"He will be missed" - Victory prepares to farewell club legend Jason Geria

Melbourne Victory boss Arthur Diles has paid tribute to departing club legend Jason Geria before his transfer to Albirex Niigata. But the club is staying mum on any fee received for the defender.

Melbourne Victory interim boss Arthur Diles has paid tribute to Jason Geria, saying that while the club will have to look to find a replacement following the defender’s move to Japanese side Albirex Niigata, they won’t be able to find a player quite like the departing club legend.

Victory confirmed on Wednesday that Geria would play his final game in Navy Blue in a Westgate Derby clash with Western United on Friday evening before departing to begin preparations for the 2025 J1 League season with his new club. A one-time A-League Men Premier and Champion as well as a two-time Australia Cup winner across two stints at AAMI Park, the right-back has established himself not just as a key leader and one of the league’s best defenders during his time at Victory but also become a beloved figure amongst their supporters – a chant to the tune of Shakira’s Waka Waka set to serenade him one last time on Friday.

“I just have a lot of gratitude,” Geria said in a club statement. “This club has been not only a big part of my career, but it has also been a huge part of my life and my family’s life – Melbourne Victory has helped shape me as a person. I’ve been able to work with, play with, learn from, and build relationships here that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Disappointed to be losing him but also thrilled to see him receive an opportunity to play in the Japanese top flight, Diles was effusive in his praise of the defender on Thursday.

“You can't [find another Geria],” Diles said. “Apart from what he offers on the field -- he's one of the best right fullbacks in this country -- the quality he provides his team in a change room and off the field is unquestionable, and that's part of the loss as well.

“It's not just what you lose on the field, the person that you lose off it, and the influence and the impact he has on the club, the fans, the individuals in the team. He will be missed, not just by our club, but by the league as well.”

Brought into the national set-up for the first time in eight years by former Victory boss Tony Popovic in October, Geria’s play has long-merited interest from overseas clubs but his standout performance in the Socceroos' 1-1 draw with Japan in Saitama instantly elevated him onto the radar of Japanese clubs.

Previously playing 57 games for JEF United Chiba in the J2 League, the 31-year-old will sign a contract with Niigata — who recently parted ways with Socceroo Thomas Deng — following the completion of a medical once he lands in Japan next week; the club describes him as "a defender who excels at right back and centre back. His defensive strength is outstanding, making him strong in one-on-one situations, but he can also avoid crises with precise positioning,” in the official announcement of his arrival.

However, absent from the official statements from both Victory and Niigata, as well as the reporting in Japan, has been word on any compensation for Geria’s signature - which ostensibly have been required given he was contracted to the end of the 2025/26 season.

While it’s understood that the defender’s move has been agreed to for several weeks – pre-dating Patrick Kisnorbo’s departure as coach – a club spokesperson told JDL Media that “terms of his departure are confidential” in response to a request for comment on the nature of the fee or its existence. Diles, for his part, deferred to others on if a payment, if any, was being received.

“That's none of my business,” said the coach. “I'm not aware of the financial parts of this deal. All I know is Jason won't be part of this team moving forward, after this weekend's game.

“I've got no idea about that sort of stuff. I don't even ask those questions. My major concern is what happens with the team on the pitch and looking for a replacement once he's gone. Other than that, that's for the powers above, not me.”

Victory’s first game after Geria’s departure is a visit to Adelaide on January 18 – which will also be the first game new arrival Mitch Langerak is eligible to play in – and his most obvious immediate replacement is Josh Rawlins, a former Perth Glory prospect and Olyroo who landed in Melbourne on a two-year deal ahead of this campaign after leaving Dutch side Utrecht. Similar to Geria, the 20-year-old can also play on the right side of the defence or in its centre, his lone start this season coming in place of a suspended Roderick Miranda in Victory’s round two win over Melbourne City.

Even if Rawlins does step up without a hitch, however, his elevation to the starting XI would leave Diles searching for a new primary backup at right-back and in the middle, with the coach confirming the club would consider looking to the market – which will officially open for A-League Men clubs on January 16 – in search of a potential replacement for Geria on the roster.

“Josh is one of those options that we'd be looking at to fill that void,” said Diles. “We'll worry about that after [Friday’s] match, just focus on the match at hand and then deal with that.

“We'll look at the market, definitely. We'll look at what's out there, what's available, and what fits this team and this club, not just in the short term, but in the long term as well. It's not just about filling a void for four months. We need to bring a player in, if we do that, that's going to complement the group moving forward.

“But first, we'll look from within and in the academy. And if we got something there, great. If we feel that someone's not ready yet and we have to look outside of that, then we'll work for those options.”

But before Victory has to worry about Geria’s departure, they will first need to account for Western United. They comfortably dispatched their local foes 3-1 earlier in the season but, after going on a four-game winning run at the same time Victory was going four games without a win, United can now overtake them on the table should they claim three points on Friday.

The side from Melbourne’s west fell to a 2-0 defeat to Melbourne City on Tuesday, snapping that winning run, but coach John Aloisi observed on Thursday that the last time they succumbed to defeat, that aforementioned loss to Victory, they subsequently went five games unbeaten, including that record-equalling run of wins.

“Definitely [expecting] a reaction and a bounce back, for sure,” Diles said. “They're a good team, they're well coached and we'll be ready for that. But we're ready to put our front foot forward and continue to progress as a team. So come tomorrow night, we'll both be ready, I'm sure.

“They've got some quality individuals, like every team in this league does. They’ve got a good mix of youth and experience. They've got legs, they've got enthusiasm, and they have quality with experienced players. In the front third, they've got dangerous players. They've got fullbacks that love getting forward. They're a team that's got a lot of quality in it. And every team will be prepared for that and ready to go tomorrow.”

Still looking for his first three points as Victory boss after taking over from Kisnorbo, Diles said that he had a full squad to choose from heading into Friday and that he also envisioned the club announcing the appointment of an assistant coach to complete his staff next week.