FRANKSTON TIMES scoreboard
Elliott signs up for fourth straight season SOCCER
By Craig MacKenzie LUCAS Elliott is just a fortnight old but Mornington fans owe the infant a debt of gratitude for the part he played in his father re-signing with the club last week. Stevie Elliott is a class act, one of the finest central defenders outside NPL ranks and for the past two months the word was that his switch to Langwarrin was all but done and dusted. Until last Thursday when the 29-year-old Englishman ended a 45-minute meeting with Mornington gaffer Adam Jamieson and assistant coach Dale White by re-committing to the club for a fourth straight season. “At the back end of last season I was out of the team and we needed to clear the air,” Elliott said. “I was honest with ‘Jamo’ and he was honest with me and in the end all I’ve known is Mornington and I didn’t know whether it would be a bit weird me playing elsewhere. “Langwarrin never actually put an offer down but there was a lot of conversation. “I was almost in limbo there for a while because although I believed that I could make the step up (to NPL) I didn’t think I could commit to the three or four times a week that they’d want you in. “I felt it was unfair to my partner (Sarah) and my new son to not be around for that length of time.” Season 2017 was far from plain
Staying put: Defender Stevie Elliott in action for Mornington. Picture: Darryl Kennedy
sailing for Elliott who struggled to overcome a medial ligament strain incurred in a round 13 clash at Elwood Park against St Kilda. “I went to run the ball out of play in the last few minutes when one of their players came in to the side of my hip and pushed my knee out and strained the medial,” Elliott said. “It was frustrating and it sort of epitomised the season for me. “We’d started off with a whole bunch of new players and it was pretty
unsettling when players were injured and Simon Webster retired. “When I did come back the boys were doing well and you don’t expect to walk back into a winning side but I was very frustrated. “Coming off the bench against Caulfield and scoring the winner was pretty good but missing out on the derby against Langwarrin the following week was the low point. “I had to question whether or not my heart was in it and I’ll admit that I
started wondering whether Mornington was for me.” If Elliott had any lingering doubts they were erased at last week’s meeting when Jamieson and White outlined their plans for 2018. “They ran through a list of players they’ve spoken to and it sounds exciting. “If we give it a good crack I don’t see why we can’t go all the way next year.” Elliott became the 13th player to sign on for next season following in the footsteps of English import Max Etheridge, Sam Scott, Sammy Orritt, Kris McEvoy, Jack Truelove, Josh Valadon, Keegan Ziada, Jamie Cumming, Craig Smart, Charlie Parker, Aaron Root and Stefan Soler. “We needed to have a chat and lay everything on the table and make sure we go after some unfinished business,” Jamieson said. “Stevie said Mornington soccer club is his home and that’s why he wanted to stay with us. “A fit Stevie Elliott is just about the best defender in the league.” Elliott has won two championships in his three seasons with Mornington. Hailing from Brighton on England’s south coast he played with clubs in Lewes and Hastings before joining Eastbourne Town. He arrived in Melbourne in November 2014 and rode his bicycle down to Dallas Brooks Park to check out the local club.
He was given the thumbs up to train and offered terms after just two sessions. His impact was immediate. He won the players’ player of the year and best and fairest awards in his first season as Mornington captured the first of backto-back titles in State 1 South-East. “I pretty much hit the ground running when I first came out here and that’s what I need to do again,” said Elliott. “I need to have a good pre-season and if I’m fit I’ve got no doubts that Mornington will see that same Steve Elliott again.” Mornington could make another key signing this week with a leading NPL player among the club’s targets. Last week the club announced the appointment of Serhat Ozenir as technical director. Ozenir has an AFC A licence and has been involved with both men’s and women’s soccer at junior and senior levels and has had stints at Monash Uni, Sandringham, Dingley Stars, Brighton, Beaumaris and Eltham. Meanwhile, new Baxter senior coach Francis Beck continues to oversee an influx of newcomers with Langwarrin striker Jack Thornton and Mornington pair, striker Mick Richardson and midfielder Jack Dempsey, training at Baxter Park last week. Beck expects some players from Seaford at Baxter training this week as his rebuilding program with the senior squad gains momentum.
Langwarrin’s under-age NPL squads for 2018 SOCCER
By Craig MacKenzie LANGWARRIN has finalised its underage squads for its inaugural season in the second tier of Victoria’s National Premier League competition. The Lawton Park outfit attracted triallists from such distant climes as far north Queensland with three Cairns teenagers from Leichhardt Lions FC getting the nod to join Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor’s under-20 squad. Taylor is a former Seaford United senior coach who was appointed coach of Bentleigh Greens’ under-20s in late 2014 and guided the youngsters to the 2015 NPL reserves championship. “I’m very happy with the squad we have put together at Langy. They are a very talented group, all technically sound,” Taylor said. “We have a good spread of ages, the youngest player being 15 while the oldest turns 20 next year. “I think the Greens’ squad was a little more experienced at this level, but player for player we aren’t far behind. “I think we’ll be very competitive and I expect several of them to be pushing to play senior football in 2018.” The club best represented among the successful triallists throughout the age groups is Mornington with 22 players. Morwell-based Gippsland FC is well represented with six successful triallists, five in Michael Vanderzvet’s under-16 squad. The season kicks-off in February. Here are the squads with previous club in brackets (note that the under-12s will field two teams): UNDER 12s GOALKEEPERS: Caleb Gray (Langwarrin), Angus Morrison (Mt Eliza). DEFENDERS: Charlie Allen (Mornington), Lucas Hodgson (Mornington), Joshua Hubble (Langwarrin), Darcy Whild (East Bentleigh), Jack Duckett
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Bentleigh), Vincent Giampa (Bentleigh Greens), Dave Petty (Springvale White Eagles), Charlie Jeffs (Springvale White Eagles). MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Eichenberger (Springvale White Eagles), Manuel Sibly (Dandenong City), Sam Delaney (Springvale White Eagles), Tyler Sharpe (Bentleigh Greens), Jett Collins (Bentleigh Greens), Jack Bradbury (Springvale White Eagles). FORWARDS: Billy Owen (Springvale White Eagles), Altan Cevik (Springvale White Eagles), Tobey deJong (Springvale White Eagles), Kyle Marambio (Dandenong Thunder). COACH: Donn Delaney.
NPL-bound: Former Baxter striker Travis Ernsdoerfer has joined Langwarrin. Picture: John Punshon
(East Bentleigh). MIDFIELDERS: Thomas Gabriel (Langwarrin), Daniel Bennett (Mt Martha), Jimmy Hay (East Bentleigh), Lochlan Millar (Langwarrin), Nelson Niddrie (Langwarrin), Flynn O’Reilly (Mt Martha), Tom Oswell (Langwarrin), Nave Yoresh (Mornington), Harper Frankeni (Baxter), Sean Murphy (Casey Comets), Hugo Rosseto (Mornington). FORWARDS: Dominic FoldiFried (Mt Eliza), Bryn Martin (East Bentleigh), Juan Marchan (Mornington), Zachary Petratos (Springvale White Eagles), Alasdair Muir-Simpson (East Bentleigh), Jett Walles (Peninsula Strikers). COACHES: Mitchell Ball, Andy Duckett. UNDER 13s GOALKEEPER: Kohen Beaumont (Bentleigh Greens).
Frankston Times 27 November 2017
DEFENDERS: Jordy May (Rosebud Heart), Zac McEwing (Mornington), Nelson Powell (Mt Eliza), Jack Geddes (Springvale White Eagles), William Turner (Gippsland FC). MIDFIELDERS: Cooper Brisbane (Dandenong Thunder), Cooper Leopold (Oakleigh Cannons), Cain Vickery (Mornington), Hunter Vanderzwet (Bentleigh Greens), Arman Hasikic (Peninsula Strikers), Sam Ruddy (Mt Martha). FORWARDS: Lucas Chihotski (Bentleigh Greens), Kyle Parrott (Dandenong Thunder), Raman Aryal (Dandenong Thunder), Brodie Bennett (Peninsula Strikers). COACH: Gary Brisbane. UNDER 14s GOALKEEPER: Jess McManus (Peninsula Strikers). DEFENDERS: Tom Duckett (East
UNDER 15s GOALKEEPER: Nathan Lynders (Mornington). DEFENDERS: Jack Allen (Mornington), Matthew Hodgson (Mornington), Joshua Newland (Kingston City), Isaiah Liberman (Mornington), Ben Schmidt (Mornington). MIDFIELDERS: Brodie Jones (Springvale White Eagles), Gavin O’Reilly (Mornington), Dylan Fisher (Dandenong City), Maximus Brancatisano (Mornington), Charlie Gunning (Mornington). FORWARDS: Declan Jackson (Mornington), Owen Murphy (Springvale White Eagles), Tom Wood (Mornington), Brodie McMinimee (Springvale White Eagles), Sam Maggs (Springvale White Eagles). COACH: Doug Hodgson. UNDER 16s GOALKEEPER: Branten Kindler (Peninsula Strikers). DEFENDERS: Adam Ford (Frankston Pines), Oscar Plenkovitch (Gippsland FC), Nick Wright (Peninsula Strikers), Ben Nicholson (Mornington), Zoran Winkelman (Gippsland FC). MIDFIELDERS: Howie Anderson (Mornington), Logan Wilson (Lang-
warrin), Luca Sibly (Dandenong City), Tristan Donohue (Gippsland FC), Kiaren Keith (Peninsula Strikers), Mitchell Baker (Mornington). FORWARDS: Adi Page (Gippsland FC), Oscar Vanderzvet (Bentleigh Greens), Lachlan Jackson (Mornington), Adam Semple (Gippsland FC). COACH: Michael Vanderzvet. UNDER 18s GOALKEEPER: Colby Jones (Langwarrin). DEFENDERS: Aiden McKenna (Peninsula Strikers), Josh Millar (Springvale White Eagles), Rayyan Siddiqui (Springvale White Eagles), Tommy Soeun (Bentleigh Greens). MIDFIELDERS: Calvin Delaney (Springvale White Eagles), Noah Green (Mt Eliza), Cameron Boulton (Casey Comets), Coby Templin (Glen Eira), Jonathan Hardy (Keysborough). FORWARDS: Matthew Evans (Springvale White Eagles), Zachary Korolidis (Rosebud Heart), Angus Vanderzvet (Bentleigh Greens), Akieva Barlow (Dandenong Thunder). COACH: Colin Noble. UNDER 20s GOALKEEPER: Ben Caballero (Dandenong Thunder). DEFENDERS: Joshua Mulla (Leichhardt Lions FC), Cedric Benza (Springvale White Eagles), Akbar Assadi (Bentleigh Greens), Tim Millar (Springvale White Eagle), Max Boulton (Phillip Island). MIDFIELDERS: Nicholas Simmons (Langwarrin), Cassius Delaney (Springvale White Eagles), Maziad Chazbek (Dandenong Thunder), Ayden Eszes (Leichhardt Lions FC), Alexander Whyte (Bentleigh Greens). FORWARDS: Cole Ryan (Kingston City), Travis Ernsdoerfer (Baxter), Cody Eszes (Leichhardt Lions FC), Keegan Guy (Bentleigh Greens), Nat Daher (Mornington). COACH: Kevin Taylor.