Box Hill United
Coach: Greg Kassidas
2016 Finish: 4th in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Four (6-1 loss to Port Melbourne)
Summary: After arguably coming closest to promotion in 2014, Box Hill are looking for another crack at it after consistently filling top half spots. Managing to secure important players such as Keegan Coulter, Thomas Lakic and Alex Schroen, along with new additions from NPL2 clubs and fringe top-flight players, the team’s hopes will be pinned on young talent and a tight-knit unit rather than ex-A-league/interstate talent to aid their cause.
Squad: Adrian Del Monaco, Alexander Schroen, Andre McNamara, Bailey Row, Caleb Ludlow, Christopher Heckenberg, Connor Kass, David Antequera, Deniz Sabanovski, Jack Gow, Joshua Calle, Keegan Coulter, Lachlan Cho,Lewis Waddell, Madit Kot Job, Nicholas Kokolakis, Nicola Surdoski, Oliver Paterno, Ryan Go, Steven Hrgota, Thomas Lakic, Thomas Simos, Todd Dekker
Dandenong City
Coach: Stuart Munro
2016 Finish: 3rd in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Six (3-1 loss to Melbourne Knights)
Summary: It’ll be all about the star power brought in, especially the former A-League names Ljubo Milicevic, Mate Dugandzic and Nick Kalmar. However there’s also plenty of proven NPL experience signed in Steven Topalovic, David Stirton, the Kelly brothers, Paul Harvey, Luke Eyles etc, including the return to men’s football for experienced coach Stuart Munro, who replaces Aaron Healey. It’s more than enough to earn promotion and that really should be the outcome in 2017 at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex.
Squad: Adem Huskic, Andres Jerez, Anthony Mijac, Damir Salcin, Daniel Jurina, David Stirton, Enes Sivic, James Kelly, Jarod Blackbourn, Jayden Unmack, John Carroll, Keegan Ziada, Ljubo Milicevic, Luke Eyles, Mate Dugandzic, Nicholas Kalmar, Paul Harvey, Shaun Filipovic, Shaun Kelly, Steven Topalovic, Zackery Demetri
Dandenong Thunder
Coach: Gianfranco Impellizzeri
2016 Finish: 2nd in NPL2 East (Lost play-off to North Geelong Warriors), FFA Cup Round Five (3-1 loss to Hume City)
Summary: Thunder get another crack at returning to the top flight after falling agonisingly close last year. With Huss Skenderovic gone, one unknown is how new head coach Gianfranco Impellizzeri will manage the squad. The biggest plus was retaining 40-goal Brandon Barnes, while adding the likes of Roddy Vargas, Rinor Muriqi, Alon Blumgart to a squad also containing Simon Colosimo, Kristian Sarkies, Fraser Maclaren, Brendan Elmazovski and Veton Korcari. Losing Faisal Sakhizada and Daniel Bennett to Kingston will hurt, but it’s another squad good enough to challenge for honours with arguably more depth now than 2016.
Squad: Aaron Cohen, Alon Blumgart, Brandon Barnes, Brendan Elmazovski, Dylan Facci, Fraser Maclaren, John Kuol, Joshua Bragg, Kristian Sarkies, Malesh Jadaeile, Nicholas Modaffari, Rinor Muriqi, Rodrigo Vargas, Samuel Catherine, Senad Ahmetovic, Sevdim Ismailovski, Simon Colosimo, Tomas Murphy, Veton Korcari, Viktor Mujedinovski
Eastern Lions
Coach: Jim Williams
2016 Finish: 7th in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Four (1-0 loss to South Springvale)
Summary: They didn’t make the type of big waves in the transfer market as some of their opponents, but signings did come in from the state leagues and NPL such as Resit Culculoglu, Chris Droutsas and Marinos Panayi, but a big plus will be familiarity having retained much of the 2016 squad (minus Cameron Neales). Jim Williams’ Lions know how to pull off a big result – defeating the likes of Thunder and North Geelong last year – but the biggest question mark will be consistency and whether results can come regularly.
Squad: Andreas Papanicolaou, Andrew Williams, Arif Askari, Chris Duncan, Christopher Droutsas, Christopher Van Corler, Daniel Rodrigues, David Mckessy, Gianni Allebi, Kostas Droutsas, Marinos Panayi, Matthew Collier, Matthew Parry, Michael Jones, Philip Ajao, Resit Culculoglu, Ryan Losty, Shaun Kenny, Thomas Falconer, William Ellis, Yianni Toumanidis
Goulburn Valley Suns
Coach: Nick Kalafatis
2016 Finish: 8th in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Five (4-0 loss to Bentleigh Greens)
Summary: Continuity seems to be the theme with many familiar names still associated with the club: Kalafatis, Sellwood, Lelliott, England, Alghazaly, Kane to name a few. One name that won’t be there is Hakeem Aloraibi, while the firepower of yesteryear in Dan Heffernan and Craig Carley may be sorely missed. Much may depend on the impact of the two new imports, Liam Baxter and Rob Hughes from Scotland and Wales. The Suns will be looking to cause surprises.
Squad: Cody Sellwood, Fabrice Ebe, Fahad Alghazaly, Geordie Lelliott, Greg Nash, Hussein Sumaili, Jamie England, Jordan Montagner, Kouat Manon, Liam Baxter, Makuac Makuac, Matthew Lelliott, Mohammed Al-Gazaly, Muntadhar Al Gazaly, Nikolaos Kalafatis, Ramah Taya, Robert Hughes, Shaun Kane, Thomas Leech, Vladimir Kosovac
Melbourne City
Coach: Joe Palatsides
2016 Finish: 3rd in NPL2 West
Summary: Moved from a highly competitive West, where City were there or thereabout in 2016 by staying in the promotion race for much of the campaign, to East in 2017. There have been plenty of outs including Bulleen pair Brad Clarke and Luke Gallo, but the likes of Ahmed, Sozer, Wong, Hall, Genreau, Metcalfe and Syliados remain. Another NYL title suggests Joe Palatsides’ squad could be a dark horse for promotion if, say, the more fancied Dandenong clubs don’t meet widespread expectations.
Squad: Ali Eyigun, Anthony Theodoropoulos, Austin Wong, Connor Metcalfe, Daniel Arzani Denis Genreau, Dylan Pierias, Eduardo Castaneda, Gerrie Sylaidos, Jaiden Madafferi, James Delianov, Jordan Hall, Joshua Cavallo, Kobe Timms, Leo Athanasiou, Lucas Derrick, Lucas Portelli, Mersim Memeti, Nathaniel Atkinson, Nenad Nikolic, Stefan Colakovsk,i Yaren Sozer, Yusuf Ahmed
Murray United
Coach: James Coutts
2016 Finish: 9th in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Six (3-0 loss to Bentleigh Greens)
Summary: When all the off-pitch hype around Archie Thompson settles, the talking will then be done on the pitch. How the striker trio of Thompson, Bugeja and Walker combine will be interesting to see. Ash Dunn will play an important again role as will new visa recruit Fernando Posada alongside a youthful and local side, while Abdulkerim Koc, Nick Teichmann and Jason Ugrinic (from Canberra) bring NPL experience. Will be looking to improve on previous years’ results with this squad.
Squad: Abdulkerim Koc, Alexander West, Archie Thompson, Ashley Dunn, Benjamin Russell, Chad Budeja, Connor Caponecchia, Darcy Pawlik, Fernando Posada, Fletcher Caponecchia, Isaac Read, James Coutts, Jason Ugrinic, Lewis Greenwood, Melkie Woldemichael, Munyaradzi Ruparanganda, Nicholas Teichmann, Ryan Giles, Sean Pye, Zac Walker
Nunawading City
Coach: Nick Dimitrakis
2016 Finish: 10th in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Four (3-0 loss to Bulleen Lions)
Summary: The big three, former A-League trio Jason Trifiro, Mitch Cooper and James Brown will be relied upon to help Nunawading become what was otherwise assumed a top contender for relegation based on last two years’ results. Another unknown also is if the club will persist with its tiki taka at all costs philosophy or take a more pragmatic approach. There are other additions in Jordan Franken and former Southern Stars man Devon Bonne, while Felix Dimitrakis returns from his Victory stint. David Antequera, Aki Machiyama and Emile Damey will be some of the names not there in 2017.
Squad: Adrian Mancini, Alem Mebrahtu, Carlos Matti, Dan Gathercole, Daniel Patterson, Dean Jancevski, Devon Bonne, Dominik Jamriska, Felix Dimitrakis, Firaol Likassa, Ivan Skorich, James Brown, Jarrod Del Monaco, Jason Trifiro, Jordan Franken, Jordan Siamoa, Matthew Saitlik, Mitch Cooper, Peter Evangelakos, Samuel Antoniadis, Spencer Egan-Tanner
Richmond SC
Coach: Paul Donnelly
2016 Finish: 12th in NPL, FFA Cup Round Seven (4-0 loss to Hume City)
Summary: The turnover at Richmond has happened again, with much of the 2016 squad (including the likes of Alex Caniglia, Jake Barker-Daish, Bryan Bran and Nic Niagioran) moved on, and Alan Mulcahy one of the few remaining senior heads. They’re replaced with names such as Efe, Saglam, Gur, Freddi and Alaraibi alongside a mainly new-look, youthful squad – including both Lamberts – and many promoted from the 20s. Will it work in their favour?
Squad: Alan Mulcahy, Andrew Viola, Baki Efe, Brandon Osipov, Declan Lambert, Dillon Maikousis, George Voliotis, Gonzalo Freddi, Hakeem Alaraibi, Halil Gur, Herman Sillerstroem, James Beninati, Jordan Liaskos, Lachlan Hogben, Marcus Dimanche, Matthew King, Ratip Cileli, Reilly Phillips-Williams, Reis Aygun, Ridvan Saglam, Robert Taylor, Ryan Lambert, Valli Cesnik
Springvale White Eagles
Coach: Vlado Tortevski
2016 Finish: 6th in NPL2 East, FFA Cup Round Four (1-0 loss to Malvern City)
Summary: There looked to be a spring in the step last season upon Nik Kovacevic’s arrival when performances and results improved and Springvale rose to mid-table, an improvement on recent years. He’s returned to assist Pascoe Vale, replaced by Altona’s SL title-winning coach Vlado Tortevski. Englishmen Westmore and Pykett are gone, but many of the core pillars remain in Oliveira, Min Fa, Ozcagli, Holmes and Erakovic. There’ll be a new midfield partnership of new signings Martindale and one-time Bosnian international Pejic, while the attacking dangers of Stoilovic and Milojevic have new signing Mosibe (ex-Real Madrid youth) within their ranks. Consolidation beckons.
Squad: Cody Martindale, Damir Stoilovic, Damjan Dragisic, Dejan Erakovic, Delfin Mosibe Esara, Dimitar Mitkov, Erdem Ozcagli, Isaiah Joseph, Jake Parisi, Jeremy Min Fa, Kristian Sekulovski, Lajos Hun, Luke Parisi, Marcus Holmes, Matthew Harrington, Milan Jovanovic, Nebojsa Pejic, Nikola Popetrov, Slavisa Saric, Tapiwanashe Munyanyiwa, Vojislav Milojevic