Bentleigh add Topalovic and Kirk for 2015 campaign

by Damir Kulas 0

The Bentleigh Greens have further strengthened their squad for the 2015 NPL Season with the additions of former South Melbourne pair Steven Topalovic and Dion Kirk.

Having already recruited Queenslanders Matt Thurtell, Chris Lucas, Troy Ruthven, former Melbourne Knights forward Daniel Visevic and midfielder Tyson Holmes – also from South – the Greens have bolstered their defensive ranks with the signing of 24-year-old Steven Topalovic.

Topalovic – a big bodied player confident on the ball in either defence or midfield – rose through the youth ranks at local club Dandenong City before impressing former Gold Coast United manager Miron Bleiberg on reality TV show Football Superstar in 2009.

After helping the Gold Coast United Youth Team win the Championship in the 2009/10 season, the tall defender returned to Victoria where he was a vital part of Michael Chatzitrifonos’ table topping Richmond side.

After some impressive performances, Topalovic was persuaded to join South Melbourne in 2011 where under the stewardship of legendary Socceroo Eddie Krncevic he excelled and became one of the best defenders in the Victorian Premier League.

However a serious injury in a finals game against Heidelberg United kept him on the sidelines for many months as he returned to Kevin Bartlett Reserve in 2012.

A move from Richmond to Dandenong Thunder followed in 2013 where he once again put in some impressive performances before dropping down a division in 2014 and re-joining Dandenong City.

His move to Kingston Heath strengthens Bentleigh’s defensive stocks, which already includes Jack Webster, Jamie Cumming and Tom Matthews.

He will also link up with former Football Superstar contestants Luke Pilkington, Luke McCormick and fellow new signing Ruthven who all featured on the reality TV show.

The other new signing to John Anastasiadis’s already impressive squad is midfielder Dion Kirk who joins the club from rivals South Melbourne.

The 20-year-old was a part of Adelaide United’s 2013/14 Youth Team before making the move to Lakeside Stadium in May this year.

However the former United youth-team vice captain struggled for minutes at the 2014 Champions and will hope his move to the Greens provides him with more game time.

The two new signings could both feature when the Bentleigh Greens host newly promoted North Geelong Warriors on February 20 in the season’s first Friday night clash at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex.