Image: Smile for Peter
The Dandenong Thunder has had many noteworthy forward players in the club’s red and black since its formation in 1970. In recent decades, the likes of Billy Wright, Veton Korcari, Joe Di Iorio and Luke Sherbon have given fans of the Dandenong South-based outfit plenty of reasons to cheer through their goalscoring exploits.
Wright won four successive Golden Boots in the mid-to-late 1990s, while Korcari burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old and has netted over 60 league goals for his childhood club.
Former Young Socceroo Di Iorio won the VPL Golden Boot in 2009 while Welshman Sherbon dazzled in his three seasons at George Andrews Reserve which culminated in a memorable treble in 2012.
Current star Brandon Barnes rightly joined such a distinguished list of players with his sensational 42 goal-haul of last season which was the catalyst in the club’s promotion push.
While the Thunder ultimately did not earn promotion, Barnes has rejected offers from several NPL sides to remain loyal to his current employers. Three goals and an assist in the season-opening derby clash against Dandenong City saw him kick-off 2017 in similar fashion to 2016, with the Thunder recording a comprehensive 4-1 win over their illustrious opponents.
“That is one of the best starts I could have asked for especially against our rivals from Dandenong. To get the three goals and the three points in the bag is a good way to start as we move ahead to the next game”, he added.
“We did not at one point think about who they were signing. We were just worried about we were doing as a team and unit and pushing on from there. From what I heard they have brought in some big signings and great players but that was not our focus. We knew what we were doing from the start and obviously got what we deserved.”
A scorching 35-degree day in December 2015 was the backdrop to the Englishman’s arrival in Melbourne from Auckland as he got off the plane and journeyed down to Keysborough to face Richmond in a pre-season friendly.
Recommended to the club by former Thunder forward and good friend Nate Foster, not much was known about the Bristol-born striker whose time at the club began as a trialist.
He did not need long to show his class and quality, with a powerful finish from the edge of the area being the game’s highlight as the club hierarchy set their sights on signing him.
Despite some delay, he eventually joined his new teammates late in pre-season and needed only three games to score his first hat-trick for Huss Skenderovic’s side.
Another slow pre-season certainly has not seen his form dip, with his performance last Friday highlighting his destructive nature as he linked up well with his new signings Rinor Muriqi, John Kuol and Josh Bragg – his fellow Englishman.
“Firstly I had a slow pre-season so it took me a while to catch up with the rest of the boys, especially the new boys but football is football everywhere you go. You bond well on and off the pitch and things become easier from there. The Dandenong City game was a great performance and we all linked up well and ultimately got what we deserved.”
Some sublime combination play between Barnes and Bragg saw him opening the scoring just before the break with the former Waitakere United admitting the two compatriots have gotten on well of the field.
“I didn’t know of Josh before he came down here but obviously both being British helped us bond pretty well together. We have actually just moved into a new apartment together, so given we’re both compatriots we bounce well off each other.
“He’s a local boy down from Cornwall which is in the south of England. He’s played at a decent level from what I hear including in Sweden and has now come down here to try his luck and is doing well. It may only have been one game but if he keeps performing like that he will push us further to where we want to be.”
While the performance against the team tipped to challenge the Thunder for promotion was impressive, Barnes and his teammates are not going to rest on their laurels.
Having seen the club look shoe-ins for elevation into the top tier for much of the season, the late collapse was a bitter pill to swallow for the club and its proud supporters who have made their expectations for the new campaign clear from the get-go.
“Before the pre-season actually started, us boys from last year got together after we had a bit of hiccup with the coaches. Once the coach was in place, got together as a team and knew what the target was and knew what was expected. From there on we have pushed forward and everyone knows what is expected every time we get on the pitch and training ground, so it is good that we are all one the same page and pushing forward.”
Italian Giuseppe Anastasi was announced as the club’s successor to Huss Skenderovic in early November but was unable to make the move down under due to family reasons leading the club to appointed experienced Italian-born coach Gianfranco Impellizzeri. The former Fawkner Blues got off to a dream start in the Thunder dugout and Barnes has been impressed with his passionate nature and football background.
“Anywhere you go and play football, everyone has that connection and same interest especially Gianfranco and where he has come from. He’s an experienced coach and brings to the table what he knows, helping us all get along. Off the pitch we go for a coffee every now and then where we talk about general stuff, life even football which we can never escape from as a topic.”
While many of the NPL’s big spenders were prepared to open their purse strings to lure the Englishman away from George Andrews Reserve, he admits that the family-orientated nature and camaraderie present in Dandenong South made it difficult for him to leave such a feel-good environment.
“Even when you come to games like the one we had last week you see everyone and the work they do behind the scenes. They have been so good to me and have been like a family ever since I landed in Melbourne. They have taken me under their wing and looked after me and they do that with all the players. That is what made me want to stay as they treat you like one of their own.”
While Barnes is committed to ensuring the Thunder achieve their goal this term, he is not sure where the future lies after that, as he expects the birth of his first child in April.
“The plan was to get here for just a year and to see how I got on. I got an unbelievable first year under my belt which brings in a lot of opportunities and chances for myself. I didn’t decide to take them and plan to stay longer here if the opportunity is what is good for me and my family.
“I got a new arrival on the way and have other priorities to think about as well and to secure a stable income but we will see what happens. I personally would like to stay a bit longer.”
Whatever the future may hold, everyone should appreciate the predatory goalscoring instincts and exploits of one of the state’s best finishers as he prepares himself for another campaign with his beloved Thunder, looking to right the wrongs of last season and achieve redemption once and for all as one of Victoria’s best supported clubs sets their sights on returning to the NPL.