Image: Dion Fountas
Having earned a week off due to the postponement of their fixture until August, both Dandenong sides City and Thunder have been active in the transfer window this week.
Ladder leaders Dandenong City secured the services of South Melbourne midfielder Liam McCormick, who moves to Frank Holohan Soccer Complex after six months at Lakeside Stadium.
The industrious midfielder turns 25 tomorrow and has endured an tough opening half to the campaign under Chris Taylor, making a total of 11 league appearances for Hellas.
Originally from Melbourne, McCormick moved to Queensland at an early age, residing on the Gold Coast before earning his football breakthrough in 2010 via reality TV show Football Superstar.
A winner of season three of the series, he won a one-year NYL contract with the Brisbane Roar but ultimately failed to break into the senior side, who at the time were managed by Ange Postecoglou.
He returned to Victoria in 2012 and joined newly-promoted Southern Stars, where he impressed in midfield under Dean Hennessey, netting twice in 18 league games for the Dingley-based outfit.
The young midfielder made the short switch to Bentleigh the following season and became a fan favourite during his four-year spell at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex.
He made a total of 94 league appearances under John Anastasiadis, netting six times while helping the club secure the 2015 Championship, 2016 Community Shield, 2016 Premiership, 2016 Dockerty Cup, as well as being a crucial component to their deep FFA Cup runs in both 2014 and 2016.
A versatile player capable of playing in midfield and as a full-back, he is reunited at Hajduk with good mate and former Stars and Greens teammate David Stirton, as well as Steven Topalovic, whom he featured alongside in Bentleigh’s 2015 Grand Final-winning starting back four.
Stuart Munro’s men have also parted company with defender Luke Burgess and striker Jarod Blackbourn, who had both been on the books of the Endeavour Hills-based side since last year.
Having previously featured for the likes of Southern Stars, South Springvale and Noble Park United, versatile defender Burgess made 24 appearances for Hajduk, netting twice, while 20-year-old Blackbourn featured 15 times for City – scoring once – having joined them from Thunder.
City rivals Thunder have added former Heidelberg United midfielder Zois Galanopoulos to their playing ranks, having recently been part of the senior set-up with the Bergers.
A talented teenager, he began his senior career on the books of Greek top tier side Kavala at the turn of the decade when fellow Victorians Apostolos Giannou and Andreas Govas called the club home.
He returned after failing to crack into the first time and was part of the NTC program, making his debut for the Darebin-based state side in the VPL during the 2011 campaign.
From there onwards he spent time at both Heidelberg United and Hume City before helping Werribee City achieve promotion to the top flight in 2013.
He remained at the Bees until mid-year 2014 before departing to join the Port Melbourne Sharks and helped Eric Vassiliadis’ men avoid relegation from the NPL on the final day of the season.
A switch to South Springvale in State League One in 2015 followed before joining Northcote City for a brief time at the start of the 2016 NPL season under Alex Gymnopoulos.
Both sides return to action this weekend, with Hajduk visiting Richmond on Friday evening while Thunder host rivals Springvale White Eagles on Saturday night at George Andrews Reserve.