The Oakleigh Cannons have announced their first two signings for next season with the capture of defender Thomas Lakic and midfielder Corey Slevin from Bendigo City.
The pair have signed two-year deals and are the club first signings under new managers Peter Tsolakis and Con Tangalakis, who replaced the outgoing Arthur Papas.
In addition to the new arrivals, the club also confirmed the re-signings of several members of the current squad which included Goran Zoric, Dean Piemonte, Aron Wilford and Adrian Chiappetta.
John Honos also returns after temporarily departing the club and not taking part in the latter stages of the club’s FFA Cup run.
18-year-old Lakic re-joins the club after spending 2015 on the books of the Melbourne Victory Youth Team and South Melbourne, with the youngster making five league appearances for the later since his arrival there in May.
The former Springvale White Eagles and Berwick City junior got his first taste of senior football with the Cannons in 2014 where he accumulated 14 senior league appearances under the guidance of Miron Bleiberg.
The youngster will be hoping to gain more game time at Jack Edwards Reserve after failing to cement a first team spot at Lakeside.
Slevin, 27, moved to Victoria this year with his younger brother Karl, having spent much of his career playing top-flight football in Queensland.
The Belfast-born midfielder represented the Joeys in 2005 where he was coached by Ange Postecoglou, narrowly missing out on selection for Australia’s U17 World Cup squad in Peru.
Having finished the 2015 NPL1 season as his side’s top scorer with 12 goals, Slevin is expected to add goals from midfielder where he will also link up with fellow Queenslander Jake McLean.
The club also confirmed the appointment of a new Under 20s manager, with Rob Giabardo taking over the reins at the 2014 Under 20 State Champions.
Giabardo comes to Cannons with plenty of experience and a high pedigree having recently led the Dandenong Thunder Under 18s to the State Title after previous spells coaching the juniors at Beaumaris and Chelsea.