Category: News

It has been a roller coaster off-season for the South Melbourne Women’s Football Club following their back-to-back Women’s Premier League titles. Despite their Grand Final triumph in September 2015, making them back to back champions, SMWFC were not included by FFV into the 2016 Women’s National Premier League. They have since undergone extensive restructuring in the off-season both on and off the park.

The most significant change has seen SMWFC’s teams now forming “One Club” with South Melbourne Football Club. That means that all male and female footballers, seniors and juniors, will be fielded by SMFC from 2016. Years of hard work, ensuring that men, women, boys and girls will be looked after and promoted equally in the best interests of SMFC and its members and supporters, culminated in a historic vote last Wednesday night (23 March), at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. Also at the meeting, SMFC members overwhelmingly supported the necessary amendments to the Club’s constitution to bring the club back together as one and to ensure every player and member is an equal part of it.

The SMFC membership supported changes to the Constitution to immediately provide for a minimum of one female director on the SMFC Board of Directors and other measures to ensure equal opportunities for all which the club expects will be to everyone’s benefit. This historic move shows the commitment of SMFC to strengthen and grow the female component of the Club and to ensure a strong and diverse Board of Directors to meet the Club’s future challenges and aims.

At the AGM, former SMWFC President Gabrielle Giuliano proudly officially accepted her position as the first female SMFC Director under the new structure. Gabrielle has a strong business background in her professional career and has worked tirelessly over numerous years to create a strong SMWFC that has enjoyed so much recent success. Gabrielle is also the daughter of legendary 1960s South Melbourne Hellas player John Margaritis (who also coached the club in the 1970s) and has been part of the South Melbourne family for many years.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Gabrielle, was very proud of the new structure being so strongly supported by the membership. “We are all extremely excited and proud that the SMFC membership base has accepted and driven this change at our club. For the members to so clearly and enthusiastically support the necessary amendments to the Club’s constitution to include female representation on the Board of Directors and equality of opportunity for women and girls signifies the progress our club and our members are making. It is a historic day not only for our club but for women’s football in Victoria.”

2016 SMFC season pass holders also benefit from the move, with each membership allowing free access to all Women’s matches in 2016. We urge all members and fans to support our girls as we strive for yet another successful season.

South Melbourne FC and the Victorian Government formally executed the Club’s new 40-year lease and license on both its Lakeside Stadium exclusive and non-exclusive areas earlier this morning.

SMFC President Leo Athanasakis described the executing of the documents as a historic moment, with the Club finally able to commence building its new administrational offices, museum, futsal court and bisto / social room in its exclusive areas.

Mr Athanasakis thanked Mr Bill Papastergiadis and his legal team at Moray & Agnew Lawyers for finalising the legal documents. “Bill applied not only expert legal knowledge to the enormous difficulties faced by our club, he also utilised his significant connections with Government to ensure that an excellent deal was achieved. There is no doubt that we would not have achieved this result without Bill’s contribution.

“This has come at significant personal cost, with Moray & Agnew Lawyers not charging any legal fees whilst Bill was on the SMFC Board of Management, therefore saving the Club over $200,000 in fees. History will record that as a significant turning point for us and I am sure that the entire South Melbourne family is extremely grateful to both Bill and Moray & Agnew.”

Mr Papastergiadis thanked Mr Athanasakis and the SMFC Board of Management for their commitment in seeing the agreement through. “Without Leo’s dedication and his participation in all meetings, this great result would not have been possible.”

Mr Papastergiadis also noted that the Greek Community of Melbourne is obliged to step in and assist any Greek entity in Victoria. “The Greek Community of Melbourne has to play a strong advocacy role for any Greek-based organisation. It became involved with the negotiations due to the rich contribution that SMFC has made to our Greek community for over fifty years and it wanted a positive result for the club.”

Mr Papastergiadis then elaborated about the new agreements executed this morning. “These agreements allow SMFC to invest towards securing the Club’s ultimate goal of playing top tier football in Australia. The infrastructure offered by the new Lakeside Stadium agreements are essential towards securing the long-term support of Football Federation Australia.”

Mr Athanasakis also thanked State Labor Member for Albert Park, Mr Martin Foley MP. “Minister Foley’s involvement was critical in achieving such a positive outcome for our club in the agreements that have been executed today.”

A very proud Mr Foley congratulated Mr Athanasakis, the SMFC Board of Management and Mr Papastergiadis. “South Melbourne FC’s new 40-year lease gives the club the security and certainty that it needs to build for the future. SMFC has been a great club for many years and today’s agreements now give it the opportunity to take its on-field and off-field activities to an even higher level.

“As the Local Member for Albert Park, I want to congratulate SMFC in negotiating such an excellent deal that secures its future at Lakeside Stadium and I look forward to visiting and utilising the Club’s new facilities when they are completed.”

South Melbourne FC proudly welcomes Bayview Eden Melbourne as the club’s official 2016 Accommodation Partner.

Perfectly positioned both for business and leisure, Bayview Eden Melbourne is located adjacent to the beautiful Albert Park Lake and Golf Course. It is close to the Melbourne CBD and is only minutes away from our Lakeside Stadium home. The club has already been able to accommodate several coaches and players at the hotel thanks to the new partnership.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, an excited SMFC Operations Manager George Kouroumalis welcomed the news. “Bayview Eden have already been amazing for our club in accommodating players and coaches from overseas and interstate. With many discounts given to SMFC members, we are excited about embarking on this new partnership and having Bayview Eden Melbourne as our official Accommodation Partner in 2016.”

Bayview have created a special booking site that allows all SMFC members access to a corporate rate that is a fraction of the usual room rate. We encourage our members to get in touch with the team at the hotel to activate these deals by mentioning SMFC.

We welcome Bayview Eden Melbourne and look forward to a productive and mutually beneficial partnership.

South Melbourne FC would like to wish all of its corporate partners, members, volunteers and fans a very happy and safe Easter.

All NPL Victoria Youth teams also have the weekend off, so we look forward to all of our sides returning to action next weekend.

South Melbourne FC crumbled to its first PS4 NPL Victoria defeat in 2016 against a fast-finishing Richmond Eagles at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Thursday night. Five goals in the last half hour of the game gave the home side its best ever win against South and condemned Chris Taylor’s side to a humiliating defeat. It is the first time since January 2000 that South has conceded six goals in a competitive match. 

In its last two league matches, both against newly promoted sides (Bulleen and Richmond), South has gained only one point, which in itself was fairly fortunate. Whilst it had been very disappointing against Bulleen, South began the match against Richmond well and had the lead after ten minutes, when Nick Epifano’s low drive from the left deflected off Richmond centre-half Geert-Arend Roorda and into the back of the net.

Richmond centre-forward Nick Niagoran sent a warning sign to South by hitting the crossbar with a header before his low drive across goal was flicked home by Liam Flynn for the equalising goal. There was some controversy with the goal as it appeared that the referee had missed a shirt pull on Epifano that should have resulted in a South free kick. South hit back and regained the advantage via a well-taken Epifano penalty following Bryan Bran’s soft foul on Milos Lujic in the penalty box.

Lujic himself got on the scoresheet seven minutes before the halftime break, latching onto a Tim Mala long ball over the Richmond defence and slotting past Tapia for his 50th league goal in South Melbourne colours. Mathew Theodore had a great chance to put South three goals ahead but Tapia made a fine save, keeping the score to 1-3 at the halftime break.

South looked to close the game off in the second half and everything seemed to be fine until just after the hour mark. Richmond rightly felt aggrieved not to have been awarded a penalty for a handball in the box before Niagoran turned Michael Eagar inside out and tucked the ball past Nikola Roganovic for a well-deserved goal.

Two minutes later, Niagoran’s back-post header fell perfectly for Nick Kokolakis to smash home the equalising goal before Richmond did eventually get a penalty for a handball in the area by Matthew Millar. 2015 South player Jake Barker-Daish sent Roganovic the wrong way with his spot-kick and all of a sudden the home side was 4-3 ahead and playing fantastic football.

Kokolakis put Barker-Daish through on 83 minutes to make the score 5-3 before Niagoran was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Seven minutes of injury time was initially awarded but that turned into nine minutes partly due to substitutions made. As South pushed forward trying in vain to get back into the match, Flynn wrapped up a remarkable game by springing the offside trap and scoring his second goal with the final kick of the game, confirming an incredible 6-3 win for his side.

There was further frustration in the Under 20s, with Brian MacNicol’s side unable to break the deadlock in a game that finished 0-0 with Richmond.

South needs to re-group quickly before the tough assignment against Hume City at ABD Stadium next Saturday night.

FINAL SCORE: RICHMOND EAGLES 6-3 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 1-3)

Goal Scorers:
0-1: Geert-Arend Roorda own goal (10′)
1-1: Liam Flynn (25′)
1-2: Nick Epifano (33’p)
1-3: Milos Lujic (38′)
2-3: Nick Niagoran (63′)
3-3: Nick Kokolakis (65′)
4-3: Jake Barker-Daish (73’p)
5-3: Jake Barker-Daish (83′)
6-3: Liam Flynn (90+9′)

Richmond Eagles FC:
20. Gian TAPIA (GK), 5. Geert-Arend ROORDA, 6. Peter SAWAN (19. Brendan RICHARDSON 55′), 7. Hamlet ARMENIAN (4. Travis CHALK-HATTON 90+4′), 8. Jake BARKER-DAISH, 9. Nick NIAGIORAN (sent off 87′), 11. Liam FLYNN, 13. Bryan BRAN, 14. Kris KIOUSSIS, 18. Jordan SEETO, 22. Nick KOKOLAKIS (15. Jay KELLY 90′).
Unused Subs: 1. Christian ROSSI (GK), 16. Nicholas POPOVICH.

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK) / 2. Tim MALA (27. Leigh MINOPOULOS 76′), 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 5. Luke ADAMS, 11. Brad NORTON / 23. Matthew FOSCHINI (14. Chris IRWIN 90+5′), 8. Mathew THEODORE (77. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS 64′) / 18. Matthew MILLAR, 17. Marcus SCHROEN, 7. Nick EPIFANO / 9. Milos LUJIC.
Unused Subs: 3. Kristian KONSTANTINIDIS, 21. Zaim ZENELI (GK).

SMFC Melbourne City Toyota Man of the Match: Marcus Schroen
Venue: Kevin Bartlett Reserve
Date: Thursday 24 March 2016

SMFC would like to inform all 2015 members attending tonight’s Annual General Meeting at Lakeside Stadium that entry will be from Gate 1 (non traditional entry gate).

The area is still in pack down mode following the Australian Grand Prix and as a result the main car park at Lakeside Stadium has limited parking.

Please park either close to Gate 1 or on Albert Road for easier access.

PS4 NPL Victoria action returns on Thursday night when South Melbourne FC travels to Kevin Bartlett Reserve for the first time since 2013 to play the promoted Richmond Eagles.

South cruised through to the Fifth Round of Westfield FFA Cup qualifying with a 10-0 victory against Zagame’s State League Four opponent Keysborough last Saturday. The match provided coach Chris Taylor with the opportunity to rotate his squad and give the weekend off to eight of the usual starting eleven. Whilst the majority of the usual starting eleven will be back playing on Thursday night, several players had good performances against Keysborough and may give Taylor some selection headaches.

Richmond have spent the last two seasons in NPL 1 after being relegated from Victoria’s top flight in 2013. They fell four points short of promotion in 2014 before finishing first and winning promotion on the final day of the 2015 NPL 1 season. Rick Mensink’s 2016 side have struggled so far in their return back to the top flight, securing only one point from four league matches so far. Having said that, former South men Hamlet Armenian, Bryan Bran and Jake Barker-Daish will be keen to beat their former side.

The last match between South and Richmond was a 1-1 draw at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Friday 2 August 2013, with Luke Hopper scoring South’s goal. The two clubs first played in 1961 when South Melbourne Hellas and Richmond Alemannia met in the Victorian State League. Richmond have been in Victoria’s top flight alongside South in 1961, 1963, 2006-2013 and are back again in 2016.

Thursday night’s match at Kevin Bartlett Reserve kicks off at 8:30pm.

SMFC v Richmond Eagles – Head to Head (League & Finals)

Matches Played: 20
Wins (SMFC): 11
Wins (REFC): 5
Draws: 4

First match: South Melbourne 6-1 Richmond (3 June 1961, Middle Park)
Last match: Richmond 1-1 South Melbourne (2 August 2013, Kevin Bartlett Reserve)

Biggest Winning Margin (SMFC): 5 goals (6-1 win, 3 June 1961, Middle Park)
Biggest Winning Margin (REFC): 3 goals (3-0 win, 30 April 2010, Kevin Bartlett Reserve)

Most Goals in a Match (SMFC): 6 (3 June 1961, Middle Park)
Most Goals in a Match (REFC): 3 (1961, 2010, 2012)

Biggest Finals Win (SMFC): None
Biggest Finals Win (REFC): None

 

NPL	Home	Away	Finals
1961	6-1	4-3	–
1963	4-2	2-2	–
2006	2-1	1-0	–
2007	0-1	3-2	–
2008	1-0	0-2	–
2009	3-0	3-1	–
2010	2-2	0-3	–
2011	1-0	0-1	–
2012	1-3	1-1	–
2013	3-2	1-1	–

South Melbourne FC wishes to advise that the 2016 Jersey Presentation Night will be held at our long-standing partner Beachcomber Cafe on Friday 8 April from 8pm. A three-course meal will be provided inclusive of beer, wine and soft drink.

Fox Sports W-League commentator and presenter Stephanie Brantz will host the event.

The SMFC Senior teams (men and women) will be presented with their 2016 playing jersey on the night, with guests invited to bid for each player in the annual Player Auction. Each winning bidder will be recognised as that player’s official 2016 sponsor, with public acknowledgements throughout the season.

There will also be a raffle, with several prizes to be won on the night.

For bookings email the club at multimedia@smfc.com.au or visit www.smfc.com.au/Jersey16

South Melbourne FC progressed to the Westfield FFA Cup Fifth Round with a 10-0 victory over Keysborough at John Cain Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Milos Lujic and the returning Leigh Minopoulos both scored hat-tricks as South booked its spot in the next round.

Coach Chris Taylor made wholesale changes from the starting eleven that drew 2-2 with FC Bulleen Lions last Monday night. Only the centre-halves Michael Eagar, Luke Adams and centre-forward Milos Lujic started against Keysborough, with Taylor gave starting berths to other players in the squad.

In the first half, Stephen Hatzikostas opened the scoring (and scored his first SMFC goal in the process) with a left-footed finish. Lujic then scored twice, via a tap-in and a headed goal, to put South comfortably ahead 3-0 at the break. Lujic notched his hat-trick early in the second half and was immediately substituted in preparation for the league match against Richmond on Thursday night.

Chris Irwin, playing for the first time in 2016, made the score 5-0 before substitute Matthew Millar added South’s sixth goal and his first goal in South colours. Minopoulos, also playing for the first time this season, scored his hat-trick in the space of eight minutes before Millar got his second of the afternoon – and South’s tenth and final goal – shortly before the full-time whistle.

Keysborough are now out of the cup but the Zagame’s State League 4 side – five divisions underneath South – should be proud, having won three qualifying matches to reach the Fourth Round.

It is the fourth time in South’s history that the senior men’s team has scored 10 goals in a competitive fixture, with the other three occasions being the 10-1 league win against Moonee Ponds (April 1960), the 10-0 win against Konica FC in the Oceania Club Championship (September 1999) and the 14-0 Dockerty Cup win against Yarraville Glory (April 2011).

The focus returns back to the PS4 NPL Victoria campaign, with South’s next game being against the promoted Richmond Eagles at Kevin Bartlett Reserve this Thursday night. The match kicks off at 8:30pm.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 10-0 KEYSBOROUGH (HT: 3-0)

Goal Scorers:
1-0: Stephen Hatzikostas (23′)
2-0: Milos Lujic (28′)
3-0: Milos Lujic (35′)
4-0: Milos Lujic (47′)
5-0: Chris Irwin (50′)
6-0: Matthew Millar (67′)
7-0: Leigh Minopoulos (70′)
8-0: Leigh Minopoulos (76′)
9-0: Leigh Minopoulos (78′)
10-0: Matthew Millar (86′)

South Melbourne FC:
21. Zaim ZENELI (GK) / 12. Amadu KOROMA, 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 5. Luke ADAMS (18. Matthew MILLAR 52′), 13. Luke EYLES / 6. Filtzgerald MBAKA (17. Marcus SCHROEN 56′), 77. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS / 14. Chris IRWIN, 22. Andy KECOJEVIC, 27. Leigh MINOPOULOS / 9. Milos LUJIC (8. Mathew THEODORE 48′).
Unused Subs: 7. Nick EPIFANO, 33. Rory BRIAN (GK).

Keysborough SC:
1. Jean-Michel MACLOU (GK), 3. Joel WITHERDIN, 4. Fabien L’EVEILLE, 5. Euclides GONCALVES, 6. Obed BAHEERATHAN (11. Gladwyn ROBERTS 61′), 9. Heip TANG, 10. Victor PINTO (8. Mert SAKRANLIOGLU 74′), 12. Marcello PIZZIRUSSO, 13. Heip TRAN, 16. Ali HUSEN, 22. Marcus ROBERTS (18. Darren HANCOCK 52′).
Unused Subs: 15. Michael JURICIC, 21. Joshua TOSCANO (GK).

SMFC Melbourne City Toyota Man of the Match: Leigh Minopoulos
Venue: John Cain Reserve
Date: Saturday 19 March 2016

One opening. Regardless of how he is playing, that is all South Melbourne striker Milos Lujic needs to alter the result of a game.

“I’m a different kind of player,” Lujic tells smfc.com.au. “Whereas a winger’s game can be judged on crosses and dribbles, I get marked on my goals.”

“I’m always going to be in the box and trying to score because that’s my game. I’m the type of player where even if I don’t get a touch the whole match I can just pop up and score a goal.”

Lujic’s goal scoring nous was no more evident than in South Melbourne’s NPL Victoria round four clash against Bulleen Lions at the Veneto Club on March 14, 2016.

Two-nil down and being outplayed by the Lions, South dug its heels in and reduced the deficit through a Mathew Theodore strike in the 84^th minute. South Melbourne continued to press but scoring an equaliser so late in the game looked increasingly unlikely.

Enter Milos Lujic.

Having been well held for the majority of the match, Lujic drifted into a dangerous area and was found by a sumptuous cross from the left wing by Nick Epifano. Lujic rose above both a desperate Lions’ centre-back, and goalkeeper Griffin McMaster, to nod home the equaliser and send the strong away contingent into delirium.

Self-belief is a major barometer for Lujic. It is the faith that he has in his goal scoring ability that has helped him to win the last three league golden boot awards.

“I’m confident of scoring goals in every game I go into and if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t be the striker I am today,” Lujic says.

Lujic endured an interrupted start to South Melbourne’s campaign as he missed the latter part of the preseason due to family commitments. In spite of this, his goal against Bulleen was the 26-year-old’s third in four matches.

“To be honest I had a really good preseason but then I had my wedding and the honeymoon and that set me back a little bit,” Lujic says.

“With me it’s just about getting fit. There’s no real in or out of form; if I’m fit I score goals.”

Life away from football also assists in keeping Lujic grounded. As a grade three teacher he is helping to mould the next generation of youth.

“I coached the kids first and then decided to get into teaching as well,” Lujic says.

“I love working with kids and always wanted to be a P.E. teacher and it sort of went into classroom work as well after I finished my degree.”

Lujic’s nurturing character is also evident at South Melbourne as he is prone to taking younger players under his wing.

“I started playing seniors at 16 so I try to give a bit of advice to boys in a similar situation like Andy Kecojevic,” Lujic says. “I tell them not to stress out too much and just work hard.”

“It’s important that they don’t get too down on themselves, because I remember when I was a kid and things didn’t go my way, I’d be a bit harsh on myself. Putting pressure on yourself is not the right thing to do.”

“The most important thing I’m encouraging the boys to do it just enjoy the experience. I know I’m really starting to enjoy my football especially now in the later years of my career.”