SOCCER
PROMOTION, relegation, consolidation – what does the State League season hold for your club?
Frankston Pines and Chelsea get the opening round underway with home games this Friday night and a number of local clubs fancy their chances of making a major impact in their respective leagues in 2024.
In State 1 it’s now customary to tout Mornington’s promotion possibilities and in State 2 Peninsula Strikers are expected to be in the title mix. Both clubs have strong squads and Strikers announced late last week that they have signed Jaiden Madafferi from Langwarrin.
The other local State 2 side Skye United has had its senior core dismantled but head coach Phil McGuinness has made some astute signings and despite some worrying pre-season results with sides made up predominantly of triallists there’s hope that Skye can show a competitive edge once more.
Frankston Pines have yo-yoed their way back down into State 3 and despite a huge player turnover are expected to do well this year as head coach Donn Delaney has built a squad with a lot of higher league experience.
In State 4 supporters of Baxter and Chelsea have been talking up their chances while Somerville Eagles and Mentone have gone about their business in a much quieter mode.
State 5 is really difficult to gauge.
Aspendale has the least player turnover of any local club and Seaford United and Rosebud will be keen to improve on last year’s third and fourth finishes respectively. Mount Eliza head coach Alex Halikias has built a much more experienced squad than his predecessor and can be backed in to finish far higher than last season’s third-last finish.
The big question mark hanging over Mount Martha is how it copes with losing former coach and team manager Chris Sanderson whose drive and enthusiasm was the bedrock on which the club’s senior program was built.
His departure along with Mark Larner’s switch to Somerville Eagles triggered a player exodus and how new head coach Andrew Hall and assistant Charlie Platt have coped with this will have a major bearing on the side’s fortunes.
In Australia Cup news just four locals remain in the national knockout competition after Mornington lost its rescheduled tie 2-0 to Mazenod at Dallas Brooks Park last Thursday night.
Here is the round four draw:
Doveton v Langwarrin, Skye Utd v Dandenong Thunder, Peninsula Strikers v East Bentleigh, Moreland City v Chelsea. Dates, venues and kick-off times were being arranged as we went to press with ties to be played later this month or in early April. In VPL1 Langwarrin maintained its unbeaten record with a 1-1 draw away to Werribee City on Friday night.
Four minutes after Werribee took a 75th-minute lead all four Langwarrin substitutes combined for the equaliser.
Jacob Brito, Lucas Portelli and Cal Goulding combined with Portelli’s blocked shot falling to James Kelly who finished well. Langy retains second spot on the ladder and is halfway through a run of six straight away games.
Here are the local senior squads as supplied by the clubs (last club of newcomers in brackets):
ASPENDALE
GOALKEEPERS: Josh Mravljak, Mathew Self. DEFENDERS: Jordy Athanassiou, Lewis Marco, Mathew Leggett (captain), Callum Norris (Sandringham City), Taylan Yildirim, Juan Reineke (Monash Villareal), Liam Norris, Palladin Calvino. MIDFIELDERS: Felix Hampson, James Macnab, Atha Wijey, Matthew Bruce, Taylor Davison, Nathan Drozdek. FORWARDS: Dominic Paul, Jared Kilmartin, Ben Garside, Ryan Mravljak, Alec Bunn, Luca Bozzo.
BAXTER
GOALKEEPERS: Jarrod Nardino, Divesh Kumar (Melbourne Lautoka). DEFENDERS :Tom Hawkins (Frankston Pines), Daniel Taylor, Dylan Tervit (Knox Utd), Daniel Disseldorp, Tristan Stass, Jackson Roberts, Brodie McMinimee, Izaak Barr, Aiden McKenna, Matt McDermott, Jack Buttery (Skye Utd). MIDFIELDERS: Brody Taylor, Noah Green, Aleks Dukic (captain), Aaran Currie (Frankston Pines), Savenaca Baledrokadroka (Frankston Pines), Joe Bucello, Declan Seca (Ashburton Utd). FORWARDS: Keegan Myatt, Liam Baxter (Frankston Pines), Jack Elliott, Kennosuke Kameshima (Chatan, Japan), Tomonari Miyazaki (N-Style Toyama, Japan), Nat Daher (Mazenod), Ryan Brown (Somerville Eagles), Dylan Murchie, Logan Wilson.
CHELSEA
GOALKEEPERS: Rhys Davies, Tom Carter. DEFENDERS: Luke D’Alessandro (captain), Dylan Scott, Chris Neumann, Jacob Ross (South Yarra), Harry Parker, Liam Pavlov. MIDFIELDERS: Nathan Boccari (vice-captain), Daniel Lewis (Elwood City), Jarrah Clear (Brandon Park), Luke Arhontissas (Kingston City), Bobby Read, Ryan Scott. FORWARDS: James Stinson (Stokesley, England), Adam Bartosy (vice-captain), Christian Murray, Daniel Vella, Lachlan Davies.
FRANKSTON PINES
GOALKEEPERS: Matthew Halliwell (Endeavour Utd), Enzo Spinelli (Mount Eliza). DEFENDERS: Marcelo Burgos (Keysborough), Deniz Karabadjak, Benjamin Asceric (Mazenod), Brody Varas, Alexis Andrade (Alianza Petrolera FC, Colombia), Alan Fogel (Port Melbourne Sharks), Tom Kandilas (Kingston City), Ryan Maokhamphiou (Somerville Eagles), Michael Stephen, Gabrielle Duque, Joshua Koncha. MIDFIELDERS: Calvin Delaney (Peninsula Strikers), Samuel Delaney (Peninsula Strikers), Callum Bradbury (Peninsula Strikers), Jack Bradbury (Peninsula Strikers), Junior Mpota (Peninsula Strikers), Reshad Nahimzada (Mazenod). FORWARDS: Cassius Delaney (Peninsula Strikers), Abraham Koul (Peninsula Strikers), Shameit Sharma (Peninsula Strikers), Ardi Ahmeti (North Sunshine Eagles), Maid (Dado) Islamovic.
MENTONE
GOALKEEPERS: Quinn Carter, Noa Corimbelly. DEFENDERS: Cameron Ironside, James Hilton, Tom Johnston, Alexander Mallamaci, Riley Puttick (Sandringham City), Liam O’Brien (South Springvale), Matias Cantavenera, Jacob Klein. MIDFIELDERS: Zaidan Allie, Joe Dunbar, Tyler Pollard, Lochlan Morgan-Banks (Casey Panthers), Adam Leander. FORWARDS: Eric Ervine, Marcus Spivey, Dylan Taylor, Dean Gerszonovicz, Frankie Varsamis, Chris Gibson.
MORNINGTON
GOALKEEPERS: Kane Runge, Ryan Ramsden (Frankston Pines). DEFENDERS: Josh Heaton, Kyle Johnson (Central Coast Utd, NSW), Satoshi Kurosawa, Blake Pearson (FC Bulleen), Sam Scott, Liam Quinn, Luke Burgess. MIDFIELDERS: Shaun Kenny, Rhys Craigie, Brady Pollard, Carlos Abboud (Langwarrin), James Clark. FORWARDS: Rory Currie, Ryan Paczkowski (Preston Lions), Kostas Droutsas (Dandenong City), Sam Orritt (Eastern Lions), Luke Varga (Sunshine Coast Wanderers, Queensland), Conor Wharton, Dave Stirton.
MOUNT ELIZA
GOALKEEPERS: Luke Armao (Skye Utd), Jake Hill. DEFENDERS: Michael Clark, Jimmy Liddle, Riley Van Zanden, Tyler White, Jackson Tossavainen (Mornington), Marley Shachar, Sam O’Connell, Arbaaz Hafiz (Centenary Stormers, Queensland). MIDFIELDERS: Fraser Keon, Mujtaba Sakhi (White Star Dandenong), Nickel Chand (Hampton Park Utd), Lachie Mitchell, Austin McEwen (Grange Moor Saints AFC, England), Callum Drysdale (Casey Comets), Harris Battison (Rosebud). FORWARDS: Ray Amiri, Tully Baker, Cohan King, Amish Chandra (Noble Park Utd), Cooper Tossavainen (Mornington).
MOUNT MARTHA
GOALKEEPERS: Derren Elliott , Dylan Elliott. DEFENDERS: Harry Aylett, Archie Thomas, Rory Philpott, Alexander Hall, Adam Steele (Somerville Eagles), Mitch Cohen, Connor Gibbs, Finn Vemis, Paul Taylor (Mornington). MIDFIELDERS: Felipe Jara (Westside Strikers), Tyrone Pennett (Mornington), Charlie Craig, Max Symonds-Keogh, Zac Faud (Mornington), Cooper Whitehead, Finn Tweedie, Jacob Platt, Josh McMillan. FORWARDS: Dan Bancroft (Ashburton Utd), Davey Jones, Marcus Poda, Josh Hanrahan, Mikis Vemis, Lenny Tate (Mornington).
PENINSULA STRIKERS
GOALKEEPERS: Faraz Zenoozi, Ben Caballero, Nathan Brown. DEFENDERS: Dave Petty, Andrew Goff, Stevie Elliott, Andy McIntyre, Charlie Gunning (Mornington), Jacob Pay, Jaiden Madafferi (Langwarrin). MIDFIELDERS: Jamie Davidson, Ethan Goulding (Langwarrin), Ben Symonds (Mornington), Alex Whyte, Campbell Steedman, Billy Rae, Cooper Andrews, Taylan Geylan (Dandenong South), Hamraz Zenoozi (Beaumaris). FORWARDS: Tommy Wood (Langwarrin), Riley Anderton, Wayne Gordon, Jai Power, Noah Musso (Rosebud), Josh Botha.
ROSEBUD
GOALKEEPERS: Colin McCormack. DEFENDERS: Stef Papaluca, Tom Donoghue, Louis Bisogni, Jacob Bigg, Doug Cunnison, Hamish Budgen, Brandon Monk, Billy Painting (Skye Utd). MIDFIELDERS: Julien Dos Santos, Jhai Watts (Lara Utd), Ethan Hunt, Barney Johnson (Mornington), Caleb Davies (Springvale White Eagles), Connor Mooney, Davis Markulin. FORWARDS: Jakob Markulin, Nathan Yole (Baxter), Dave Greening (Baxter), Mark Pagliarulo, Frank Barrett (Paignton Saints FC, England), Connor Mooney.
SEAFORD UTD
GOALKEEPERS: Bayleigh Caulfield, Hayden Hicks, Mitch Brown. Defenders: Adis Plecic (Casey Panthers), Alistair Cook, Beau Sharpe (Rosebud), Charley Hunt (Baxter), Jack Wyer, Jacob Hoskin (Donny Hall Cross FC, England), Nathan Meade, Owen McDougall (Rosebud), Paul Aitchison, Saj Sri, Zac Johnstone. MIDFIELDERS: Callum Norton, Cory Osorio, Finley Aggus, Jonas Harrasser, Kai Bahrami, Lewis Tomlinson (Langwarrin), Matthew Cobb (Peninsula Strikers), Michael Nobbs, Wisey Barakzoi (Casey Panthers). FORWARDS: Abraham Lueth, Backi Barakzoi (Casey Panthers), Blake Hicks, Isaac Lifu, Josh Vega, Mitchell Hawkins (Mount Martha).
SKYE UTD
GOALKEEPERS: Steve Hadjikakou (Brunswick Juventus), Callum Hope. DEFENDERS: Alex Van Heerwaarden, Mohamad El Hassan, Emmanuel Scarlett (Langwarrin), Riley Gill (Rosebud), Daniel Walsh, Zamer Noor (Langwarrin). MIDFIELDERS: Marcus Collier (captain), Mark O’Connor, Benjamin Lund (Frankston Pines), Milad Rezaie (Richmond), Mahdi Khanmohammadi (Richmond), Harrison Michaelis. FORWARDS: Daniel Attard, Austin Sporys, George Jeffs, Nhan Than, Alex Roberts.
SOMERVILLE EAGLES
GOALKEEPERS: Nick Bucello, Arthur Karagiannis. DEFENDERS: Tom Hennessy, Thomas Pollock, Adam Martin (Mount Martha), Connor Carson, Joel Wade, Ben Schmidt, Jake Meggs, Kyan Taberner (Dandenong Thunder), Neal Byrne (Mount Martha). MIDFIELDERS: Conor Mcfall (captain), Josh Simmons, Nick Simmons, Eli Masterson (Mount Martha), Howie Anderson (Mt Martha). FORWARDS: Corey Riddle (Mount Martha) Tom Simmons, Marcus Anastasiou, Jaden Taberner (Mount Martha) Joe Simmons.
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
Friday 22 March, 8.30pm:
Brunswick City v Langwarrin, Dunstan Reserve
Frankston Pines v Middle Park, Monterey Reserve
Chelsea v Brighton, Edithvale Recreation Reserve
Saturday 23 March, 3pm:
Mornington v Collingwood City, Dallas Brooks Park
Peninsula Strikers v Greater Dandenong, Centenary Park
Chisholm Utd v Skye Utd, Jack Edwards Reserve
Somerville Eagles v Springvale City, Westernport Secondary College
Monash University v Mentone, Monash University Playing Fields
Seaford Utd v Cleeland Utd, North Seaford Reserve
Pakenham Utd v Aspendale, IYU Reserve
Bunyip District v Mount Eliza, Bunyip Recreation Reserve
Saturday 23 March, 3.30pm:
Barton Utd v Mount Martha, Barton Recreation Reserve
Saturday 23 March, 6pm:
Rosebud v FC Noble Hurricanes, Olympic Park
Saturday 23 March, 7pm:
Sandown Lions v Baxter, Ross Reserve
First published in the Frankston Times – 19th March 2024
