A throng of footballers from the region will suit up for some of Australia’s biggest and most historic clubs in 2026, starting with one of Goulburn Valley Suns’ favourite sons.
Brandon Giaccherini has joined Victorian Premier League giant Oakleigh Cannons, ending a decade-long stint at the Suns.
Touted as one of the region’s best home-grown talents, Suns coach Craig Carley thanked Giaccherini for his service to the club and doted on his development to get to where he is today.
“Brandon has been at the club since under-12s and it's amazing to see him progress to a club like Oakleigh Cannons,” he said.
“We are all very proud of him and his dedication and development over the years.
“Brandon is a brilliant player who works so hard on his game and, more importantly, a great human being and will always be welcomed back with open arms.”
Giaccherini lands the big move off the back of a sensational season for the Suns.
Last year he netted a team-high 12 goals from 26 games which placed him in the top five scorers in the Victorian Premier League Two, helping the Orangemen reach the playoffs.
He jumps two steps up the football pyramid to join Oakleigh, bringing his own brand of firepower to the Cannons.
And Carley reckons he’s more than ready for the league.
“He optimises everything of what our regional club is about,” he said.
“I look forward to him showing the NPL exactly how good he is.”
One of Giaccherini’s old Suns strike partners has also made a change within the NPL landscape, albeit one state over.
Teng Kuol, brother of current pros Garang and Alou, has signed for Marconi Stallions in NSW’s top flight after two seasons at Sydney Olympic.
A former Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers youth talent, Kuol scored seven goals last season and moves across town from seventh-ranked Olympic to the third-placed Stallions.
Marconi finished runner-up in the newly-established Australian Championship, which Kuol also featured in for Olympic.
Last, but not least, Shepparton South product Nick Mori is making a step down in order to further his senior career.
Mori busted nets for St Albans Saints in the NPL-under 23 competition last season and finished as the league’s top scorer with 20 goals.
But curiously, that furious form only translated to four senior appearances.
The dead-eye attacker has joined St Albans’ sister club Melbourne Knights in the Victorian Premier League One for 2026, hoping to carve a name out at one of the city’s most respected footballing aristocracies.
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