Almost immediately after midseason transfer window South saw five of their new signings on the team sheet, displacing some of the existing squad and even a couple of fan favourites.

Player turnover is part of football these days, however Australian fans may struggle with this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, other major leagues (AFL, NRL) see minimal transfers activity and this allows fans to better connect with players & therefore clubs.

Although the NPL will always see more player movement then these leagues (by virtue of the transfer market and player preferences), smart clubs should realise there is an opportunity to elevate players in their marketing.

South should do more to celebrate milestones (i.e. 100 appearances) as well as club veterans like Lopez, Jankovic and Mikkola. This would create a powerful new avenue for fans to connect with the club through their favourite players and will help establish a stronger community culture.