Oswin Appollis is facing a different kind of challenge at Orlando Pirates this season. The Bafana Bafana attacker is still producing when given minutes, but he is no longer an automatic starter in the way he became during his first season in the black and white.
That does not mean Appollis has suddenly become a lesser player. In fact, his early numbers suggest the opposite. The question is more about where he fits into Abdeslam Ouaddou’s current attacking structure and the number of players now competing for the same attacking spaces.
Appollis has already shown he can produce
Appollis finished the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season with nine goals and six assists in 30 league appearances, starting 24 matches. Those numbers were a major reason he was nominated for the PSL Footballer of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards, while he ultimately won the Betway Premiership Midfielder of the Season award.
His first season at Pirates was therefore not simply about potential. He established himself as one of the team’s important attacking players.
This season, however, his role has changed.
After the opening five league matches, Appollis had two goals and two assists from 320 minutes, with three starts. That is a strong contribution when adjusted for his playing time, but he has not started consistently.
And importantly, his two goals have not come from forcing his way into the team through volume alone. Against Milford, he scored in a 4-2-3-1, while against Sekhukhune he scored again in a match where Pirates used a more fluid attacking setup.
Against Kruger United, he then provided two assists after coming off the bench, showing that he can still change a match without starting it. The PSL described him as pulling the strings in midfield in that 4-0 victory.
So where does Appollis fit?
This is where the tactical discussion becomes interesting.
Pirates have frequently used a 4-2-3-1, with three attacking midfielders behind the striker:
Moremi — Maswanganyi — Appollis
Mbuthuma
That was the structure used against Milford, with Appollis starting from the left side of the attacking midfield three.
That position suits him because Appollis is a right-footed wide attacker who likes starting from the left before moving inside. Pirates themselves describe him as a direct wide forward who cuts inside from the left.
But Pirates now have several players capable of occupying those attacking zones.
The competition is serious
Relebohile Mofokeng can operate from the left, centrally or between the lines. He is particularly dangerous when he receives the ball in the half-space and drives at defenders.
Tshepang Moremi has become an important wide attacking option and can play on either flank. His movement gives Pirates a different profile because he can attack space without always coming inside immediately.
Patrick Maswanganyi is another option between the lines and can operate as the attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1.
Then there are players such as Gamphani Lungu, Daniel Msendami and Kamogelo Sebelebele, who can also provide width or attacking penetration depending on the structure.
The competition was already visible in Pirates’ 2026/27 matches. Against AmaZulu, Appollis started on the bench before replacing Moremi in the second half. Against Durban City on September 17, he was again a substitute, with Moremi starting and scoring in the 2-0 victory.
That is significant because Moremi is not simply taking Appollis’ minutes by accident. He is producing himself.
What has actually changed from last season?
The biggest change is not necessarily Appollis’ ability. It is the competition and the tactical options around him.
Last season, Appollis became a reliable part of Pirates’ attacking three alongside players such as Mofokeng and Moremi. The trio regularly occupied the spaces between the opposition midfield and defence. Kaizer Chiefs coach Khalil Ben Youssef even specifically discussed Pirates’ use of Mofokeng, Moremi and Appollis in those areas between the lines.
This season, Ouaddou has shown that he is comfortable rotating those positions.
For example, against Kruger United, Pirates started with Gamphani Lungu, Thapelo Mokobodi and Moremi behind Boitumelo Radiopane, while Appollis entered later and produced two assists.
That tells us something important: Appollis is no longer required to be the player who starts every game for Pirates to get his attacking value.
Could Appollis play centrally?
Absolutely.
His qualities make him capable of playing as the central attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1, particularly against teams that defend deep.
For example:
Moremi — Appollis — Mofokeng
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Here, Appollis could operate between the lines rather than being restricted to the left. His ability to receive, turn and carry the ball could be useful against a compact block.
The alternative is to start him wide left and allow him to move inside:
Appollis — Maswanganyi — Moremi
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That would arguably bring him closer to the role in which he became so effective last season.
The strongest argument for keeping him in the XI
There is one thing that should not be overlooked: Appollis is already demonstrating end product this season.
Two goals and two assists from 320 league minutes is significant. He also scored against Sekhukhune and created two goals against Kruger United. The PSL’s own August Player of the Month shortlist described him as one of Pirates’ top performers and highlighted his two goals and chance creation.
So the argument for Appollis starting is not based on his reputation from last season.
It is based on what he is actually doing when he plays.
The bigger tactical question for Ouaddou
The interesting question is no longer whether Appollis is good enough for Pirates.
It is which combination gives Pirates the best balance in a particular match.
Against a team sitting deep, having Appollis starting from the left and coming inside can give Pirates another player capable of breaking lines.
Against a team that leaves space behind, Moremi’s direct running or another wide option may be more useful.
And when Pirates need a game changed, Appollis has already shown that he can provide that impact from the bench.
That is why his starting place is genuinely in contention. He is competing against players who can perform similar functions, not against a lack of form or quality.
For Pirates, that is a selection problem. For Appollis, it is an opportunity: his next step is not simply to remind Ouaddou of what he did last season, but to make his current performances impossible to leave out of the starting XI.
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