SOCCER

PENINSULA Strikers announced on Friday that they had signed Steve Elliott and Campbell Steedman from Mornington.

There’s a sense of unfinished business at Centenary Park after just missing out on promotion from State 2 this year and both new signings are expected to play pivotal roles in the club’s title tilt in 2023.

Strikers now have joint senior coaches in Donn Delaney and Scott Morrison with the latter switching from Mornington so he’s well positioned to assess the newcomers.

“There’d been initial contact with Campbell before I got involved (with Strikers) but obviously when I got involved it was a no brainer to get him on board,” Morrison said.

“He brings attacking flair which is pretty exciting, he’s quick as and he’s going to cause some teams real headaches with his speed and how dangerous he is going forward.

“It’s exciting to think about the diversity he brings as he can play on either wing or through the middle.”

Morrison describes Elliott as “a massive signing” both on and off the pitch.

“Stevie flagged his interest over a week ago and as soon as I found out I got straight onto the phone.

“On the pitch he gives us the quality of his football and his leadership but just as importantly off the pitch it’s what he brings to the group especially the young boys in terms of teaching them and guiding them.”

Steedman, 21, started his football journey at Mount Eliza before joining Bulleen’s NPL under-18s and making his mark in impressive fashion.

He spearheaded a successful championship tilt in 2018 and won the league’s Golden Boot award with a 27-goal haul.

He played in Bulleen’s under-20s the following year with the team finishing second to Melbourne City.

It was with the under-20s that he switched from playing through the middle to often being used in a wide role.

He joined Mornington for the 2021 season and it was as a winger that Steedman was primarily called upon.

“When I first met with the people at Strikers they asked me what position I preferred to play and I told them I liked playing out wide,” Steedman said.

He seems certain to get more game time at Centenary Park but switching to Strikers and playing in a division below Mornington was prompted by other reasons too.

“I know a few of the players there and they’re good guys and I like the direction the club is taking.

“They don’t expect much of a player turnover so if they keep the squad and maybe add a couple more signings I think they’ll be well positioned to challenge for promotion.”

Elliott, 34, didn’t take long to establish himself as a top-class defender with Mornington after arriving from England in November 2014.

He won the players’ player of the year and best and fairest awards in his first season at Dallas Brooks Park as Mornington captured the first of back-to-back titles in State 1 South-East.

Elliott switched to Doveton in 2019 for a short stint before returning to Mornington but he stepped away from the sport last season choosing to concentrate on parenting his young family.

Watching the exciting climax to the State 1 season with both Mornington and Strikers just missing promotion in the final round of matches sparked his interest in returning.

He spoke with Strikers assistant coach and good friend Jason Symonds and met with the club early last week.

Three days later it was a done deal.

“I’m excited by the challenge and I’m excited about what the future could hold for Strikers,” Elliott said.

“I’m impressed with the club not just on but off the field.

“They want to go for promotion, they want to be successful and they want me to be a part of that.”

Strikers are likely to have 19 to 20 players in their senior squad and are understood to have two more signings on their radar.

The buzz about the club is in stark contrast to the previous pre-season when critics decried the senior squad’s quality and thought the team would be fortunate to avoid relegation.

Delaney was in his first year as a senior coach and these critics knew little of his extensive NPL junior knowledge and his ability to put together an exciting and competitive young side.

“Donn has a wonderful relationship with those younger guys around the ages of 20, 21 who have been involved with the NPL program,” Morrison said.

“He built trust with his players and everyone tells me the culture in the dressing room was amazing.

“They had an unbelievable season and played good attacking football and got on a roll.

“I think when injuries hit they stumbled a bit and probably lacked experience in closing off some games.”

No doubt Strikers hope Elliott’s capture goes some way to addressing that issue.

In other news the Mount Eliza Cup kicked off last weekend with 172 junior teams competing in the annual tournament.

Boys’ teams from under 7s to under 15s were in action at Mount Eliza Secondary College and the under 14 and under 15 finals will take place this Saturday at Frankston Pines’ Monterey Reserve headquarters starting at 11.30am.

This weekend is a girls-only event at the secondary college with teams from under 8s to under 16s in action.

Mount Eliza director of football Gary Talbot believes that “around 50 clubs” are represented.

“It’s the biggest junior tournament on the peninsula,” Talbot said.

“It’s been going for 10 years now and continues to grow.”

First published in the Mornington News – 11 October 2022