The first two months of the 2024 VPL/NPL season has seen the Melbourne Victory Academy make a strong start to proceedings at both the Senior and Junior Academy levels. In the first of a series of recurring articles, Academy Operations Manager Damir Kulas provides an update on all things Academy-related.
Senior Academy
The Senior Academy has made a fantastic start to life in VPL1 (previously NPL2) and currently sit on top of the ladder following an undefeated start to the season which has seen the team amass 17 points from seven games with a goal difference of +13.
Strong away wins over Northcote City (3-1) and Preston Lions (2-0) set the tone early on, with a subsequent draw against Bentleigh Greens (1-1) rounding out the month of February.
In March, the team is yet to concede a goal in 360 minutes of football following fixtures against Eastern Lions (2-0), North Geelong Warriors (4-0), Caroline Springs George Cross (0-0) and most recently Melbourne City (3-0).
Up until Round 1, Jesse Hoey had not yet made his competitive senior debut but now finds himself as the team’s leading goalscoring having scored four goals in seven games. Number nine Adem Duratovic trails closely behind on three goals from seven games himself.
A-League Scholarship players Eli Adams and Matt Bozinovski have both netted twice while Damien Bozinovski, Luka Kolic, Jack Mihailidis and Marc Petheriotis have also found themselves on the scoresheet.
Also making their competitive senior debuts alongside Jesse Hoey (2006) is his twin brother Jordan Hoey (2006), defenders Nikolas Cevizovic (2006) and Dimitri Palatsides (2005), midfielders Will McIntosh (2005), Jack Mihailidis (2006) and Christian Polyzoudis (2007) as well as attackers Victor Muhindo (2005) and Marc Petheriotis (2006).
Senior Academy player Kasey Bos has been rewarded with a Senior Scholarship to the A-League Men’s team and recently made his professional debut against the Central Coast Mariners. He joined Josh Inserra and Franco Lino as Academy Graduates who made their A-League debut this season.
Senior Academy forward Daniel Lazarevski (2006) earned international recognition in February by spending two weeks in camp with the North Macedonia U20 National Team.
The U23s sit third on the table having compiled five wins from their opening seven games. In that time, a number of 2007-born players have received their first experience of U23s football while defender Riley Foxe leads the team in scoring having netted five times in seven games.
Junior Academy
The U14s have maintained a perfect 100{d37f3b5c0f45ab6344599bea986db5dbb532ffb1a96783d731021207b3d302e4} record during the first eight games of the Pre-Qualification phase of the season while the U15s, U16s and U18s remain on course for a strong ladder position as all three teams have won seven of their first eight games.
All four Junior Academy teams will now conclude the Pre-Qualification phase with fixtures against Heidelberg United, Whittlesea Ranges and Brunswick Juventus in the subsequent three weekends prior to the commencement of the Post-Qualification league season in May.
Other News
The Academy welcomes the recent news of Turkish Airlines as the club’s Principal Partner from next season onwards in a three-year agreement.
In addition to the A-League Men’s and Women’s teams, the premier airline will also be the Academy’s front-of-shirt sponsor from the 2025 season onwards.
Senior Academy Captain Alex Menelaou was in attendance for the official announcement earlier this month at the Mirabella Lounge.
Academy sponsorship packages for the 2024 NPL and VPL seasons are still available and those interested in sponsoring our Senior and Junior Academy can enquire by contacting Commercial and Sponsorships Manager Jack Gillibrand at jgillibrand@mvfc.com.au
Photo credit: KOU MEDIA
