SOCCER
THIS is a year of reckoning for Somerville Eagles. Since winning the State 5 South championship in 2019 the Eagles have clung on tenaciously to their State 4 South status but now face a challenge like never before. As previously mentioned in this round-up State 4 and 5 clubs must finish in the top six of their respective leagues to at least maintain their status.
A major reconstruction for 2026 will create State Leagues 6 and 7 and standardise the competition into North-West and South-East divisions at every league level. Clubs finishing from seventh to 10th positions in State 4 and 5 will be relegated to the new State 6 and 7 respectively. Finishing in the last two positions (11th and 12th) condemns those clubs to essentially double relegation which sees them drop down into State 6 (from State 4) and State 7 (from State 5).
Somerville has only once finished in State 4’s top six – it was fifth in 2023 – so history suggests that the Eagles are in for the fight of their lives to retain their league status. And what better man to lead their charge than midfield dynamo Nick Simmons. He played as a junior at Peninsula Strikers, Skye United and Langwarrin before progressing to the Langy reserves then the under-20s in the club’s first NPL season in 2018.
Simmons spent his first full senior season at Frankston Pines in 2019, returned to Strikers for the pandemic-interrupted 2020 and 2021 then took a year off and travelled throughout 2022. When he joined Somerville the following year he gave new meaning to the phrase “the family club” linking with a host of members of his extended family including brothers Josh and Lucas and cousins Tom, Joe and Ben. In what surely must be local football’s most prolific family another cousin, Ally, plays for Seaford United’s women’s team.
Partway through last season Nick Simmons took over as Somerville senior captain and it’s a role that he’s comfortable with despite the responsibility. “I give 110 percent effort and try and lead by example and I leave it all out there,” Simmons said. “And off the field I try and support my teammates as much as possible.”
Sentiments endorsed by head coach Mark Larner. “Nick is not your old-school vocal leader, he is more of a calming and supportive leader,” Larner said. “As a person he isn’t the type to scream and shout at a red light but he will always celebrate when getting a green light and he brings that mentality into his leadership.”
Simmons is confident that Somerville can retain its State 4 status provided it continues in the manner it finished off last season. “I thought the second half of last season was really promising,” he said. “Since I’ve been here we’ve had new players come in and a new coach and it really took until the second half of last season for things to settle and to have more continuity. “I think we can carry that on into this year and continue to improve and if we do then we can finish top six.”
Continuity has been the key to the Eagles’ pre-season preparation with minimal squad disruption.
Losing Conor Mcfall to Seaford United during the off-season had the potential to be a major setback but it increasingly looks as though Max Watson will take on Mcfall’s role up front.
“We could have looked around for an experienced player but instead we wanted to reward a young, tall, quick striker that has been our reserves top scorer for the last few seasons,” Larner added.
“So far Max has been excellent this pre-season and scored some great goals against good opponents.
“And Nathan Brown reached out to the club looking to come home and we welcomed him with open arms. “Nathan is a quality keeper but even more importantly a quality bloke. “He wants to be a part of our squad in whatever capacity we need him whether that is sharing his knowledge and experience with the group, supporting Nick Bucello with his game, back-up when needed or pushing ‘Booch’ for the number one spot.” Other newcomers to Larner’s squad are English defender Jack Gorbert and midfielder Alexander Hall from Mount Martha.
Somerville starts its campaign by hosting Springvale City on Saturday 22 March. It’s a tough start to a tough campaign given that the visitors are touted as one of the favourites for promotion. We’re about to find out whether Somerville’s captain’s confidence is justified and whether the Eagles can take flight in 2025.
In other State 4 news Chelsea featured two new signings in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Heatherton United in a friendly at the Bosnia & Herzegovina Sports Centre. Nathan Gondelle, a right back from Elwood City and central defender Alex Namar from Nunawading City’s Under-23s made their Chelsea debuts with Gondelle’s headed goal from a corner earning Gus Macleod’s men a 1-1 draw.
In State 5 news Seaford United had a good hit-out against State 2 outfit Bentleigh United Cobras going down 4-3 at North Seaford Reserve on Saturday. Seaford led 3-1 at half-time before a series of changes from coach Paul Williams. Seaford’s new players included former star striker Dylan Waugh who has been training for the past few weeks and hopes to be available for the club’s opening round home derby with Mount Martha.
In VPL1 news Langwarrin’s disappointing start to the season continued with a 3-1 away loss to Manningham United Blues on Saturday. Iannis Georgopoulos gave Manningham the lead after 10 minutes but two minutes later Tosan Popo was unmarked at the far post and headed back across the keeper to make it 1-1. The remainder of the half was played with Langy on top but unable to convert.
The second half started in similar fashion with the best chance falling to Luke Adams after a cross evaded everyone only for Adams to shoot wide.
In the 60th minute a deflected Popo cross hit the crossbar and from the resulting clearance and attack Charlie Fry was controversially judged to have committed a foul and was given his second yellow (match vision supports the view that it was the wrong decision). It took Manningham three minutes to put its extra man to good use with Ben Everson scoring the first of a double. Langy continued to press even with 10 men but in the 78th minute Everson killed off the contest after a defensive mistake.
“That was a tough loss for the group to take as they were well in control until the red card which changed the game,” Langwarrin head coach Jamie Skelly said. Things don’t get any easier for the locals who travel to Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Friday to take on championship contender Bentleigh Greens.
Last week’s friendly results:
Skye Utd 4 (Elliott Craig, Steve Hadjikakou pen., Emmanual Scarlett, Sol Scarlett) Rowville Eagles 1; Heatherton Utd 1 Chelsea 1 (Nathan Gondelle); Frankston Pines 0 East Kew 3; Baxter 3 (Daniel Bancroft 2, Hassan Nazari) Mount Eliza 0; Mornington 0 Westgate 2; Somerville Eagles 1 (Marcus Anastasiou) Skye Utd 3 (Elliott Craig 3); Rosebud 6 (Ethan Sanderson 2, Connor Wharton, Kori Weetch, Sean Smith, Alfie Harris) Pakenham Utd 1; Seaford Utd 3 (Logan Johnston, Tristan Stass, Backy Barakzoi) Bentleigh Utd Cobras 4.
This week’s VPL1 round 6:
Friday 14 March
Bentleigh Greens v Langwarrin, Kingston Heath Soccer Complex, 8.30pm
This weekend’s Australia Cup third preliminary round:
Friday 14 March
Old Ivanhoe v Aspendale, Home Of The Matildas (pitch 2), 8pm
Saturday 15 March
Mornington v Darebin, Dallas Brooks Park, 1pm
Lalor Utd v Skye Utd, HR Uren Reserve, 3pm
This week’s local friendlies (check social media to confirm kick-off times):
Tuesday 11 March
Peninsula Strikers reserves v Mount Eliza, Centenary Park, 6.15pm
Thursday 13 March
Chelsea v Sandringham, Edithvale Recreation Reserve, 6.30pm & 8pm
Rosebud v Peninsula Strikers, Olympic Park, 7.15pm
Saturday 15 March
Baxter v Seaford Utd, Baxter Park, 1pm & 3pm
