Richmond SC have shored up their defensive stocks for the 2016 NPL season, signing attacking fullback Kris Kioussis and centre-half Bryan Bran from Port Melbourne Sharks.
23-year-old Kioussis famously spent time in the youth set-up of Argentinian powerhouse Club Atlético Independiente, where he featured alongside current Melbourne Victory midfielder Rashid Mahazi between 2011-12.
He was handed his VPL debut at the tender age of 16, under the stewardship of John Anastasiadis at the Oakleigh Cannons, arriving in South America via a short stint at Dandenong Thunder.
Upon his return to Australia in 2013, he linked up once more with former mentor Anastasiadis at the Bentleigh Greens, making 16 appearances in a successful season for the club, who finished third on the ladder and lost the Grand Final to Northcote City.
His last appearance for the club came in a 4-2 Qualifying Final win over the Melbourne Knights, where he featured as a late substitute.
The exciting left-sided player then made the move to Dandenong Thunder where – under the guidance of Dean Hennessey – he flourished in a wing-back role.
He featured consistently at George Andrews Reserve, making 24 appearances and adding a goal in his most fruitful season to date.
His impressive form saw him secure a move to the Cannons for a second spell in 2015, where a hand injury curtailed his impact as he went on to make just two starts in eight appearances for the club.
Kioussis then made a mid-season move to Port Melbourne, where he made nine appearances for Eric Vassiliadis’ men in the back half of the season.
The fullback spent time with South Melbourne in the pre-season, travelling with the club for a pre-season tour in Sydney, before deciding on a move to Richmond.
Former South defender Bran returns to the NPL having recently been on trial in Sweden with the 24-year-old beginning his senior career with the Melbourne Knights in 2010.
A move to Oakleigh in 2011 followed where he featured under Arthur Papas at the heart of the Cannons defence which culminated in a Grand Final defeat to Green Gully.
He then made the move down the Princess Highway to Dandenong Thunder where he was part of a formidable back four alongside Captain Shane Rexhepi, Craig Elvin and Andrew Mullet who conquered all before them with a successful 2012 campaign.
The centre-back left George Andrews Reserve in mid-2013 by joining his Manager Chris Taylor and several other Thunder teammates at South Melbourne.
Bran’s time at Lakeside was short-lived as the defender pursued overseas opportunities by signing for Amsterdam-based Dutch third tier side FC Chahab in January 2014.
He returned to Melbourne at the end of the 2014-15 European season and agreed terms with Port Melbourne but only featured three times for the Sharks as niggling injuries restricted his game-time.
The duo join Nick Kokolakis (Northcote City), former Netherlands Under 21 international Geert Arend Roorda (Dordrecht), Nikola Popovich (Woden Weston), Travis Chalk-Hatton (Box Hill United), Jake Barker-Daish (South Melbourne) and Liam Higgins (Team Wellington) as the club’s new signings.
While the eight signings further bolster Rick Mensick’s squad, the 2015 NPL1 Champions have parted company with three other players including new signing Andrew Doig.
Seasoned campaigner Michael Catalano and 24 year-old former Box Hill United defender Matthew Collier were also released less than three weeks until the start of the season.
In additional news for the club, former Whittlesea Ranges Technical Director Savas Saglam has been appointed as the club’s new Technical Director, replacing the outgoing Sam Aftasi.
Saglam had been announced as the Manager of the Ballarat Red Devils in December but off-field instability and ownership uncertainty plagued the club in recent months and the election of a new board two weeks ago ultimately confirmed the 51 year-old’s fate.
Richmond begin life in the top flight with an away trip to Hume City where they will face off against departing skipper and talisman Tom Cahill who was the club’s top scorer in each of the last four seasons.
Photo: Mark Avellino