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NPL Victoria talking points: Thunder rise, Franjic falters, and Preston's depth is tested

  • Writer: Ross Papadakis
    Ross Papadakis
  • Mar 27
  • 5 min read

Updated: Apr 3

The 2025 NPL Victoria season delivered another action-packed weekend, with tactical brilliance, late winners, and emerging narratives shaping the early part of the season. Front Page Football's Ross Papadakis brings you five key takeaways from Round 7.

Front Page Football NPL Victoria

Melbourne Victory's NPL side secured a big away win over Melbourne Knights in Round 7. (Image: Melbourne Victory)


  1. Piddick puts Thunder on the NPL Victoria map


Adam Piddick has been quietly building something special at Dandenong Thunder. His most significant statement was last Saturday night's 2-1 victory over Avondale.


In a season where Avondale has been almost untouchable, Thunder's disciplined, aggressive, and tactically astute performance proved that Piddick is one of the sharpest managers in the NPL Victoria. Beating Avondale isn't just about work rate but execution, organisation, and adaptability. And that's what Dandenong Thunder delivered.

Piddick set his team up with a clear game plan: frustrate Avondale's attacking patterns, force turnovers in dangerous areas, and be ruthless in transition. It worked to perfection.


Avondale, who have steamrolled most opponents, looked rattled for the first time this season. Thunder's midfield suffocated them, while their defensive structure forced the Avengers into uncomfortable positions, preventing them from creating their usual overloads in the wide areas.


What separated Thunder on the night was their ruthlessness in front of goal. While many teams sit deep and hope for scraps against Avondale, Piddick's side picked their moments to press high, which paid off. Goals from Yuki Uchida and Daniel Clark were the product of a side that knew exactly how to exploit the space Avondale left when chasing the game.


Also, a shoutout has to go to NPL Victoria commentator Neal Symons for this peach of a call for Thunder's winning goal:


The star of the week isn't any players but Piddick. Arriving at the Thunder in January 2024, he joined after coaching a middling Port Melbourne side to regular Finals Series appearances and a second-place finish in the 2022 NPL Victoria season—a feat that is a testament to his ability to build competitive, resilient teams capable of challenging the best. Now, at Thunder, he's again proving why he's one of the most astute managers in the league.


With Piddick at the helm, Dandenong Thunder's ceiling is rising fast. If they continue to evolve under his leadership, don't be surprised if they shake up the NPL Victoria Finals Series in 2025.



  1. Selection crisis bites Preston


Preston Lions have been one of the season's great stories. But their momentum hit a roadblock last Friday night as the Oakleigh Cannons secured a 3-2 victory at B.T. Connor Reserve thanks to a Joe Guest brace. While the result itself wasn't shocking, the context surrounding it was that Preston entered the match decimated by injuries and forced into significant selection reshuffles, which showed.


Gian Albano and Lleyton Brooks, two of Preston's most dangerous attacking outlets, were ruled out after suffering injuries in their Round 6 loss to Avondale. Meanwhile, Brandon Lauton's suspension further depleted the squad. Without their usual firepower, the Lions lacked their attacking sharpness and struggled to impose themselves against an experienced Oakleigh side.


It was Guest who took advantage. He dictated play, found dangerous pockets of space, and ultimately made the difference with two clinical finishes. Despite battling hard, Preston struggled to maintain control in key moments.


Injuries and selection dilemmas are part of any season. But for Preston, this game showed the thin margins at the top level. When at full strength, they can match anyone—but depth will be tested as the campaign rolls on and they now contend with two straight losses.

For Oakleigh, a 94th-minute winner, by way of Jordan Hall, gifted them this professional and well-managed three points. The Cannons absorbed pressure when needed and punished Preston's defensive lapses when the opportunities came. With this win, they continue to assert themselves as serious contenders in 2025.



  1. Franjic under fire


We've pointed fingers at plenty of managers this season, and now it's time to turn the spotlight on Ivan Franjic. His Melbourne Knights side sit second-last on the table with just six points from seven games, and last Sunday's 2-1 loss to Melbourne Victory was the latest red flag.


Much optimism surrounded Franjic's appointment, but the Knights have yet to show any real signs of progress. Since their 3-2 win over Heidelberg United in Round 1, their performances have been disjointed, their defensive structure is leaking goals, and the attack lacks fluency.


Against a Victory side battling to avoid relegation, the Knights were outworked, out-thought, and ultimately beaten. It's not just the results; it's the manner of the defeats. There's no clear identity, consistent tactical approach, and no sign that things are improving.

The situation has worsened for Franjic and his Knights side, as over the weekend, they also announced centre-back Miguel Cunha has retired to return to Portugal and receive treatment for an injury that has impacted his recent games.


Without the likes of Cunha, Leo Mazis, and Josh Karantz, Franjic's status as a club legend won't protect him forever. If the Knights don't turn things around quickly, they could be in a full-blown relegation battle. Excuses are running out with seven games played—a decent sample size.



  1. Early-season safety for Victory


On the other side of the coin, predicted by many to be relegation candidates this season, Melbourne Victory have now notched two wins and two draws from their first seven games, an impressive record given the scepticism they faced at the start of the campaign.


Against Knights, Jack Mihailidis and Jesse Hoey were the heroes, both finding the back of the net in a gritty performance that showed the resilience and quality of this young Victory team.

Mihailidis' clinical finish and Hoey's composure under pressure were key in securing the three points and giving Victory a fighting chance of survival this season.


While Melbourne Knights struggle below them on the table, Victory's youth side is growing in confidence with each game. Their determined performances and ability to grind out results against the odds show a side with heart. If they continue this form, they may avoid the drop that many expected them to face.

 

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  1. The rise of Bul Juach


Heidelberg United's 2025 campaign has been a rollercoaster thus far. But one constant shining light has been the emergence of Bul Juach. The 24-year-old forward has been a revelation for the Warriors this season, and his impact was on full display in their 2-0 win over Dandenong City.


Having scored 15 goals in 26 games for Altona Magic in the 2024 NPL Victoria season, the Bergers needed a player to replace the goalscoring ability of Kaine Sheppard, and Juach's rise has been nothing short of electric.


His blistering pace, technical ability, and composure in front of goal have added a new dimension to Heidelberg's attack. Against City, he was once again the difference-maker, bagging a brace of penalties in a performance that underlined his growing influence.


It's not just his scoring ability that makes him special—his movement off the ball, link-up play, and willingness to press from the front have given Heidelberg a new attacking focal point, who now has five goals in seven games this campaign.

For a team that has struggled with consistency, Juach has been the spark they desperately needed to return to winning ways. While the Warriors have blown hot and cold, their striker continues to rise above the chaos.


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