser Park Lower Hutt 3rd (as Lower Hutt City) Wellington United Newtown Park Wellington Replaced Wairarapa United after they withdrew Western Suburbs Endeavour Park Porirua 4th
Central League personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Havelock North Wanderers Chris Greatholder Jerome Groot Nike None Miramar Rangers Scott Hales Taylor Schrijvers Football Central Monsoon Poon Napier City Rovers Bill Robertson Jim Hoyle Lotto Sport Italia Thirsty Whale North Wellington Davor Tavich Gavin Hoy Nike New World Newlands Petone Ryan Edwards Hami Paranihi-Nuku Football Central Liquid Waterside Karori Sam Smith Harry Fautley Nike Integration Works Wellington Olympic Rupert Kemeys Ben Mata Nike Liquid Wellington Phoenix Reserves Chris Greenacre Isaac Hughes Paladin None Wellington United Guillermo Schiltenwolf Abdallah Khaled Adidas None Western Suburbs Mark Atkinson Olé Football Academy Advance Electrical Wholesalers
Central League table
Central League results table
Central League scoring Central League top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Hamish Watson Miramar Rangers 20 2 Gianni Bouzoukis Wellington Olympic 16 3 Jack-Henry Sinclair Wellington Olympic 14 4 Ihaia Delaney North Wellington/Waterside Karori 11 5 Jesse Randall Wellington Olympic 10 6 Kailan Gould Wellington Olympic 9 Merlin Luke-Miny Waterside Karori 8 Inigo Bronte Barea Wellington United 8 Josh Rudland Wellington Phoenix Reserves 10 Multiple players 7
Central League hat-tricks Round Player For Against Home/Away Result Date 2 Merlin Luke-Miny Waterside Karori Havelock North Wanderers Home 4–1 3 Liam Schofield Napier City Rovers Havelock North Wanderers Away 0–3 9 Jack-Henry Sinclair Wellington Olympic Havelock North Wanderers Home 10–0 11 Hamish Watson Miramar Rangers Western Suburbs Home 9–0 14 Gianni Bouzoukis Wellington Olympic Napier City Rovers Away 2–5 16 Hamish Watson Miramar Rangers Petone Home 5–1 Gianni Bouzoukis Wellington Olympic Western Suburbs Away 1–11 17 Inigo Bronte Barea Wellington United North Wellington Home 5–1 18 Jesse Randall Wellington Olympic Havelock North Wanderers Away 1–7
Own goals RoundPlayerClubAgainst 1 Noah Tipene-Clegg Western Suburbs Havelock North Wanderers 4 Nicholas Yorke Havelock North Wanderers Miramar Rangers 11 Seth Loughran Petone Wellington Phoenix Reserves 13 Jack O'Connor Western Suburbs North Wellington 14 Luca Barclay Havelock North Wanderers Wellington Phoenix Reserves Alex Palezevic Wellington Olympic Napier City Rovers 17 Ben Foxall Havelock North Wanderers Wellington United 18 Fetuao Belcher Napier City Rovers Miramar Rangers James Hoyle
2022 Southern League
Southern League teams Ten teams are competing in the league, two more than in the previous season. The top five Mainland teams and two FootballSouth teams remain from the previous season, and are joined by two teams promoted from the 2021 Mainland Premier League and one team promoted from the 2021 FootballSouth Premier League. The promoted teams from Mainland are Ferrymead Bays and Nomads United, and the promoted team from FootballSouth is Mosgiel. This is all three teams' first season in the Southern League. They replaced Otago University (relegated after the debut season of the Southern League).
TeamHome groundLocation2021 season Cashmere Technical Garrick Memorial Park Woolston, Christchurch 1st Christchurch United United Sports Centre Yaldhurst, Christchurch 5th Coastal Spirit Linfield Park Linwood, Christchurch 6th Dunedin City Royals Football Turf Dunedin North 3rd Ferrymead Bays Ferrymead Park Ferrymead, Christchurch 1st in Mainland Premier League (promoted) Green Island Sunnyvale Park Green Island, Dunedin 8th Mosgiel Memorial Park Ground Mosgiel 1st in FootballSouth Premier League (promoted) Nelson Suburbs Saxton Field Nelson 7th Nomads United Tulett Park Casebrook, Christchurch 2nd in Mainland Premier League (promoted) Selwyn United Foster Park Rolleston 2nd
Southern League personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Cashmere Technical Dan Schwarz Tom Schwarz Lotto Sport Italia None Christchurch United Paul Ifill Matt Tod-Smith Healy Sportswear Signbiz Coastal Spirit José Matiz Michael Hogan Adidas Canstaff Dunedin City Royals Richard Murray Jared Grove Dynasty None Ferrymead Bays Alan Walker James Deehan Nike D J Hewitt Builders Green Island Shane Carvell Mosgiel Rory Crow Malcolm Fleming Rory Findlay Adidas None Nelson Suburbs Ryan Stewart Sam Ayers Lotto Sport Italia Mac's Brewery Nomads United Andrew Pitman Caleb Cottom Nike Greenlight Recruitment Selwyn United Lee Padmore Jayden BoothKukri Sports
Southern League table
Southern League results table
Southern League scoring Southern League top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Garbhan Coughlan Cashmere Technical 24 2 Edward Wilkinson Christchurch United 19 3 Lyle Matthysen Cashmere Technical 16 4 Kian Donkers Cashmere Technical 11 Sanni Issa Christchurch United 6 En Watanabe Dunedin City Royals 10 7 Declan Hickford Nomads United 8 Ollie Petersen Dunedin City Royals Joel Peterson Christchurch United William Pierce Ferrymead Bays / Christchurch United Michael White Ferrymead Bays
Southern League hat-tricks