PETALING JAYA: Sabah have set their sights on doing well in the new Super League season by tapping into the talent pool of the Australian League, and securing exciting names.

They have hired New Zealand international Dane Ingham, a versatile player who is expected to add depth in the Rhinos’ defensive flanks in the league starting in August.

The 25-year-old joins from Newcastle Jets and brings with him the experience of international football, having earned 13 caps for the All Whites.

Born and raised in Australia, Ingham represents world No. 86 New Zealand and was part of the squad that played Egypt and Tunisia in Cairo in March 2024.

“Born and raised in Australia, from Newcastle Jets and representing the New Zealand national team. Give it up for our new defender, who’s ready to give his all for Sabah,” the club said in a statement.

Ingham made 95 appearances for the Jets across four seasons, 87 in the A-League and eight in the Australia Cup.

His 2023-2024 season, however, was disrupted by a torn pectoral muscle in December, ruling him out of club duties and New Zealand’s FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifiers.

But having passed his medical in Kota Kinabalu, Ingham is fully fit and ready for a fresh challenge in Malaysia.

Joining Ingham from the A-League are Dean Pelekanos, who is a hard-working midfielder from Western Sydney Wanderers.

The 24-year-old Pelekanos has made 14 A-League appearances for the Wanderers after stints with National Premier League sides St George City (2023) and Rockdale Ilinden (2024).

He is expected to bring steel and structure to Sabah’s engine room.

Sabah have also snapped up Ajdin Mujagic, a 26-year-old Bosnian striker who arrives following a prolific campaign with Croatian second-division side Bijelo Brdo, where he netted 15 goals in 24 matches.

The new local players are centreback Badrul Affendy and winger Maxsius Musa.

The Rhinos however, have bid farewell to several key players, including South Korean duo Park Tae-su and Ko Kwang-min, Australian defender Haris Stamboulidis, Portuguese midfielder Telmo Castanheira, and Indonesian winger Saddil Ramdani, who has sealed a move to Indonesia Liga 1 champions Persib Bandung.

Sabah finished third in the Super League last season under Slovakian head coach Martin Stano.