Season preview: Ballarat Red Devils
2013 finish: Ballarat Red Devils finished last in State League 2 North-West in 2013. Not including new entity Goulburn Valley Suns, the Red Devils have made the biggest jump of all teams to be in Victoria’s top division this season. Players retained from last season include Liam Harding, Adrian Curtain, Simon Murphy, Dom Swinton, Michael Trigger and Bolish Salvatore.
NPL 2014 squad: Aaron Romein (GK), Tristan Romein, Daniel Tinker, Dane Milovanovic, Adrian Curtain, Liam Harding, Nelson Salvatore, Michael Trigger, Dom Swinton, Charlie King (C), Shaun Romein, Danny O’Donnell, Daniel Firth, Bolish Salvatore, Pat Karras, Jai Cartledge, Steven Thomson, Simon Murphy, Jordan Franken (GK), James Robinson
Key signings: Danny O’Donnell (Barrow, UK), James Robinson, Charlie King (North Queensland Fury, NPL QLD), Aaron Romein (Richmond), Dane Milovanovic (Bentleigh Greens), Daniel Firth (Sydney Olympic, NPL NSW), Nelson Salvatore (Moreland Zebras), Jordan Franken (Perth Glory), Tristan Romein (St Albans Saints), Shaun Romein (Hume City)
The gaffer: New recruit James Robinson will take on a player-manager role with Ballarat this season. An A-League championship player with Melbourne Victory (2007), Robinson started his career with Crewe Alexandra in the UK when he was nine, spending the next 14 years with the club. He has played almost 50 A-League matches and featured for Richmond in last season’s Victorian Premier League, but will miss the opening 4-6 matches of the season with a knee injury sustained in pre-season. Robinson will manage a Ballarat squad which includes 15 players from Ballarat, three recruits and two internationals.
One to watch: Danny O’Donnell comes to Ballarat from sixth-tier side Barrow in England, though the full-back, 28, has come through the youth and reserves teams at English giant Liverpool, which he also captained. O’Donnell has nine years’ experience as a pro with Crewe Alexandra, Shrewsbury Town and Southport, and has been touted as Ballarat’s biggest ever signing.
“I could just tell by speaking to the manager, in terms of the enthusiasm and the drive that he’s got and what people are setting up over here ... it is something I want to be a part of” – O’Donnell speaks to The Ballarat Courier on his move to the Red Devils.
Pictured: Danny O'Donnell in action for UK club Crewe Alexandra
Comments
Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.