Hibs star hailed as ‘main reason’ for revival as Easter Road talisman leaves impression on ex-Rangers duo

Hibs midfielder Nectar Triantis has been named as the talisman behind the Easter Road club’s resurgence after the club made it 15-games unbeaten with Sunday’s crucial win over Edinburgh rivals Hearts.

David Gray’s side leapfrogged Aberdeen into third position at the weekend with a pulsating 2-1 derby win over Neil Critchley’s side thanks to goals from both Martin Boyle and Jack Iredale, and are now on course to qualify for a spot in next season’s Europa League after their remarkable run of form.

The midfielder, who first rose to prominence as a defender at A-League side Central Coast Mariners, moved to the Stadium of Light for a reported fee of £250,000 two summers ago. However, with regular game time hard to come by, his ex-Central Coast Mariners boss Nick Montgomery opted to bring him to Leith temporarily last January during his short spell as head coach at Easter Road.

Despite experiencing mixed fortunes during a loan spell at Easter Road last season, Triantis re-joined the club on a season-long loan deal from EFL Championship promotion chasers Sunderland in August, and has proven to be a revelation for Gray’s side during his second stint in the capital, putting in several man of the match performance, while scoring three goals and assisting a further five from midfield.

The Hibs players take in the atmosphere at Easter Road following the 2-1 Edinburgh derby win over Hearts on Sunday. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

Bottom of the league as recently as November, the Leith outfit have put together an extraordinary run of results that has resulted in them clawing their way up to table, and Sky Sports pundit and former Rangers favourite Kris Boyd believes on loan Aussie deserves much of the credit for their revival.

“I just think his all-round game is now in a good place,” said Boyd on Sky Sports. “Whether it’s going to get the ball off the centre-backs, whether it’s getting up to support. He’s affected games, he’s scored goals and you’ve got to say, we speak about the goalkeeper and the change to a back three, but I think the consistency from Triantis has allowed Hibs to function in the way they have in recent weeks. There is so much to like about his game, he’s so enthusiastic, his energy, he just wants to win and get after the opposition. For me, I think he’s been the main reason why Hibs turned the corner.”

The 21-year-old Australian opened up on how much he is enjoying his second stint at Hibs in January, revealing why he “loves” playing under Gray, who he believes has been key to his excellent form.

“My whole game is developing to a new level,” said Triantis. “I feel like a different player to last season. The biggest challenge has been overcoming adversity. I have had a lot of growing up to do but I am constantly working hard to continue this momentum. I have always been comfortable playing in midfield, but the switch has been really interesting. I can express myself with that freedom. When you are enjoying your football, you will play anywhere. The move has been everything I could have hoped for as I continue my development.”

Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday also reserved praise for Triantis, saying: “He’s become a much more well-rounded player this year. He’s added goals to his game, he’s added assists to his game, he’s a big composed player. He’s a powerful boy and you see he can see he’s a huge part of this Hibs midfield.”