GK: Chris Oldfield (Hume City)
Hume’s number one kept his side in the game against Pascoe Vale at a crucial time in the contest, pulling off a number of breathtaking saves against the likes of Adrian Talarico and Joseph Youssef, which then allowed his teammates to go and win it late in the contest.
RB: Shaun Timmins (Hume City)
Did his best to keep Paco at bay for the 90 minutes, before finding space in a crowded penalty area from Hegarty’s corner to net the all important opener. We’ve had to fit him in at right back to complete the XI.
CB: Steven Pace (Heidelberg United)
Ah, the magical hat-trick. Some of the best strikers around will struggle to bag one their whole careers. Yet centre-back Pace just pops up nonchalantly with a hat-trick of his own against Dandenong Thunder. Not a bad second goal either, kudos.
CB: Michael Grgic (North Geelong Warriors)
While a draw against Werribee would have been enough to avoid automatic relegation, Grgic rammed home the advantage with the game’s first strike, alongside a fine defensive performance to avert any attacking danger from the Bees.
LB: Brad Norton (South Melbourne)
Any excuse to use the phrase ‘cross-cum-shot’ in an appropriate setting. It may have been a cross, it may have been an intentional shot, but in any case, Norton’s goal against Northcote, combined with a clean-sheet (kind of like an antithesis to a cross-cum-shot if you think about it) capped off the premiership for South Melbourne and a fantastic run of form for the left-back.
RM: Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons)
A wonderful curling free-kick was one of two goals for Piemonte that helped Oakleigh pull Bentleigh’s lead back, before the Greens kicked away again just at the end. Nonetheless, a fine impact by Piemonte, who has a knack of scoring aesthetically pleasing goals.
CM: Evan Christodoulou (Green Gully)
Ever present going forward, Christodoulou was a handful for the Avondale defence and fashioned multiple chances on goal. A real force around the park for Gully throughout their victory.
LM: Matthew Breeze (Green Gully)
The Englishman assisted Alon Blumgart with a clever through ball, before scoring a top effort himself with a mazy run to set up a one-on-one that he clinically dispatched. Helped both himself and Gully end the season on a high.
ST: Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)
Has been banging in goals for fun in the latter part of the season to claim the Golden Boot, with another two good finishes after deliveries from Theodore and Stirton. Panic ensued late in the contest with a feared knee injury, with positive results returned during the week.
ST: Chris Lucas (Bentleigh Greens)
A busy shift in the front third for Lucas, who was causing the Cannons’ backline all sorts of grief. Scored with a lovely flick past a defender, before also winning and converting a penalty.
ST: Nick Krousoratis (Port Melbourne)
Brought a cagey game to life with a well taken brace past the ever reliable Chris May. Marked an incredible second half of the season, taking his goal tally to almost double figures for the 2015 NPL campaign.
BENCH
Kenjok Athiu (Heidelberg United)
King Kenny makes a Team of the Week, and aren’t we glad to finally see it happen. Has been the fulcrum of the Olympic Village dressing room since joining this season, always getting the job done when called upon to deputise Dan Heffernan and Kaine Sheppard, in itself no easy feat. Scored a goal to seal his spot in our side, and we know his FFA Cup celebration of placing his shirt near the corner flag was in some way an homage to this very publication.
Vito Cichello (North Geelong Warriors)
Cichello makes his second consecutive appearance in the NPL Team of the Week, and does so off the back of another busy performance in the midfield. Helped keep the regional club’s season alive for yet another game with his decisive through balls and direct play.
Jacob Colosimo (Avondale FC)
A very dangerous shift from Colosimo, who was proficient at exploiting wide spaces and putting in a number of dangerous crosses. Assisted Khrapko for Avondale’s solitary goal
Matthew Foschini (Oakleigh Cannons)
Was impressive in the middle of the park, especially in the second half, setting up numerous attacks while doing well to maintain possession in Oakleigh’s midfield. One of the Cannons’ best performers on the day.
Steven Topalovic (Bentleigh Greens)
Oakleigh did score twice, but for the most part were restricted to speculative long range efforts. Topalovic was calm and commanding in defence, with the typical maraud every now and then to launch Greens’ forways forward.