Dandenong City have finalised their playing squad for the upcoming NPL2 campaign with the signings of five new players ahead of NPL transfer deadline tomorrow.
Striker Jarrod Blackbourn joins defenders Halil Gur and Enes Sivic, as well as Argentine forward Gonzalo Freddi and youngster Chris Potter.
18-year-old Blackbourn joins Aaron Healey’s men from cross-town rivals Dandenong Thunder, where he made his senior debut in 2014.
He scored four goals in 14 games under Stuart Munro, including a hat-trick in a 6-1 demolition of Northcote City on Anzac Day in 2015.
Gur returns to Frank Holohan Soccer Complex having spent the 2014 NPL1 season with City, where he made 10 appearances for Ivan Duzel’s side and scored one goal in a 5-2 victory over rivals Springvale White Eagles.
The 25-year-old has prior top flight experience with the Southern Stars, where he was a part of Dean Hennessey’s promotion winning side of 2011 and subsequently made 17 appearances for the Stars in the next two seasons.
Gur returned to the Stars in 2015 and scored a memorable double in their come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Peninsula Strikers, a result which was their only victory of the season that culminated in relegation from State League 2.
24-year-old Sivic makes the move to NPL2 after spending the last two and a half seasons with Frankston Pines, where he helped Danny Verdun’s side to promotion in 2014 from the fourth tier.
He also spent time with both Dandenong Thunder and Richmond in the VPL, winning the 2012 Championship with the former, having earlier spent the 2011 campaign with the Victorian Training Centre under Mehmet Durakovic.
A former Melbourne Victory youth team player, Sivic is the younger brother of former Richmond right-back and current Port Melbourne Sharks assistant coach Semi Sivic.
Little is known about Argentine Gonzalo Freddi, but the forward has impressed Healey and the coaching staff in pre-season and has been given the number 10 jersey left vacant by the departed Sean Seavill, with the 2014 NPL1 Player of the Season returning back home to the United Kingdom.
Youngster Chris Potter joins City from relegated State League One outfit Doncaster Rovers and provides plenty of versatility across the back four.
The new signings join Luke Burgess (Noble Park United), Anthony Cassar (Sunshine George Cross), Mate Eterovic (Richmond) and David Morovic (Nunawading City) as new signings, while 16 year-old goalkeeper Majak Mawith has been promoted into the senior squad.
The 10 new additions join 2015 squad members John Carroll, Dario Matkovic, Damir Salcin, Shaun Filipovic, Keegan Ziada, Brad Clarke, Andy Jerez, Chris Antoniadis, Ashley Cattermole and Erkan Filiz.
Former St Albans left-back Chris Ross has departed the club to take up a role as conditioning coach with an AFL club, with Anthony Cassett, David Di Iorio, Alex Rojas, Chris Sanita and Robbie Wynne also exiting the Endeavour Hills based outfit.
City open their 2016 NPL2 campaign with an away trip to the NSW-Victoria border to take on Murray United this Saturday, February 20.
Dandenong City coach Aaron Healey
Dandenong City SC coach Aaron Healey is entering his second season in the role, having previously been technical director at the club. He discusses City's NPL Victoria preparations including players to watch, with more about the club's newest additions detailed here: http://bit.ly/216e8q9#PS4NPLVIC
Posted by The Corner Flag on Tuesday, 16 February 2016
Images: Dandenong City