Brisbane Roar debutant Austin Ludwik throws full support behind second tier Championship
Brisbane Roar debutant Austin Ludwik has revealed how the newly announced second tier Championship will radically change the football landscape in Australia. Full details inside.
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When Football Australia announced its landmark second tier Championship competition this week, there were few more excited figures than the Brisbane Roar’s Austin Ludwik.
You would be hard tasked to find a player better positioned to benefit from a second tier than Ludwik, 28, who spent years toiling away as one of the elite NPL stars with the Gold Coast Knights before he finally signed his first A-League deal in February
With the national second tier competition now officially locked in for 2025, Ludwik believes this will only enhance football in the country and help players like him break into the top flight.
“I think the new Championship layout is great, it’s obviously going to be in its first iteration this year at the end of the NPL season,” Ludwik said.
“It’s going to really help bridge the gap between the pro league and the NPL and can only help football in the country.
“The foundation clubs are good strong ethnic clubs with good followings so I am excited to see how that all unfolds later in the year and how the iterations happen after that with the new format next year and the years following.”
Ludwik knows first hand the challenges footballers who are on the cusp of A-League deals face daily to pursue their dreams as they balance full time work with football.
“I have been working full time just in an operations job, so obviously balancing that with football is a challenge but that’s the NPL level, that semi-pro level,” he said.
“That’s what the majority of guys are doing, there’s guys out there that are on their feet all day on the tools so obviously there’s some demanding jobs out there and people are still going out and performing well at that NPL level.
“It is definitely a challenge it is long days but I think the majority of people who are pushing, are pushing because they love the sport and they do still enjoy going down to play and train.
“The enjoyment and the love for the sport and then of course the dream of taking that next step keeps you motivated so (they are) long days but it is a sport you love and the motivation to go high always helps.”
He hopes the introduction of the Championship could one day lead to a promotion/relegation format between the two tiers where players could commit to football on a full-time basis at both levels.
“Boys who may just miss out on an A-League deal now will have multiple clubs in that second tier where they can be picked up,” Ludwik said.
“Whether they’re younger or need a little bit more time to develop, they have that extra gap where maybe they weren’t being pushed enough at their local NPL clubs.
“Now they have a Championship team that they can join.
“If they can fully focus on that, depending on what the wages look like at that level, if it is a full-time pro set up that’s even better.
“It will create more competition among both tiers and can only help the sport in the country.”
Ludwik spent several years dominating at NPL level with the Gold Coast Knights and was honoured to finally achieve his lifelong dream of playing in the A-League when he came off the bench in the Roar’s clash with the Wellington Phoenix last week.
“It was a super special moment for me, I think being a bit more of a mature age player now and taking the long way around made it a little bit more special to get it done and it is a very proud moment for me and my family,” he said.
“I think it is super important to play for the only A-League club in Queensland at this time.
“Growing up as a part of the youth system and being born in Queensland and playing the majority of my football here, to represent the club at the top level is a proud moment for myself as a Queenslander.”
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