After a jam-packed month of fixtures, six players have emerged as the nominees for the Austraffic PFA Player of the Month for February.

With COVID-19 impacting the A-Leagues in January, clubs crammed in rescheduled fixtures across February with a number of players capitalising on the increased frequency of matches. 

The six nominees across the A-Leagues were selected by the PFA’s Nominations Committee – comprising former players and media personalities – with the winners to be voted on by PFA members this month.

A-League Women

Fiona Worts – Adelaide United

Leading the A-League Women’s nominees – unsurprisingly – is Adelaide United’s English striker Fiona Worts. The former Leicester City WFC and Coventry United forward scored a remarkable 11 goals in just five matches, including a five-goal haul in Adelaide’s 8-2 thrashing of Brisbane Roar.

Those five goals helped Worts equal the most goals scored by a single player in one game – set by former Matilda and PFA Co-Chief Executive Kathryn Gill in 2014 and repeated by Melbourne City’s Hannah Wilkinson this season.

Worts’ other goals came in the form of a hat-trick in the Pride Cup match against Melbourne Victory, a single against Wellington Phoenix and a double against Newcastle Jets in a phenomenal month in front of goal.

Rhianna Pollicina – Melbourne City FC

January’s PFA Player of the Month, Pollicina continued her excellent season form for City as they pushed Premiers Plate winners Sydney FC to the last match of the season. Pollicina’s contribution in February helped City secure three wins in four matches, with the 25-year-old netting on three occasions.

Mackenzie Hawkesby – Sydney FC

One of the Premiers’ standout players all season and a verified emerging star of the A-League Women’s competition, Hawksby’s third season for the Sky Blues has been marked by impressive performances from midfield. In February, the 21-year-old added two assists to her tally of eight for the season, and finished the season by playing every match minute available for the Sky Blues.

A-League Men

Mathew Leckie – Melbourne City FC

After a slow start to life in City blue, Mathew Leckie enjoyed an impressive month in February, opening his account in a 4-2 win over the Jets, before adding a double against Western Sydney Wanderers and further goals against the Jets and Sydney FC. The 31-year-old former Hertha Berlin, Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach striker’s five goals in six games helped deliver City an impressive five wins.

Aleksandar Prijović – Western United

In six matches throughout February, Prijović delivered four goals and four assists for Western United as the former Serbian international delivered his best month of form in the A-League Men. The imposing striker has linked well as United’s central target man, holding up play for his fellow attackers, or breaking off the shoulder of the last defender.

Reno Piscopo – Wellington Phoenix

Always a threat for the ‘Nix since joining the club from Italian outfit Renate three seasons ago, Piscopo delivered in a similar vein to his fellow February nominees enjoyed his best month during February. The creative winger’s three goals this season came in the space of 10 days, with the Phoenix secure three vital wins over Macarthur, Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar to stay in touch with the top six.