Melbourne Victory players dominate the first round of nominees for the PFA’s W-League Player of the Month, while impressive performances from Keisuke Honda, Craig Goodwin and Chris Ikonomidis represent the trio of A-League nominees.
Nominated by an awards committee comprised of former players and leading figures in the Australian football media, the nominees are voted on by PFA members from both competitions. The players receiving the highest number of votes from their peers are awarded the PFA Player of the Month award.
In the W-League, no less than four Victory players have been nominated following their team’s impressive start to the new season. With four wins and a draw, Victory sit on top of the table with 13 points, five points ahead of Perth Glory in second position and unbeaten.
There’s no surprise then that the awards committee have put forward Victory’s effective quartet of Natasha Dowie, Laura Alleway, Christine Nairn and Emily Gielnik for the award.
Dowie, the 30-year-old English striker, has scored five goals in five matches, including an impressive hat-trick in the Big V’s 3-2 win over Sydney FC in Round 4.
Alleway has been integral in keeping two clean sheets in Victory’s defence, while keeping the goals conceded column to just four, while Nairn and Gielnik have been superb in midfield and attack.
Nairn netted her first goal of the season against the Wanderers to give her side a 2-1 win, while Gielnik snared Victory’s second goal in the Melbourne Derby against City to earn bragging rights.
The fifth nominee for the W-League Player of the Month is the ever-present Sam Kerr, with the Ballon D’Or nominee commencing her season in typical fashion.
The mercurial Matildas striker has scored four times in just three appearances – including a double in Perth’s incredible 5-2 thrashing of Melbourne City, a single in a commanding 3-0 win over the Wanderers and a dramatic 90th minute goal to draw level with Canberra in an incredible 4-4 draw.
In the A-League, Keisuke Honda’s immediate impact has already been felt far and wide and his position as a nominee came following unanimous nomination from all award members on the A-League awards committee.
Honda’s life in the A-League commenced with a debut goal in the Melbourne Derby, before the Japanese international added goals against the Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC. His silky touches, movement and link-up play has already won him plaudits – but will he win the award of his peers?
Standing in Honda’s way is Adelaide United’s Craig Goodwin, who topped off a sensational FFA Cup final performance with three goals in his opening matches, while Chris Ikonomidis has been superb for table-toppers Perth Glory with four goals, including a brace against the Central Coast Mariners.
