Michael Petkovic

NSL Career: South Melbourne 161 (0) / 1995/96 - 2001/02

Socceroos Career: 6 (0) A Internationals / 1 (0) B Internationals

The NSL saw a number of families take the pitch such as: the Vidmar brothers, the O'Shea brothers, the Okon brothers, the Foster brothers, the Anastasiadis brothers, the Nyskohus brothers, the Cervinski brothers and the Pondeljak brothers. Like older brother Jason, Michael Petkovic was one of the most outstanding keepers of the late era of the NSL. Slightly shorter and stockier than Jason - Michael was every bit as talented as his brother and had a more successful overseas career despite playing fewer games for the Socceroos.

Petkovic came up through the junior ranks of Western Australian club Spearwood Dalmatinac and made his first team debut at the age of 17, replacing older brother Jason who moved to NSL club Adelaide City. The young keeper moved to NSL club South Melbourne and made his debut half way through the 1995/96 season as a 19 year old.

Cementing his position ahead of experienced keeper Dean Anastasiadis, Petkovic was in goals as South won the NSL Cup for the first time since the 1989/90 edition. The rise of the talented young keeper forced Anastasiadis to move clubs as Petkovic was unchallenged during the 1996/97 season, keeping 13 clean sheets in 30 league appearances as South reached the preliminary final where they narrowly lost to Sydney United. 

Under former South captain Ange Postecoglou, South became the top side in the NSL during the 1997/98 season and Petkovic, who kept just three clean sheets in all of South's 29 league games, was part of the side that defeated Carlton in the grand final to claim their third NSL Championship.

South continued to flourish under Postecoglou and finished second in the 1998/99 season as Petkovic, who missed just two matches during the season, kept 12 clean sheets in 31 league games and was named the NSL Keeper of the Year. Petkovic won back-to-back championships with the club as they defeated Sydney United three-two in the grand final.

Petkovic had unsuccessfully trialled in Belgium in the past, but his top form during the 1998/99 NSL season earned him a move to French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. Petkovic failed to make an appearance for the club during the 1999/00 season and returned to South Melbourne. The sorely-missed Petkovic was instrumental in South returning to the top of the NSL.

The Western Australian keeper was named NSL Keeper of the Year for a second time, sharing the record with brother Jason and Zeljko Kalac. South reached the grand final where they lost to Wollongong as Petkovic's former competitor Anastasiadis got one back on the Western Australian keeper, after losing the 1997/98 NSL Grand Final with Carlton.

Petkovic's form between the posts earned him his full international debut, and following South's grand final loss, the keeper earned a short-term loan to Tippeligaen side Lilleström. Petkovic failed to make an appearance for the Norwegian side and returned to South where he helped the club reach the minor semi-final and was named the NSL Keeper of the Year for a record third time.

Following another successful season in the NSL, Petkovic moved to Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor where he established himself as one the best keepers in Turkey. During his time at Trabzonspor, the club won back-to-back Turkish Cups in 2003 and 2004 and finished runners-up in the league in the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons. 

From Trabzonspor, Petkovic moved to Sivasspor where he spent five seasons and was part of the side that finished runners-up in the league in the 2008/09 season. After eight seasons in Turkey, Petkovic returned to Australia where he kept 10 clean sheets in 31 appearances for A-League club Melbourne Victory before hanging up his boots a few weeks shy of his 35th birthday. Petkovic was selected as the starting keeper in South Melbourne's Team of the Century.