Playing for his school league is a priority for the Year 13 student but he'll readily agree he benefits more from playing in the elite men's leagues in the weekends.
"It's a higher level of competition," says the left midfielder who will be in coach Chris McIvor's mix when they take on Wanganui City in their opening game at Wembley Park in round two of the men's league.
"The school league tends to be more social. In the men's leagues you see all range of abilities at the highest level in New Zealand."
His parents, Robyn and Leon Stallard, don't have a soccer background at all.
Their son's passion for the game comes with a dose of realism.
"It just suits my style of play. I'm not physically very big but it's a fast sport and I'm reasonably quick," he says, adding why he didn't follow in his father's footsteps into rugby.
In his third season with Taradale, Stallard got a taste of travelling with the Jamie Hall-coached team in the first year of the revamped Fed League that went into recess last year.
That led to Hall's side breaking premiership tradition with two Dale teams in the same competition as Central Football tried to accommodate them after the plug was pulled on the league in the umpteenth hour.
McIvor said he has a squad of predominantly early twentysomethings who have had Central League experience but didn't push on.
"I believe they really can get to that level but they'll need to refocus and challenge themselves."
Emulating Stallard's sense of realism, the coach says his men will have a fair crack at the Fed League this year.
Asked if the Taradale club is in the league against teams from other Central regions in the aim of making Central League, McIvor replies it's always tough for two Hawke's Bay teams to find a footing at the elite winter level.
Cru Bar Maycenvale United were relegated last winter after struggling to find enough home-grown talent for a competitive squad.
The Dion Adams-coached Maycenvale resorted to signing up players from outside the region but had to train without them until just before kick off.
"It's a bit of a little unknown area for us, so we'll work out exactly where we're at, but in a couple of years we'll probably get there," McIvor says, adding it can be done if everything "falls into place".
Your Solutions Taradale AFC: 1.Graham Healey (GK), 2. Hamish Sim (c), 3. Nick Demaine, 4. Troy Morgan, 5. Corey Charlton, 6. Tia Aoake, 7. Simon Stallard, 8. Rhys Corbin, 9. Jack Needes, 10. Phil Dol, 11. Nathaniel Wright, 12. Keegan Bright, 13. James Harris, 14. Dan Ball, 15. Gregory Jackson.
Coach/player: Chris McIvor. Manager: David Greene.
