Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Anthony Napoli/Brisbane City FC

Brisbane City have confirmed two further signings for the PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland 2016 season - defender Kai Smith and attacker Nick Buckley.

The signings lifts the number of confirmed players to John Kosmina’s squad to four for next season.

Smith, 19, proved a stand-out for City in 2015 - winning the club’s Player of the Year Award and earning selection to the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Under 23 All-Stars team last month - and will return for his third season with the club.

For Buckley, also 19, next year’s campaign will mark his fourth year in the senior set-up where he has amassed 37 appearances and 7 goals since 2013.

Buckley said he had no hesitation recommitting himself to the club where he learned the game as a junior.

“I’ve been at the club on-and-off since I was about nine years old, so I know the club inside out and I like a lot of the people behind the scenes,” Buckley explained.

“I enjoy the way the club plays football and the system. I’ve never been into long balls and I really like the expansive football we try to play.”

He said the atmosphere at City is continuing to build in the off-season with recent signing announcements and Kosmina taking over the squad.

“The excitement is constantly growing and, bringing in probably the best coach we could bring in, makes it a great time to be at the club.”

He added that his sights are now firmly set on helping City win their first ever PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland silverware in 2016.

“We just are going to focus on winning that title and going all the way. Whatever comes from there personally will come from winning the Premiership.

“We are assembling the squad that can do that, we’ve definitely got the right coach and we have the resources behind us - anything is possible,” Buckley concluded.