![Wagga City Wanderers coach Liam Dedini ahead of this weekend's Riverina Festival of Football. Wagga City Wanderers coach Liam Dedini ahead of this weekend's Riverina Festival of Football.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/187052684/d83f04c3-1bba-4418-a8fe-428cfe61954e.jpg/r0_83_1620_997_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Wagga City Wanderers will step on field for the first time in 2023 on Saturday at the inaugural Riverina Festival of Football in Leeton.
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The festival features three of the Riverina's top clubs, Wagga City Wanderers, West Griffith, and Leeton United, playing against National Premier League heavyweight APIA Leichhardt FC.
Wanderers coach Liam Dedini said they're looking forward to the competition and the opportunity for Wanderers players to show their talents for the first time in 2023.
With the weather forecast sitting at 38°, Dedini said all the clubs are being smart about their preparation for the games.
"It's 38° on Saturday, so all teams are in the same boat, the playing conditions are the same for both teams, so I know that Leeton named a large squad and will be taking over a squad of 24 minimum, to rotate through those games," Dedini said.
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"It's obviously our first game back this year, we're having a training tonight (Thursday), we did have a couple before Christmas, but we'll do a training run tonight to put a few things together and then we'll take a large squad over to to manage that over in the heat."
The four teams will face each other once over the afternoon, with the first senior game set to kick off at 3.30.
Wanderers held their trials before Christmas, and this competition is the first time coaches will see some players in-game.
"We've got a fair few new players that have rocked up at trials before Christmas so it will be good to see them out in an actual game playing, against some quality opposition," he said.
"We want to put some combinations together and start planning for what's going to be another big year as well."
Dedini said not only is the competition a great way to promote the quality of football in the region, but it is a good chance for local players to be noticed by NPL coaches.
"They're excited to be able to test themselves against a powerhouse within Australian football, and I think it's a good opportunity for all the players, they don't know who's watching, and when and where, APIA will be sending down and a lot of their coaches and their first grade squad," he said.
"So, if one of our young players can go out and do something special or play quite well, you just don't know what could happen from that and it's an opportunity for them to potentially be looked at or seen."
Dedini hopes to see the competition return in coming years, with hopes it will help to attract more top teams to the region and further grow the sport.
Team lists
West Griffith
Mitchell Woods, Brodie Keefe, Joshua Kautu, Xavier Serafin, Connor Keefe, Jordan Serena, Ben Sanchez, Chris Nicholson, Rudy Albert, Mathew Piccoli, Luke Keefe, Lachlan Keefe, Ryan Long, Ramzi Khalid, Farhan Asna.
Leeton United
Jarrod Sillis, Anthong Mandaglio, Tyler Arnold, Jake Shelton, Tommo Graham, Ethan Burrow, Bailey Carlos, Chris Newman, Alex Dean, Henri Gardner, Anthony Trifogli, Sam Pirrotina, Dom Nardi, Bryce Moore, Matt Arnold, Adrian Trifogli, Nathan Ciccia, Rhys Jones, Adam Raso, Michael Ciurleo, Isaac Amato, Reid Burley, Fred Gardner, Gavin Wylie, Eric Gardner, Adel Suleiman, Muzban Suleiman, Dan Hillam, Jack Kidd, Jaxon Brody.
APIA Leichhardt FC
Harry Stavris, Paul Galimi, Joshua Symons, Nick Azzone, Anthony Sparacino, Jack Stewart, Diego Celis, Jason Romero, Franco Parisi, Corey Biczo, Anthony Bouzanis, Jack Armson, Themba Muata-Marlow, Adrian Ucchino, Fabian Monge, Michael Kouta, Dakota Askew, Aedon Kyra, Yianni Nicolaou, Franco Farinella.
Wagga City Wanderers
Kyle Yeates, Shaun Moffat, Matthew Mitchell, Matt Moffat, Mohammed Rahami, Naser Smoqy, Max Prest, Bahjat Smoqy, Natheer Al Hasan, Ashton Bourke, Jackson Hunter, Nashwan Kheder, Orlando Holzapfel, Declan Rohrich, Ryan Matheson, Samson Lucas, Tyler Allen, Nick Forsyth, Morris Kadzola, Alvaro Kelechi, Tim Kross, Pat Okot, Thierry Uzi, Chase Donetto.
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