Green Gully coach Stephen Downes on recruiting haul and NPL expectations

Green Gully missed NPL Victoria finals by one point last season, a result that isn’t good enough for a club of the Cavaliers’ standing says coach Stephen Downes.

Green Gully in action against Altona Magic.

Missing out on NPL Victoria finals by a solitary point has been a driving force behind Green Gully’s eye-catching off-season.

The Cavaliers fell agonisingly short of the top-six last season, despite winning three of their final five games, finishing with a 13-1-12 record.

It has seen the club undertake an active summer period, losing several key players but bringing in a number of high-profile recruits.

Jordan Lampard, Nahuel Bonada (both South Melbourne) and Luc Jeggo (Preston Lions) have left and the likes of Luca Tevere, Jalil Regague (both Port Melbourne), Lucas Derrick (Bentleigh), Dalibor Markovic (Preston Lions) and Jamie Latham (Moreland City) have arrived.

Gully has also made several strong friendly performances, notably knocking off South Melbourne.

Green Gully in action against Altona Magic.

Cavaliers coach Stephen Downes said last season’s disappointment was being used to fuel the 2024 campaign.

“Yeah, 100 per cent, Green Gully is a finals club,” Downes said.

“It’s standing within Victorian football and not just Victorian but Australian non-league football, it’s definitely a finals club.

“Missing out last year was a disappointment and it’s a driving factor for myself and the group to give it a good shake and hopefully come the end of the year have some silverware.

“We discuss expectations, we don’t got into too much detail externally, we keep it in-house.”

Pierce Waring will again led the line for Green Gully in 2024.

Green Gully in action against Altona Magic.

The star striker netted 13 times in 20 appearances last season, while Adolph Koudakpo scored eight goals and Josh Hope seven, along with a string of assists.

Hope’s impressive season was rewarded with the Tony Vella Medal as club best-and-fairest.

Untimely results were an issue for the Cavaliers last season.

The club’s attack ranked fourth in the competition with 53 goals, while on defence, it conceded 40 times – ranked fifth.

Downes will look to improve the consistency from week to week this season.

“I don’t look too much into (pre-season) results but the performances, there’s been a lot of positive signs,” he said.

“We keep building on that and then there’s 29 rounds to get it right, I say 29 because there’s finals and a final.

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“There’s been a bit of turnover but we’ve recruited well.

“With all the hard work we’ve put in in pre-season we hope it bodes well and we gel quickly.

“Once they all get to know each other better I think it will be a positive year.

“In Australia it’s 14 weeks and where I come from it’s an eight-week process, so you’re just chomping at the bit.”

Green Gully kicks off its 2024 campaign at home against Moreland City on Friday, February 9.