State League One Team Yarraville Glory is a team which knows the value of getting off to a good start in a new campaign. Last season its campaign was hampered by a disrupted pre-season, following a late coaching change. Subsequently, it made a slow start to the season taking just seven points from its first 11 games.
Fortunately, under coach Paul Donnelly, the team rallied in the second half of the season, avoiding relegation. This season the team is keen to continue its strong performances into this year’s campaign.With just three new additions to the senior squad, the squad is a stable, tightly knit group.

According to senior captain Steve Georgakakis “there’s a good chemistry amongst the players in the team and within the change rooms” which he thinks is very important.

“That’s one thing we have over all the teams I believe,” Georgakis said.

“We have such a great bond. It’s not just on the field, it’s off the field and I think that plays a big part. It plays a huge part.”

The team kicked off its season with a 3-2 win against newly promoted Brimbank Stallions last week but faces a stern test this weekend when it hosts one of the pre-season favourites for promotion, old rival Preston Lions, which has had the wood over Yarraville in recent seasons.

The Lions are fresh from inflicting a 7-0 mauling of FC Clifton Hill in the opening round.

Such one-sided score lines may not be so unusual this year, as there will be no relegation from the division due to a restructure of the NPL.

According to Georgakakis, without relegation, “a lot of teams maybe won’t even go for [the promotion] and they’d be happy to maybe save the money for the year, let the reserves play. And you’ll have other teams that will actually go for promotion, because there’s not just one promotion place.”

Two teams are getting promoted this year.

“You’ve got your top teams that will go for it, your Prestons, your Sydenham or Sunshine,” he said.

“We’re going to try and go for it this year. We believe we can. That’s what we’re aiming for, but you do take it week by week.”

Even if it’s not this season, Georgakakis said, in reference to Glory, that it “is their end goal” to make it to NPL.

“Even I’d love to go and play NPL. I think one day it will get there… they do have dreams to be in the NPL.”

The 31-year-old midfielder concedes that the ‘dream’ may not be achieved before he eventually retires from senior football.

Georgakakis stands out on the pitch, not just for his distinctive black beard but for his on-field leadership.

It’s hard to believe his playing career at Yaraville spans three decades. Following in the footsteps of older brother Greg, Steve started as a junior in the mid 90s. A precocious teenager, he made his senior debut at the age of 15 in a team coached by then rookie coach John Anastasiadis. After winning promotion to division two, Georgakakis followed Anastasiadis to VPL club South Melbourne, before returning to Yarraville the following season. He left again in 2010 to follow his football dream in Greece before returning to another State League Greek club, Western Suburbs.

Another overseas trip to play football, followed in 2013, this time to Berlin, before he returned once more to Yarraville, where he has spent the last few seasons captaining the seniors as well as coaching juniors. Through coaching the juniors Georgakakis has witnessed the cycle of former players returning to the club following an absence, with their children.

“You see some players you used to play with, they bring their sons and daughters. It’s just this cycle, it’s weird, but you see it there now. And some of them get involved. They’re on the committee, or they’re coaches or volunteers. It’s nice. You get to see a lot of faces you saw when you were younger.”
Georgakakis says there is a healthy junior base at the club.

“It lays the foundation for the future. These kids are the future. They’ll be playing seniors one day I’m sure.”