Blacktown City star Jak O’Brien’s four-goal haul marks early push for NPL NSW golden boot in 2024

A decisive 6-3 win for Blacktown City to open the NPL NSW season was highlighted by a four-goal masterclass from Jak O’Brien. Read about why he ‘doesn’t really care’ about the golden boot race.

Blacktown City made a fantastic start to the NPL season. Picture: Brett Nielsen

A four-goal haul against the reigning NPL NSW premiers has placed Blacktown City’s Jak O’Brien firmly in the hunt for the golden boot after just one round.

O’Brien’s impressive tally was part of six total goals for Blacktown over APIA Leichhardt in the opening round last weekend, coming from a goal down early on to win 6-3.

“We’ve been training really hard in the pre-season and we knew that if we turned up and played our best, things like this could happen,” O’Brien said.

“Although we weren’t expecting as many as six.”

O’Brien has been a pivotal part of the Blacktown attack since joining the team four years ago following a stint in the Portugal third division and was the club’s top goal scorer last season with 17, third overall in the league behind Rockdale Ilinden’s Alec Urosevski (27) and Sydney Olympic’s Roy O’Donovan (18).

Jak O'Brien has made an early statement in the race for the NPL NSW golden boot. Picture: Brett Nielsen

However O’Brien said he really has no interest in making a push for the golden boot this season.

“I really don’t care if I get the golden boot if I’m being honest, all I want is for us to win,” he said.

“Winning any silverware as a team is what I’m looking for.”

Blacktown last lifted a championship trophy in 2022 with a 2-0 grand final win over Manly United, with O’Brien coming off the bench late in the match.

With the finals series back in 2024 O’Brien said he had no doubt his club would be going for the title once again.

“We always turn on and do our best towards the end of the season,” O’Brien said.

“You could see that at the end of the 2022 season, we know how to turn it on and get results and that’s what wins championships at the end of the day.”

Blacktown is known to have one of the best defences in the league and only conceded 32 goals in 2023, the fewest out of any club, and O’Brien said that’s what ultimately wins championships.

“We really pride ourselves on being one of the best defences in the competition and we have been for the past three or four years,” O’Brien said.

“(Coach Mark Crittenden) always tells us ‘we’re in it to win the competition, no matter what competition we’re in and we’re not going to be passengers’”.

The NPL is always a tough competition to win with the likes of APIA, Marconi Stallions, Rockdale Ilinden and Sydney Olympic regularly fighting at the top of the table.

But O’Brien said if Blacktown can maintain their current form for the rest of the season, they’ll definitely be the ones to watch.

“If we try and play the same way, this exciting brand of football, I’m sure more goals will come our way.”