In the weeks leading up to the conclusion of the NPL season, The Corner Flag is taking the opportunity to let you decide who makes up the Team of the Season for 2014. Each week from now we’ll put up a poll in which you can vote for who you think should make the cut as the best performers of the season to date.
For the second week of voting, we’re showcasing the best stoppers in the league. Whether they’re bustling full-backs – running the flank like an elevator with their dazzling pace and energy – or a commanding, brutish centre-back whose aerial ability is second to none, we’ve picked the best of the lot for selection.
Again don’t forget to place your votes via the poll at the end of the article to ensure the defenders you think have stood out get the nod!
Left-back
Kris Kioussis (Dandenong Thunder)
A star for the underperforming Dandenong Thunder. Kioussis has been their main outlet on the flank, often seen carrying the ball up the pitch. He’s confident on the ball and a good user of it too but most importantly he plays right until the final whistle, leaving nothing on the pitch. Will be very high in contention for a berth at left-back for the Team of the Season.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 16, 19, 24)
Bench selections: 2 (Rd 4/5, 18)
Les Doumbalis (Heidelberg United)
The Heidelberg man was nominated by his own coaches as one of the best performers of the year. His output from the left side of defence has seen him earn three appearances in the Team of the Week, as well as chipping in with a goal and eight clean sheets. A very strong contender for the left back spot.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 2, 6)
Bench selections: 1 (Rd 12)
Luke Pilkington (Bentleigh Greens)
An industrious worker on the left, as well as in the middle of the park, Pilkington has been one of a handful of standout players for the Greens this year. His passing, gut running and link up play has seen him contribute a goal to go along with his sides seven clean sheets for the season.
Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 17)
Phillip Petreski (Northcote City)
The 19-year-old has had a good year down the left side for Northcote City, with his best work coming in more advanced positions. Always running hard to provide an overlapping run, the Melbourne City youth player has seen his year rewarded with five clean sheets.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 19, 23)
Unlucky to miss out:
Brad Norton (South Melbourne)
An expert user of the ball, Bradley Norton has again contributed well to South’s title charge with an abundance of assists. The mid-season signing of fellow former A-League player Shaun Timmins from the Cavaliers put a halt to his run of starts but in recent weeks the pair have both had their fair share of game time.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 8, 14)
Other LB’s who’ve made TOTW appearances:
- Sam Torrens (Melbourne Knights) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 13)
- Oliver Rowland (Werribee City) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 4/5)
- Johnny Stojcevski (Hume City) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 1)
- Shaun Timmins (South Melbourne) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 18)
- Stefan Nigro (Port Melbourne) Bench selections: 1 (Rd 22)
- James Riccobene (Port Melbourne) Bench selections: 1 (Rd 8)
***
Right-back
Kristian Konstantinidis (Northcote City)
A versatile member of the Northcote squad, Konstantinidis can play across the backline, but the defender has been predominantly kept wide right this year in their title defence. While the season hasn’t gone too swimmingly for City, on a personal level, KK’s had a standout year. His pace is electric and his danger going forward belies his position on the park. Contributing four goals and more assists on top of that, it’s been another good year for the young man.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 4/5, 7, 15)
Bench selections: 1 (Rd 11)
Tim Mala (South Melbourne)
Mala has proven himself this season as one of South Melbourne’s best performers. With plenty of ability along side him – in the form of Norton, Musa and Eagar – there’s little wonder why the South defence has been so stringent season long. Mala fits the mould of your classic full-back; his strong marking and positioning ensures little gets past him, while with the ball he’s dangerous whipping in crosses on his right boot. Certainly a name to watch in the future.
Starting XI selections: 4 (Rd 1, 8, 10, 17)
Adrian Talarico (Pascoe Vale)
Has played in a number of positions – starring in a more advanced right midfield role in recent weeks – but has spent a fair amount of his time wide right of defence for Pascoe Vale. An attacking minded full-back, the young Talarico has made three appearances in our Team of the Week, scoring two goals and playing a part in every game for Vale this season.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 6, 21)
Bench selections: 1 (Rd 23)
Jordan Wilkes (Heidelberg United)
The 19-year-old has contributed to a decent year at Heidelberg, with the full-back showcasing his defensive capabilities throughout the year. A more defensively sound right-back, he also contributes in the forward half. A cool head on a young body.
Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 9)
Unlucky to miss out:
Jeremy Walker (Hume City)
Played a meagre six games in Hume City colours before travelling overseas on trials, Jeremy Walker left his mark on the competition in his short stay. A string of fantastic performances earned him the NPL’s player of the month award for Round’s 13-16. Bustling down the right wing with pace and displaying a more than capable defensive side to his game, he’s shown that the A-League perhaps was his level after all.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 13, 15, 16)
Other RB’s who’ve made TOTW appearances:
- Tom Matthews (Bentleigh Greens) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 23)
- John Lazaridis (Heidelberg United) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 18)
- Anthony Colosimo (Melbourne Knights) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 10)
- Michael Doyle (Melbourne Knights) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 24)
- Brendan Elmazovski (Dandenong Thunder) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 2)
***
Centre-back
Steven Pace (Heidelberg United)
Another Heidelberg player singled out by the club as a star performer, Steven Pace showed us exactly why he was good enough to get on the books of Melbourne Victory. A veteran of Victorian state football, and a staple in the line up of Hume City for many years, Pace has outdone himself with a sublime season in the twilight of his career. Five Team of the Week appearances – the most of any defender – highlights this, with the centre-back an accomplished reader of the play and a handy tackler.
Starting XI selections: 5 (Rd 8, 9, 10, 16, 19)
Aron Wilford (Oakleigh Cannons)
The Englishman has performed season-on-season in the Victorian state league for a number of years now and he’s played a huge role in Oakleigh’s charge up the ladder for their debut NPL season. An uncompromising, no nonsense defender, he’s also technically sound and is immensely solid in the air. Another fantastic campaign and dare I say it, a Team of the Season worthy one.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 11, 14)
Michael Eagar (South Melbourne)
Forming a formidable partnership with fellow Kiwi James Musa, South’s skipper Michael Eagar has been simply flawless this campaign. The former Northcote man has shifted exclusively to centre-half this year after a season of splitting duties both as a holding mid and defender. A marvellous reader of the game, South look a much more assured outfit with him in the side. An unmatched 13 clean sheets for the defence is just rewards for their work.
Starting XI selections: 4 (Rd 1, 14, 21, 23)
Ivan Grgic (Melbourne Knights)
The Knights young centre-half has developed a handy knack of scoring at crucial moments. He’s the clubs equal second highest goal scorer on a total of four, including a brace in their away win against Ballarat earlier in the season. On top of his heading exploits from set-pieces, Grgic has put in a number of solid defensive displays despite playing within a relatively porous back-line throughout the campaign.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 12, 15, 17)
Adrian Chiappetta (Northcote City)
Last year’s premiership captain has played his role in six clean sheets this season, providing a solid foundation for his side’s second half resurgence. Northcote being on the receiving end of a few blowouts in the early stages of the year – the 6-2 loss to Green Gully springs to mind – clearly didn’t dent the confidence too much as he’s rallied the troops towards a potential top-5 finish in a decent season personally.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 6, 22, 23)
Shane Rexhepi (Hume City)
Hume City captain Rexhepi has formed a strong partnership alongside Petar Franjic to keep Hume the third tightest defence in the league. The former Thunder man lead well from the back and provided a cool head in times of trouble. Seven clean sheets and a season full of commanding displays from the back see’s him earn himself a nomination narrowly over teammate Franjic.
Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 15)
Nathen Megic (Pascoe Vale)
A good spell of football in the middle of the season saw 21-year-old Megic earn three consecutive appearances in our Team of the Week. The Canberra native has been at the heart of Pascoe Vale’s defence all season, with seven clean sheets and a number of eye-catching performances to boot.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 10, 11)
Bench selections: 1 (Rd 12)
Jack Webster (Bentleigh Greens)
The mobile centre-back has been a dependable figure at the back for the Greens with seven clean sheets to his name. The Englishman has been a rock at the back for a Bentleigh side that’s sitting in fourth on the NPL ladder.
No TOTW appearances
Unlucky to miss out:
James Musa (South Melbourne)
Defensive partner Eagar shaded him for a nomination but don’t let that take anything away from the Kiwi international’s year to date. The powerful centre-back has been a class signing for South in their debut NPL campaign.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 4/5, 7, 9)
Petar Franjic (Hume City)
Another who’s lost out due to a teammates performance, Franjic started incredibly brightly with Hume in a season that’s lacked any fluidity in terms of playing staff. The centre-half formed a good partnership with Rexhepi in season 2014 before moving to Olmaliq FK in Uzbekistan.
Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 1, 3, 8)
Roddy Vargas (Green Gully)
Another ex-Victory player who’s had a decent year, Roddy Vargas has kept together the Green Gully defence at times this season. The two-time Socceroo has experience in spades and while he’s not got the legs he used to have, he’s still as tough as nails. Vargas has been the best of a sub-par bunch for the Cavaliers.
Starting XI selections: 4 (Rd 7, 11, 13, 22)
Danny O’Donnell (Ballarat Red Devils)
Ballarat’s Danny O’Donnell has been a central figure for his team this season. Linking up with Steven Thomson, the pair will be key in the Red Devils survival bid.
Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 9, 13)
Luke Byles (Heidelberg United)
The Heidelberg captain has been a consistent performer all year for the free-scoring Heidelberg. His partnership with Pace has gone a long way towards his side’s impressive campaign.
No TOTW appearances
Other CB’s who’ve made TOTW appearances:
- Steven Cudrig (Werribee City) Starting XI selections: 3 (Rd 2, 3, 9)
- Ryan Filipovic (Werribee City) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 24)
- Simon Colosimo (Goulburn Valley Suns) Starting XI: 2 (Rd 17, 18), Bench: 1 (Rd 19)
- John Black (Oakleigh Cannons) Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 22, 24)
- Sakhi Zada Faisal (Dandenong Thunder) Starting XI selections: 2 (Rd 14, 15)
- Greg Lombardo (Northcote City) Starting XI: 1 (Rd 4/5), Bench: 1 (Rd 11)
- Daniel Jones (Green Gully) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 6)
- Isyan Erdogan (Hume City) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 21)
- Paul Miller (Heidelberg United) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 3)
- Steven Thomson (Ballarat Red Devils) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 19)
- Antun Kovacic (Melbourne Knights) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 2)
- Ramazan Tavsancioglu (Dandenong Thunder) Starting XI selections: 1 (Rd 12)