Former Melbourne City duo linked with Nunawading City

by Damir Kulas 0

Image: Graeme Furlong

Perennial NPL2 strugglers Nunawading City have reportedly reached an agreement with former Melbourne City pair James Brown and Jason Trifiro ahead of the upcoming season.

If completed, the signing of the duo will be a massive boost to the survival hopes of a club which has only won two competitive league games in the last three years.

A Queensland Academy of Sport graduate, former Olyroo Brown made his senior debut in the VPL in 2007 with the Australian Institute of Sport under Steve O’Connor.

The teenager impressed and netting four times in 22 league appearances in a team which featured the likes of Kofi Danning, Milos Lujic, Bonel Obradovic and Matthew Theodore as well future Socceroos Luke Devere, James Holland and Daniel Mullen.

His A-League debut came two years later under Miron Bleiberg at Gold Coast United, with the attacking midfielder becoming an integral team member in their third and final season in the competition.

Two underwhelming seasons at the Newcastle Jets followed before joining Melbourne City in 2014, where injuries restricted his game time to just 16 league appearances.

In total, Brown netted 10 goals in 82 A-League games across seven seasons before joining Avondale mid-term last year, only to depart Doyle Street after only a month of first-team action.

A move to South Africa saw the 26 year-old feature for newly-established Cape Town City in the Premier Soccer League alongside fellow Aussie and ex Central Coast Mariners utility Matt Sim.

28 year-old Trifiro is a former Joey and Australian Schoolboy representative who made his mark on senior football with the Marconi Stallions in his home town of Sydney.

Stints with rivals APIA Leichhardt and Wollongong-based South Coast Wolves followed before he joined younger brother Glen at Northcote City in 2011.

An outstanding individual season saw the central midfielder win the FFV Gold Medal as well as helping steer Hercules to a Dockerty (then Mirabella) Cup triumph at AAMI Park.

He joined coach Peter Tsolakis, brother Glen and goalscorer Trent Rixon at the newly-redeveloped Lakeside Stadium the following campaign, as the four made the switch to South Melbourne together.

Image: South Melbourne FC

Three goals in 15 appearances was his return from the middle of the park as South struggled for consistency throughout 2012, with Trifiro eventually departing to pursue an A-League opportunity.

He subsequently joined the Western Sydney Wanderers as a foundation squad member and spent three seasons at Parramatta Stadium, making a total of 37 A-League appearances.

In that time he played his part as Tony Popovic’s outfit won the Asian Championship League in 2014 as well as reaching two Grand Finals and winning one Premiership in their debut season.

A season-long stay with Melbourne City followed with Trifiro making a further seven league appearances before returning home and joining the Blacktown Spartans last seasons.

If completed, the signing of the pair will mark a shift in focus for the men from Mahoneys Reserve, who have traditionally prioritised fielding young players under a specific playing philosophy over results on the park although the advent of promotion-relegation from NPL2 seems to have prompted a rethink.

Nunawading representatives have been sought for comment. The club had previously denied tabling an offer to former Bentleigh Greens captain Wayne Wallace prior to his move to Hume City in late September.