Image: Mark Avellino
North Geelong Warriors have secured the prized signature of marksman Kene Eze for the 2017 NPL season.
The American forward re-signs after playing a key role in the club bouncing back to the top flight from NPL2 after its relegation in 2015.
His re-commitment almost acts as a new signing for 2017 given the uncertainty of whether he’d stay in Australia for another campaign, filling a key position for the Warriors who had sorely missed a prolific front man in recent seasons, especially in 2015 until Gareth Richards’ arrival from Moreland City.
Eze was a wildcard signing from the United States in 2016 – a highly-regarded college striker, he was selected in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC. While he wasn’t signed, he played for lower league clubs Jersey Express and Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
His move down under paid dividends, netting 12 league goals in 22 games, and his departure would have left the Warriors with a big hole to fill up front once more.
There’s a sense of unfinished business with Eze at North Geelong, as now he gets a chance to prove himself in Victoria’s top tier while providing North Geelong with a boost to its survival hopes in 2017.
Since signing Ivan Grgic as the club’s first new addition for the new campaign, the Warriors also announced the re-signings of Juso Julardzija, Rudi Saglam and Nathan Long.
Julardzija moved back to North Geelong mid-season from Sunshine George Cross, for whom he initially signed after departing Elcho Park at the end of the 2015 campaign.
He scored twice in eight starts and made 15 appearances altogether for the Warriors after notching up six goals in 13 games at Sunshine.
Saglam meanwhile came to North Geelong after stints most recently at Whittlesea Ranges, third-tier Turkish outfit Sakaryaspor and Goulburn Valley Suns in the NPL era.
The 25-year-old netted four times in 22 games for the Warriors in 2016, often playing a role off the bench for the club.
Meanwhile, after an injury-plagued 2015, Nathan Long played a key role in 2016 at right back.
He formed part of the back four which proved to be the most miserly in the NPL2, earning TCF Team of the Season honours in the process.
North Geelong has now tied down most of its promotion-winning squad for 2017, including Daniel Zilic, Matthew Townley, Darren Lewis, Josh Pugh, Anthony Banovac, Michael Anderson, Vito Cichello, Nicholas Jurčić and Matthew Thorne.