As South Melbourne fans descended through the gates of David Barro Stadium on Monday night, an air of unfamiliarity would have greeted many watching their side play their first top flight game at the venue since 2007.
Names like Matteo Ballan, Eli Luttmer and Sami Nour are in their first NPL campaigns, although former adversaries Felix Rosman, Griffin McMaster and Shayan Alinejad gave the Bulleen side a touch of familiarity.
However, it was the presence of one opposition forward which would have brought back many fond memories for the South faithful.
Gianni de Nittis played 123 games for Hellas between 2005 and 2012, and is best known for scoring the winning goal in the 2006 VPL Grand Final against Altona Magic – the Oceania Club of the Century’s first state triumph following the demise of the NSL two years earlier.
On Monday night, de Nittis played an instrumental role in the opener by angling in an inch perfect cross to an unmarked Nour, who puts the Lions in front.
He was substituted mid-way through the second half for another ex-South man in Andrew Mullett, with his departure leading to both sets of fans applaud the 29 year-old’s contribution to the enthralling contest.
At the conclusion of the 90 minutes, the home side was left to rue two dropped points as the visitors scored two late goals to salvage a 2-2 draw after being second best for most of the contest.
Disappointment is entrenched in de Nittis post-match, with the determined forward already keen to make amends next game.
“We’re obviously very disappointed considering that we were 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go, but I’m sure we are going to rectify it in the weeks to come,” de Nittis says.
Dominic Barba’s men have won many admirers over the opening four rounds of the season for their defensive solidarity and enterprising forward interplay, although de Nittis feels the five point haul which the 2015 NPL1 West Champions have accumulated should have been doubled.
“We’ve had a good start, but in saying that we should have won two of those games and perhaps gotten a point against Bentleigh, because we were in that game, too,” he says.
“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves by the good start and will just keep on going from here and keep winning games.”
In contrast to their NPL1 East Championship winning counterparts, Bulleen have conceded a total of four goals from as many games – as opposed to Richmond’s 17 – highlighting the smooth transition the playing squad has made to meet the rigours of life in the top tier.
Coming into the season, the Lions were seen by many as lacking experience at this level, with many of their first-team squad having never played in the top flight of Victorian football.
Having made 134 appearances in the VPL where he scored 35 goals in the process, de Nittis was asked by Barba to offer his experience and expertise to the younger players over the course of the campaign.
“He looked towards us in the leadership group to help out the younger boys and get them through the season, as for a lot of them it’s their first time playing at this level,” he says.
“He was looking at us to help them out and so far in I think we’re doing that and they are only going to get stronger by the game.”
The supporting striker turns 30 in June and can be considered to be a part of Australia’s lost generation of footballers, who experienced difficulty in breaking through into the professional environment in their late teens.
He turned 18 just months after the end of the NSL, and with opportunities for young players limited in the eight inaugural clubs in the new A-League, de Nittis found chances at the higher level difficult to come by – especially given the fact that the National Youth League was only introduced in 2008.
“It was very difficult to get your foot in the door during that period – it’s much easier for younger players coming through now given the NYL and NPL – so it was definitely much harder back then where everyone had to fight for their place,” he says.
While avenues in a professional environment were closed off, the teenager found a home at Bob Jane Stadium.
After making his debut for South Melbourne’s senior side in 2005, de Nittis became a fan favourite following his injury time winner over the Preston Lions early on in the 2006 season.
Later on that year, his late double at Paisley Park Soccer Complex would send South Melbourne through to the Grand Final at the expense of Altona Magic.
As fate would have it, the Magic would ultimately play the four time NSL Champions in the season-decider two weeks later, and once again were halted in their attempts for glory by the then 20 year-old, whose header from Fernando de Moreas’ cross decided the contest.
“It’s hard coming up against a team for which I played eight seasons for and it’s something different, but I still love South Melbourne and always will,” he says.
“It was weird for me but still good to play against them.”
While the Monday night fixture between his current employers and his former side attracted a crowd of around 2000, de Nittis remembers how things weren’t always so rosy at the former NSL powerhouse.
South Melbourne began the 2005 VPL season after 12 months of turmoil, where the club went into administration and were on the brink of extinction following the end of the NSL.
The then 18-year-old arrived at a club going through a rebuilding process under John Anastasiadis, and is satisfied to see where the club stands today, continuously calling out for a shot at an A-League opportunity.
“The club has come leap and bounds since then, as when I joined them in 2005 they were just looking to stay up given the circumstances surrounding the club at the time,” he says.
“But since then, they have won a few Championships and have been up there for a while and have aspirations to get into the A-League so everything is looking good for them.”
Much credit must go to de Nittis and co, who laid the foundations for the club following the most turbulent period in their proud history, with Anastasiadis full of praise for his former frontman.
“I’ve got great memories from Gianni scoring that winning goal against Altona Magic and there is no doubt that I owe a lot to him as does South Melbourne I’m sure,” Anastasiadis says.
Ten years on and de Nittis is still making a valuable contribution, this time to the Lions who are determined to ensure their presence in the NPL’s premier competition will not be a temporary one.