Bentleigh Greens’ premiership winning defender Ryan Love has joined Kingston City, departing the NPL Victoria outfit after just half a season at the club.
Love struggled for game time this season, earning two starts and six appearances overall in his debut campaign in Melbourne, having come down from Queensland to bolster the Greens’ defensive stocks.
Capable of playing anywhere across the defensive line, Love’s hardened approach to defending won him plenty of admirers despite failing to hold down a first-team berth, although he did make a late appearance in their Grand Final triumph over South Melbourne.
He started his career off with the Queensland Academy of Sport – which has brought through talent such as Ben Halloran, Josh Brillante, Tommy Oar and Luke Devere – in 2003 before spending stints in the Brisbane Premier League with Lions FC, Taringa FC, Easts FC and Sunshine Coast Fire.
Two successful seasons with Rochedale Rovers (again, Brisbane Premier League) saw him win the 2010 Championship, and 2011 Grand Final before moving to Peninsula Power where he won successive championships.
He then rejoined Lions FC for the 2015 season, before making his move to Bentleigh.
The move is somewhat of a coup for the NPL 1 outfit out of The Grange Reserve, with Love remaining within the state’s South-East suburbs.