Oakleigh Cannons has announced the signing of six new players to the senior squad for 2016 including Greek import Ioannis Georgopoulos and former South Melbourne striker Dimi Hatzimouratis, who returns to his hometown after a successful season with Sydney Olympic in 2015 during which he scored 17 goals.
Twenty-three-year-old midfielder Georgopoulos has played most recently at OFI Crete in Greece’s top league, and for second division club Paniliakos.
Championship-winning central defender Steven Topalovic also joins on a two-year deal, after the 24-year-old enjoyed premiership success with Bentleigh Greens, making 26 appearances in 2015. Prior to the Greens, he played for Dandenong City, Dandenong Thunder, South Melbourne and Richmond, after having started as a junior with Dandenong City.
Right back Thomas Lakic joins from South Melbourne whilst Bendigo City midfielder Corey Slevin and South Springvale utility Perry Lambropoulos have also signed on for 2016.
On the departure side of the ledger, midfielder Lambros Honos leaves the Cannons after one season to return to his former club Port Melbourne Sharks.
In other NPL news, the FFV has announced some adjustments to the names of the top tiers of the NPL competition for 2016.
The top tier (formerly NPL) will now be known as PS4 NPL1, while the second tier will again be divided into two conferences to be called PS4 NPL 2 East and PS4 NPL 2 West.
The name changes bring Victoria into line with the names of the top tier competitions in other states nationwide.
The top team in each of the two NPL 2 conferences will win automatic promotion to NPL 1 whilst the runners-up in each of the NPL 2 conferences will go into a play-off, with the winner progressing to a second play-off with the third last team in NPL1 for a spot in the NPL1 the following season.
Former 2015 West conference team Brunswick City will cross over and join the NPL 2 East competition for season 2016, so that newly-relegated teams Werribee City and North Geelong are accommodated into NPL 2 West.