Image: Graeme Furlong
North Geelong Warriors have made towering centre-back Ivan Grgic their first signing of the off-season, bolstering a defensive line-up which was the most miserly in the NPL2 in 2016.
The 20-year-old comes from Melbourne Knights, where he departed after the 2016 season.
A Knights junior, Grgic had been involved in the Somers Street senior setup for three years.
Making a debut at just 17 in 2013, he became a first-team regular the following season, utilised both in the centre and at fullback.
Football publication 442 named him as one of the best players outside the A-League in 2015.
The cousin of St Albans midfielder Michael departed after 58 games and five goals for the club, and was involved in the national stage of the FFA Cup throughout the Knights’ run.
He joins nearly the full XI of North Geelong’s promotion-winning 2016 squad to commit for 2017, with nine players already confirmed for next year as the club takes a stable approach with little turnover to their top flight campaign.
Goalkeeper Daniel Zilic, centre-backs Matthew Townley and Darren Lewis, fullback Josh Pugh, holding midfielder Anthony Banovac, central midfielders Michael Anderson and Vito Cichello, attacking midfielder Nicholas Jurčić and Matthew Thorne have all previously been announced as re-signing at the club.
Intrigue surrounds whether prolific marksman, American Kene Eze, will stay on for another campaign.