Image: Mark Avellino
The Whittlesea Ranges have made their second signing of the mid-season transfer window by luring Werribee City goalkeeper Luke Gavalas to Epping Stadium.
The talented young shot-stopper moves to Vinko Buljubasic’s side having spent the first half of this campaign with Werribee City, making ten league appearances for the Bees.
A member of Northcote’s U21 Championship-winning side of 2013, Gavalas was elevated into the senior set-up for the 2014 season where he served as understudy to Chris Theodoridis.
He made his senior debut for Hercules at the back end of that campaign before making two further appearances last year as he departed John Cain Memorial Reserve mid-term.
His destination was Port Melbourne, making ten appearances for the Eric Vassiliadis-coached outfit as he helped the Sharks maintain their top-flight status for another year.
Having spent the first part of 2017 at Galvin Park, he joins former Melbourne Knights and Pascoe Vale forward Jacob Colosimo as additions to the Ranges dressing room.
Meanwhile youngsters Thomas Mancuso and Daniel Paolucci have been included on the senior playing roster after impressing in the 20s, with the former already having made his first-team debut.
Gavalas made his Ranges debut in the Round 16 win over Melbourne Victory.
He replaces Phil Petrovski, who moves back to Northcote after 15 games with Whittlesea, sitting on the bench in the club’s 2-1 win over Bendigo City with first-choice Griffin McMaster between the sticks.
Petrovski made 21 league appearances in Northcote’s 2016 NPL campaign, battling back the spot from mid-season signing Anthony Bouzanis.
The 22-year-old made his senior debut at the age of 17 at the Moreland Zebras, and has also had stints at Heidelberg, winning the State League 1 title with the Bergers, and won the 2012/13 NYL season with Melbourne Victory.
Meanwhile, left-back Adam Centofanti also departed the Ranges after 14 games, with the former Moreland Zebras man citing travel as a key factor in his decision in an announcement to his teammates.