Official South Melbourne Hellas thread 🔵⚪

[Souk]

I would keep Menealou for 2026 simply because we require coverage in the middle of the park when Giannakopoulos and Pasquali will be focusing more on OFC Pro League at times.

We also need to hold onto Spink as well. He'll be playing far more in defence in 2026.

We'll also need to see more of Leech and Pope in the NPL to cover certain matches when the main midfielders are away in an OFC Pro League hubs.

Wonder if we've kept some of the other squaddies that weren't in the Championship squad (Durso, Skapoulas, O'Sullivan, Halfpenny, Head, etc) around or whether they've been cast aside

May as well keep them for the first ten weeks of NPL I reckon

 

[SMFC1959]

 

[smfc_hellas59]

Wonder if we've kept some of the other squaddies that weren't in the Championship squad (Durso, Skapoulas, O'Sullivan, Halfpenny, Head, etc) around or whether they've been cast aside

May as well keep them for the first ten weeks of NPL I reckon

Those players mentioned have been hanging around the club still and been in the change rooms post-game so I’d assume they’ve been told they’ll be required players in 2026

 

[smfc_hellas59]

Well done Koko. I was super critical of his recruitment in the off season prior to the start of the NPL season but he did a great job in the mid season window and then again pre-Aus Championship window aswell.

I really hope we can hold onto all our players and then look at signing another centre back, midfielder and striker assuming Lavale leaves

 

[SMFC1959]

He inherited a dud coach and a playing squad that was lacking some quality to win the championship.

Tremendous turnaround to recruit midseason in order to avoid relegation and now win the Australian Championship. He needs to be congratulated for his work.

 

[Son of Sam]

Here is a video posted today on the 'My Blue Heaven' YouTube channel. The gentleman concerned is a Carlton supporter, but back in the mid to late 1990's was a Hellas member! And he was not Greek.

 

[southmelb]

Great video, i havent been to the old middle park location since 2007, i was overcome with incredible sadness just walking around it that i havent been able to bring myself back there.

When i was a child and it was time to pick my team the venue itself clinched it for me, the place had such an aura.

 

[MikeTuckerman]

I've got a feature on South Melbourne running in the February issue of World Soccer magazine.

Any fans keen to have a quick chat for it? Please DM if you're interested.

 

[Takaki]

Kept my mouth shut this whole Aus Championships - way to shut me up and prove me wrong boys.

Credit to Siniza. Thought he was a donkey but his shut everyone up.

Clubs in a better direction. Strati returning has bought common sense and cohesiveness to the club. As for next season, winning the NPLV championship is a must.

Eliopoulos is a massive get. Aki is pissed about that. Keeping Pasquale and Giannopoulos gives us a midfield that finally had the ability to beat Heidelberg and will beat the likes of Oakleigh.

 

[SMFC1959]

Eliopoulos is a massive get. Aki is pissed about that.

If Eliopoulos can stay healthy and not injured, then he'll be a handy addition. I still think we require another defender as well.

 

[southmelb]

If we can find a way to keep Lavale it would be huge.

 

[SMFC1959]

If we can find a way to keep Lavale it would be huge.

Totally agree. I'm assuming he's looking to go back to the A League. Might come down to if he receives any offers in the January transfer window. Another season of Lavale at South would be an added bonus.

We need a quality winger to compliment the 2026 squad.

 

[SMFC1959]

I cannot see the players returning to preseason training until the end of the first week of 2026. We’ll probably have a small 10 day mini pre-season preparation. Then it’s straight up against Tahiti United on January 18th.

 

[smfc_hellas59]

We lost a friendly this morning to Bentleigh Greens 4-3

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

We lost a friendly this morning to Bentleigh Greens 4-3

Do we know our lineup? It mustve surely been quite lean on starters i will assume!

 

[hellas_johnny]

It said a sprinkle of seniors with u23s. In the pics I've seen javi, inglese, pope and pasqualli

 

[SMFC1959]

Makes sense to have youth players ready to step in for some of the weaker NPL and OFC matches.

 

[Son of Sam]

What a crazy season we’re about to embark on!

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Great video, i havent been to the old middle park location since 2007, i was overcome with incredible sadness just walking around it that i havent been able to bring myself back there.

When i was a child and it was time to pick my team the venue itself clinched it for me, the place had such an aura.

Middle Park was a bit of a dump but it was OUR dump... Nostalgia is a powerful drug sure, but nothing beats the feeling of those days... Even today, a sound, or a passage of play, or a voice from one of the old boys....just takes me back
Middel Park and South Melbourne Hellas - its the smell of old school lamb kalamakia in hotdog buns and lettuce, with Gold Medal (or was it Tarax) cans in massive tubs of ice. My uncles Kingswood with 7 cousins and 4 uncles all piled in rushing to get out of the gravel muddy car park. Rushing from one end behind the goals to the other at half time so we can see all the goals from Blair and Dougie.....

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

What a crazy season we’re about to embark on!

With 63 matches (or whatever) lined up we should be sure to make a big sook about it to JA and the eggs on toast brigade with their "hardest working team in show business"..