Taking the step up to the National League is not fazing Napier City Rovers’ teenage recruit Ry McLeod.
The 19-year-old was picked up from Melville United by coach Bill Robertson for the 2023 National League after his Hamilton-based club – who reached this year’s Chatham Cup final – failed to qualify for the country’s top-tier domestic league.
And McLeod has taken his opportunity, starting in the side’s four games to date; including last Saturday night’s 1-0 win over Wellington Phoenix Reserves in the capital.
Ahead of Sunday’s fifth-round clash against Manurewa AFC at Bluewater Stadium, he opened up about his motivation for heading to Napier for the National League and his confidence in his new team to keep rising up the points table.
“I always have the mindset of going out to win,” McLeod said.
“Like, I want to win this.
“When I came here the first day I met Bill, I was like, ‘We’re not coming here to be participants’. And he agreed, so, that was really good.”
Four rounds into the National League and Napier City Rovers are showing they definitely aren’t there to make up the numbers.
The side is in fifth place, just two points off second spot. And on current standings, just two of their remaining five games are against sides above them on the standings.
Last weekend’s winner was scored by Deri Corfe, with his 49th-minute penalty meaning he is the only player in this year’s National League to have scored in each of their club’s matches.
Corfe didn’t just stand out on attack; he was also one of his side’s most mobile players in the win and constantly tracked back to help stymie opposition attacks and offer support to his teammates.
In a second successive complete team performance from Robertson’s team, McLeod was one of many Rovers standouts in a line-up which against Wellington Phoenix Reserves was depleted due to suspensions and other unavailabilities.
Earlier in the year McLeod impressed for Melville United in both their Northern League campaign and their Chatham Cup run, the latter of which saw them agonisingly lose the final to Christchurch United on penalties.
In mid-August he won a New Zealand Football Goal of the Week award following a curling shot from outside the penalty area that beat Bay Olympic’s goalkeeper.
Melville United’s ninth-placed Northern League finish meant it missed qualification for the 10-team National League.
National League clubs were able to pick up two under-20 players for the current campaign.
Napier City Rovers were one of several clubs who did make the cut from the Central and Northern leagues who tried to sign him.
“A few teams reached out to me, and Bill definitely sounded the best offer,” McLeod said of his shift to Napier. “It sounded really good to me and I’m, really happy with my choice.”
McLeod has wasted little time in impressing both teammates and Napier City Rovers with his work rate and skills in his first four games.
That included his debut in Napier City Rovers’ league-opening 3-0 win over Petone, where McLeod was a constant menace for the defence when on the ball.
The Tauranga-born player said his Melville United teammates weren’t surprised he had been signed up elsewhere for the National League.
But they were equally adamant they wanted him back in Hamilton next year, and not extend his stay in Napier into the 2024 season.
“I don’t think they were too surprised,” he said.
“I think they were kind of warning me before it happened that it was going to happen and, they were happy for me to get the opportunity. But they were definitely trying to keep a little eye on me and they want me back obviously.”
It would not be surprising if Napier City Rovers want him for the duration of 2024.
Another club likely to chase him next year is former club Tauranga City who earned promotion to the Northern League. But Napier City Rovers seems the most likely club to offer him a realistic chance of qualification to the 2024 National League.
Robertson said he had been impressed with what McLeod had shown on and off the pitch since arriving days before the National League kicked off.
He said he had been a “great addition” who had a strong “work ethic” and who had also quickly fitted in well with his new teammates.
McLeod has started in each of Napier City Rovers’ four National League matches to date, with Robertson saying it was great that the club was able to provide such a talented youngster from outside the region with the chance to play in the highest domestic league in New Zealand.
“We want to bring good people into the club,” Robertson said.
“We’re not just bringing anyone into the club.
“He’s a young player who’s very driven, he’s ambitious, he wants to get better and wants to develop.
“He’s technically a good footballer and hopefully we’ll see more of that to come in the next five games.”
While McLeod has rapidly made a name for himself around the domestic football scene this season, if he has his way, he will be playing on pitches further afield in seasons to come.
“There’s no doubt in my mind, and there never has been, that I want to be professional ... anywhere in the world,” he said.
“That’s my life goal.
“I don’t have a backup plan really. It’s something I want to do, just the label of being professional [is my goal].”
>> Napier City Rovers v Manurewa AFC
Kick-off: Sunday, 2pm
Bluewater Stadium
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience.
