Season preview: Northcote City
Last season: Northcote City capped off a dominant season to be crowned the 2013 Victorian Premier League champion when it defeated Bentleigh Greens 3-2 in a dramatic grand final. Striker Milos Lujic won the VPL Golden Boot award, but has found a new home at fellow NPL club South Melbourne.
NPL 2014 squad: Chris Theodoridis (GK, vice captain), Luke Gavalas (GK), Adrian Chiappetta (captain), Kristian Konstantinidis (vice captain), Tremayne Sadler, Steve Sifinos, Metekan Yilmaz, Benjudah Fitzpatrick, Philip Petreski, Josh Hiles, Jonathan Munoz, Marino Gasparis, Greg Lombardo, Aaron Ward, Jonathan Bounas, Liam Wooding, Evan Kounavelis, Michael Catalano, Trent Rixon, James Kalifatidis, Wade Dekker
Key signings: Jonathan Munoz (South Melbourne), Greg Lombardo (Pascoe Vale), Metekan Yilmaz (Sivasspor, Turkey), Phil Petreski (Melbourne Heart), Benjudah Fitzpatrick (New Zealand National League), Liam Wooding (Metrostars, South Australia), Trent Rixon (South Melbourne)
Key departures: Milos Lujic (South Melbourne), Michael Eagar (South Melbourne), Frazer Siddall (Dandenong Thunder), Bonel Obradovic (Oakleigh Cannons), Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons), Nick Tzoulis (Port Melbourne), Alex Rojas, Hayden D’Agostino, Alex Rojas (Dandenong City)
The gaffer: Goran Lozanovski enters his third year as Northcote City coach after serving as Peter Tsolakis’ assistant in 2011. Lozanovski is a two-time VPL championship coach, guiding Preston Lions to glory in 2007 and Northcote City to its first VPL title last season.
“It’s been an interesting pre-season having had to deal with a lot of departures, however I’m quite content with the quality we have brought in. The lads have worked hard pre-season and will no doubt be aware that they are going from the hunters to the hunted this year. I'm sure they will be up for the challenge and I expect us to be a force again this year” – Lozanovski
One to watch: Liam Wooding is a skilful winger who is set to excite Northcote City fans this year. A former Australian U20 youth international and ex-Adelaide United youth team player, Northcote City will be hoping it can continue its impressive history with South Australian recruits after the successes of Paul Savio and Evan Kounavelis. The return of former captain Trent Rixon will have the club’s fans salivating too.
Pictured: New recruit Liam Wooding in action during pre-season. (credit: The Sporting Wall)
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