Photos: Dandenong Thunder
Dandenong Thunder have strengthened for their 2017 NPL2 East campaign with the additions of trio John Kuol, Tomas Murphy and Josh Bragg.
In a broad spectrum of signings, Kuol joins from Victoria’s state leagues, Murphy from Green Gully in the NPL’s top flight, while Bragg becomes the club’s second visa player alongside Brandon Barnes.
Kuol played the last few seasons with Morwell Pegasus in State League One, scoring eight goals in three seasons at the club.
He previously also featured for Traralgon City in the Gippsland Soccer League.
He was part of a Gippsland select youth side that played against Dandenong Thunder’s U20 side in a friendly under the watchful eye of Melbourne City youth coach Joe Palatsides in 2014.
Murphy moved to Green Gully in 2014 from Far North Queensland Heat, where he was named the 2013 Young Player of the Year and Coaches’ Player of the Year.
The box-to-box midfielder was given his debut at the club by former manager Bob Stojcevski and was mainly used as a squad player under Arthur Papas.
He departed the club after three seasons and 34 appearances.
Meanwhile, John Bragg is a 25-year-old midfielder from England, where the former Plymouth Argyle youth featured for local side Truro City.
He spent recent seasons in Sweden, turning out for lower league clubs Linköping City, Bodens BK and Umeå FC.
The triple signing doubles the Thunder’s tally of new recruits for 2017, with Rodrigo Vargas, Rinor Muriqi and Alon Blumgart having earlier joined the club as Gianfranco Impellizzeri’s squad takes shape ahead of its Round One blockbuster against Dandenong City.