Coach: Rick Mensink
2015 Season: 1st NPL1 East, NPL1 Grand Final Champions
FFA Cup: Round 5 (0-0 draw with Oakleigh, defeated on penalties)
Club Overview/History: Originally founded in 1953 by German migrants in the western suburb of Maribyrnong, the club became affiliated with the Melbourne German Club in 1955 and relocated to Richmond where they adopted the name Alemannia Richmond Soccer Club. Two stints in the top flight of Victorian football in the 1960s were followed by decades in the lower leagues until promotion back to the top tier was achieved in 2005. The club nicknamed the eagles had an eight season stint in the VPL (2006-2013), achieving its most successful results under Michael Chatzitrifonas who led a star-studded squad to the 2010 VPL Grand Final where they ultimately lost 3-0 to a more experienced Green Gully outfit. A turbulent 2013 saw the club relegated under the stewardship of Grant Brebner before Rick Mensink was appointed manager five rounds into the 2014 NPL1 season, where he steadied the ship and subsequently returned the Kevin Bartlett Reserve based side back to the top flight.
Last Season: A horrendous start to the campaign saw Richmond lose their first fixture 6-0 away to Goulburn before being down 1-0 in the 85th minute to Nunawading. Two late goals from Josh Knight kick-started a reversal in fortunes at Kevin Bartlett Reserve. Eight wins from 11 games saw Rick Mensink’s side breathing down the necks of front-runners Melbourne Victory at the mid-way point of the season. Goals from talismanic number nine and captain Tom Cahill in addition to the mid-season arrival of creative winger Alex Caniglia saw the club continue on this purple patch of form by winning 8 out of their next 10 to overtake Victory at the top of the standings. A 4-2 defeat to Box Hill on the penultimate day threatened to derail automatic promotion but United’s win over the Victory on the final day coupled with Richmond’s 5-0 thumping of Springvale saw Mensink’s men claim top spot in the East before defeating West Champions Bulleen 2-1 a week later.
Pre-Season: Two wins, three draws and four losses (20 goals for, 22 against)
Dandenong Thunder 2-2 Richmond
Dandenong Thunder 2-1 Richmond
North Geelong Warriors 3-2 Richmond
Bulleen Lions 4-1 Richmond
Moreland City 4-4 Richmond
Pascoe Vale 3-2 Richmond
Eastern Lions 2-2 Richmond
Richmond 3-0 Murray United
Richmond 3-2 Avondale
Transfers Movement
In:
Geert Arend Roorda (FC Dordrecht)
Jake Barker-Daish (South Melbourne)
Bryan Bran (Port Melbourne Sharks)
Travis Chalk-Hatton (Box Hill United)
Andrew Doig (Kingston City)
Liam Higgins (Team Wellington)
Kris Kioussis (Port Melbourne Sharks)
Nick Kokolakis (Northcote City)
Nikola Popovich (Woden Weston)
Out:
Michael Catalano
Matthew Collier
Tom Cahill (Hume City)
Andrew Doig
Mate Eterovic (Dandenong City)
Joshua Knight (St Albans Saints)
Ryan Lambert (Melbourne Victory Youth)
Daniel Piovesan (Werribee City)
George Tsiakalakis (St Albans Saints)
Matthew Waters
Players to Watch: 19 year-old goalkeeper Christian Rossi is highly rated by Mensink and will no doubt have his work cut out this season as he tests himself at a higher level. Queenslander Jordan Seeto impressed in defence following his mid-season move from Bendigo City last year while Josh Valadon consolidated a great 2014 with Box Hill with an even more impressive year with his current employers. Recent defensive signings Bryan Bran and Kris Kioussis will add top flight experience and will no doubt be looking to both get back to their best form after difficult campaigns last year. Jake Barker-Daish is another coming off a disappointing season with South Melbourne and will look to return to the form which saw him feature 26 times in the A-League. Perth winger Alex Caniglia was a revelation following his mid-season move from Balcatta FC in NPL WA, chipping in with a number of crucial goals while Hamlet Armenian is a familiar name to most VPL observers having made his name at the Whittlesea Zebras, South Melbourne and Dandenong Thunder to name a few, with his creativity and assists from the wing pivotal in addition to his experience. Dutch import Geert Arend Roorda comes to the club with an impressive CV having featured in the Eredivisie as well as the Netherlands Under 21 side, and will be expected to add goals to a club left reeling by the departure of Tom Cahill.
What to expect this season: Much talk has centred on how the club is to replace the goals of Cahill who has been the club’s top goalscorer for the past four seasons. Although pre-season results have been poor, it is important to note that many of their outings this summer have seen a number of trialists tested, with many having since departed the club. Mensink prides himself on having a solid foundation at the back in addition to the creative flair down the flanks and in the middle. If the side is to stay up this season, then much will depend on their organisation and how many chances they can tuck away. Expect them to battle hard to avoid the drop as top flight Friday night football returns to Kevin Bartlett Reserve.