Image: Bentleigh Greens
While Bentleigh Greens arguably made the highest-profile signing of the transfer window, securing the services of ex-A-League man Nick Ward, but plenty of other clubs also bolstered their playing stocks with deadline deals.
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READ MORE > Greens capture former A-League midfielder Ward
READ MORE > Kingston bolster attacking stocks with Nour addition
Having lost defender Janiel Silva to Oakleigh, Tom Barforosh follows his ex-Whittlesea teammate to Jack Edwards Reserve. Barforosh made his senior debut with Brunswick City in 2014 as a young teenager. He moved to Melbourne City in 2015, spending a year in Bundoora and scoring six times in 15 games before moving to Whittlesea mid-way through last season. 11 goals in 29 league games followed, with all goals coming this term after playing back up to Ofli, Slefendorfas and Yabio last year.
South Melbourne signed David Barca Moreno from Getafe B, in a similar situation to last year’s mid-season signing of Manolo. Earlier, South also confirmed the acquisition of Bulleen’s Bardhi Hysolli. He departs the Veneto Club after 92 games and seven league goals for Bulleen since making his senior debut for the club in 2013. At his time with the Lions, the central midfielder was part of Dom Barba’s promotion-winning side in 2015. A former Dandenong thunder youth, he was an U20s player in 2012 where we worked under then head coach Chris Taylor when training with the seniors.
Melbourne Knights made a number of changes, adding Shaun Timmins, Kamal Ibrahim from Avondale FC, Nick Apostolopoulos from Port Melbourne and French national Mehdi Martin. Timmins joins from WA side Floreat Athena but recently plied his trade for Hume City and also played in the A-League for Wellington. Ibrahim has struggled to settle since his FFV gold medal winning campaign in 2015 with Port Melbourne, signing for Bentleigh in 2016 and now Avondale in 2017, spending half a season there before joining the Knights. Apostolopoulos most recently turned out for Port Melbourne, having also plied his trade for Bentleigh Greens, Adelaide United’s youth team and Real Valladolid’s youth team. Martin arrives with extensive experience in Luxembourg and France’s lower tiers, most recently winning a championship with CSOA Amneville. In the meantime the club released Patrick Gerhardt.
Bulleen made one more signing, Jayke Cuschieri. A Queenslander, he has previously plied his trade at QAS, Brisbane City, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay, and has also been involved in the Maltese U21 setup.
Avondale signed Dutch forward Jip Bartels, a former Ajax and Utrecht youth from third-division side TEC VV.
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In the NPL2, Dandenong Thunder made the big acquisition of returning midfielder Iqi Jawadi. The 23-year-old’s senior journey started with four league appearances for VTC in 2011. At Thunder he made 36 appearances for one goal in 2012-13, winning a treble in 2012. He then followed Chris Taylor to South Melbourne, making 79 appearances and scoring six goals between 2013-16, winning two Championships, one Premiership, one Dockerty Cup and one club best and fairest. He signed for Oakleigh Cannons in 2017 and made 10 appearances this term.
The Thunder also brought in Jordan Seeto. The 24-year-old defender moved to Victoria in 2015 after playing college football in the USA. The Queenslander was previously on the books of Rochedale Rovers. He originally joined Bendigo City before making the mid-season move to Richmond. Made 25 league appearances for the club, winning the 2015 NPL2 Championship and promotion. He departed mid-way through last year as well, also making 25 league appearances for Moreland City.
Damien Miskulin returns to former youth club Dandenong City. Having made a senior debut in 2013, a solid debut NPL campaign under Ivan Duzel saw him snapped up by Melbourne Victory, where played 29 games and netted three goals in 2015-16. He joined Melbourne Knights in mid-2016 and departs after 23 appearances.
A departure from Dandy City is Luke Burgess, with Whittlesea bolstering their defence with his signing. The 23-year-old moves to Epping Stadium after a season and a half with Dandy City. He scored twice in 24 league appearances and is comfortable playing across the back four. Featured in the VPL for the Southern Stars before dropping down to SL1 in 2014 to join Aris. Helped Soutth Springvale make the Dockerty Cup final and FFA Cup Round of 16. He featured for Noble Park United in 2015 under head coach Bill Natsioulas and joins former teammate Ross Frame at Whittlesea.
Sunshine add to their stocks with the capture of Yosuke Saito after six goals in 10 league games for Essendon Royals in SL1. The former Yokohama F Marinos player’s professional career has previously taken him to leagues in Singapore, Russia, Latvia and Belarus.
The Georgies also captured goalkeeper Matthew Symes. A Townsville local, he previously played with Northern Fury FC in the Queensland NPL. Matt moved to Sydney in 2014 and appeared for the Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers in the NYL, and Maccabi Hakoah in the NSW NPL.
However the club also released Jagjeet Shrestha after four goals in 16 games since joining from Hume United. The Nepalese international has 30 caps for the national team.
The most recent addition to Northcote yesterday was Jake Moloney. The 20-year-old broke into the senior team in 2013 and the defender has since played with Malvern City.
Brunswick also made a number of signings recently. Costa Mesourouni is a former South Melbourne youth. Visa player Tom Owens is a 22-year-old midfielder from lower league English side Witton Albion. Stefan Ristic is a 16-year-old from Northcote City. Tilmann Stewart is from South Melbourne youth. They join Matthew Conversano and Yusuf Yusuf as earlier signings.
Moreland Zebras added to their stocks with South Sudanese international Dhour Chol. The former Perth Glory youth has also spend time in German fifth-tier side Inter Leipzig.
Box Hill moved quick on former Brunswick City captain Andrew Le Page after a season-ending injury to fellow new recruit Dom Furness. Pythagoras also aded 22-year-old defender Steve Frantzeskakis from State League 1 side Malvern City.
Eastern Lions also made the addition of Tom Morrison from Prestion Lions and Kevin Shin from Pacific Pines FC in Queensland.