Image: Green Gully
Green Gully have continued to strengthen their playing ranks for the upcoming NPL campaign with the signings of Jonathan Bounas and Josh Brindell-South.
22-year-old Bounas enjoyed a standout 2016 with Northcote City, with the central midfielder polling fourth in the Gold Medal standings behind Nick Hegarty, Massimo Murdocca and Kenny Athiu.
A product of the Northcote City junior set-up, he was promoted into the NTC elite program in its inaugural year in 2010.
An Ivanhoe Grammar graduate, Bounas made his senior VPL debut with the Bentleigh Greens in 2011, making two appearances for the club as a 17-year-old.
He spent the following season with Heidelberg United, making 16 appearances for the Bergers, who were ultimately relegated after finishing the season in last place on the competition standings.
A Melbourne City Youth player at the time, Bounas made the short move to John Cain Memorial Reserve in 2013 as he helped Northcote claim the U21 Championship under Alex Gymnopoulos.
Unable to break into the star-studded squad which claimed the 2013 VPL Championship, Bounas would have to wait a year for his chance to come into the Hercules seniors.
However, he ultimately established himself as a key first-team player and made a total of 73 league appearances for the club in three seasons, scoring six goals.
“Gully’s obviously a big club in Victoria, and one that’s been around for a very long time now. Having spoken to Arthur [Papas], and hearing what he wanted to do with the club, and seeing the ambition the club has and where it wants to go intrigued me,” Bounas said via press release.
“I’m ready for the next step in my career, and want to help bring success to the club.”
“The sky’s the limit, we’ve got a good bunch of boys and good enough squad to go all the way. Finals is a must, and we want to aim for the highest possible outcome – to win it,” Bounas concluded.
24-year-old Brindell-South moves to Green Gully Reserve after a debut season in Victorian football with the Bentleigh Greens.
A natural left-back, the Brisbane-born defender spent 2013 with Moreton Bay United in the Queensland NPL before being rewarded with an A-League contract with the Wellington Phoenix.
Brindell-South spent two years in the Kiwi capital, making a total of four league appearances under Ernie Merrick before being released at the end of the 2014/15 A-League campaign.
A return to Brisbane followed with Lions FC, helping Warren Moon’s outfit reach the Round of 16 of the FFA Cup before being beaten by the Perth Glory.
He moved to Victoria at the end of 2015 and in total made 20 league appearances for the Greens, scoring a solitary goal in a 2-1 away win to Richmond.
Brindell-South’s time at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex saw him win the NPL Premiership, Dockerty Cup and Community Shield in a season where he alternated between the two full-back positions.
Filling the void at left-back after import Yohei Iwasaki’s departure, he too cited Gully’s ambition as a key reason behind his move to the nine-time Victorian champions, who were defeated 1-0 by his former employers Bentleigh in the Dockerty Cup Final this year.
“It was the way Arthur projected the way he wanted to play and the style (and) also the players he’s brought in as well,” Brindell-South said via press release.
“Obviously he’s [Papas] been around the league for a while, and the goals he has for the club stand out for me.”
“That kind of fit my goal, to progress in my career. I want to be the best full-back in the league, I know I can do it and having people like Arthur, Shaun [Ontong] can help me do that.”
“I want to win the league, the Grand Final, progress in the FFA Cup as far as we can,” he added.
The duo join Sami Nour, Joshua Barresi, Jeremy Walker and Alex Caniglia as new arrivals for Arthur Papas’ side.