Image: Australian Sporting Photos
The Springvale White Eagles have begun their recruitment drive for the 2017 NPL season with the signings of Cody Martindale and Slavisa Saric respectively.
20-year-old Martindale moves to White Eagles Stadium after an injury-plagued past two years, where his time at South Melbourne was hampered by a long-term knee injury.
Previously of the Caulfield Cobras and Port Melbourne Sharks, the then-teen enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2014 with State League One outfit Noble Park United.
He spent the following summer training with Hellas and after several impressive displays in pre-season, joined the reigning NPL Champions ahead of the 2015 NPL campaign.
Despite making an impression coming on as a second-half substitute in a come-from-behind 2-2 draw away to Bentleigh in Round 5, Martindale suffered a severe knee injury minutes into his first league start for the club against Heidelberg United the following week.
He returned this year but struggled to gain first-team football at Lakeside Stadium and promptly joined relegation battlers Northcote City at the mid-way point of the campaign.
Martindale made 11 starts for Hercules in the centre of midfield, where he partnered Jonathan Bounas but was unable to help the 2013 VPL Premiers beat the drop.
21-year-old Saric returns to Springvale in what will be the former Melbourne City youth’s third spell at the club for whom he appeared at a junior level.
Making his senior debut in 2012 aged 16, the former Berwick City junior made 14 league appearances as Springvale experienced relegation into the third tier after a disappointing season.
Nevertheless, the teenage centre-back impressed and secured a move to the Oakleigh Cannons, appearing four times over the course of the campaign under Miron Bleiberg.
A desire to gain greater playing time saw him return to Springvale the following season, as a he became a regular in the White Eagles’ defence under Zed Mihajlovic.
51 league appearances yielded one goal for the youngster, who established a solid partnership alongside Jordan Ballerini at the back despite the side’s struggles gaining wins on the board.
He departed the club for the Eastern Lions at the conclusion of 2015, making 13 appearances for his new employers, which saw him grab a consolation goal in a 5-2 defeat to a rampant Whittlesea Ranges.
Despite being a regular starter for the Lions, Saric joined local State League Two side Doveton for the remainder of the season, where he continued to earn plaudits for his performances in defence.
The duo become the club’s first two signings under new coach Vlado Tortevski, who was announced as Nik Kovacevic’s replacement only last Sunday as they gear up for another season in NPL2 East, looking to continue on the momentum they helped gather in the second half of 2016.