Football Season Guide

Were disappointed to not make it all the way last season, having finished at the top of the table. They reached the semi-finals of the NPL Victoria before losing 1-0 at home against Dandenong City - a bitter way to end a very good campaign, especially against an opponent that they tend to beat. Still, it was considered a success for boss Zoran Markovski, who was promoted into another role at club. Now it's Jonatan Germano that will lead the team. They should be in the mixer to win the Australian Championship too, although there'll be some unfamiliar faces to conquer en route. They've strengthened significantly with veteran Socceroo Bruno Fornaroli the headline acquisition. Although he lacked a yard or two of pace in the A-League last season, it's considered that he should be fine to play at this level due to his intelligence, awareness, and finesse. A real match-winner. They only really lost regular left-back Dan Edwards pre-season. Wellington Phoenix offered him the chance to play at a higher level in the A-League, which he took. They opted to sign Zachary Cianci as his replacement, who will most likely battle it out with Blake Carpenter for the LB spot. A substantial question for them is whether Fornaroli will be able to provide the same impact on the team as the now departed Aguek did. They're very different players. Fornaroli is better but Aguek was more mobile. Still, they also signed Marinkovic pre-season for this reason - they've now got more options (not forgetting George Ott) so in theory, they've solved. In reality, let's wait and see. They should at least be able to get out of the group with this set of players. They've only got one Melbourne derby (Preston Lions) so they should fancy their chances of reaching the knockout stage. Beyond that, it's something of a lottery in this new competition. They've prepared well though, so are a team to be respected.