Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA) revealed its annual peer-selected LUCRF Super A-League Team of the Season on Wednesday evening, providing an insight into the talent valued by the players.

The 17-player squad was announced by former National Soccer League and A-League player and LOCAL FC founder Chad Gibson, as part of Australian Professional Leagues (APL) virtual Dolan Warren Awards.

The players voted in the PFA W-League Team of the Season, which was revealed in April, were also acknowledged during the Awards.

The Team

Headlined by the competition’s Golden Boot winner, Melbourne City FC’s Jamie Maclaren, the team comprises a Starting XI in 4-3-3 formation, seven substitutes and the PFA Coach of the Year, as voted by A-League players each season since 2009.

PFA President Alex Wilkinson paid tribute to the players selected via the PFA’s annual player vote.

“Players always regard peer recognition as the highest honour, so the 17 players will no doubt be honoured to be selected by their peers in this year’s Team,” Wilkinson said.

“The Team reflects the high calibre of existing and emerging talent we have in the A-League, and the depth our competition boasts. With five of the starting XI recently featuring for the Socceroos, the A-League remains a competition that can catapult our best talent onto the international stage. On behalf of the PFA membership, I congratulate all players selected this season.”

The Captain

Maclaren received the most votes from his peers for the second consecutive season, earning captaincy of the team for the 2020/21 season after recording a career best 25 goals in 23 appearances.

“It’s amazing to be voted among the best 11 players throughout the whole season, and to have recorded my best season in front of goal. It’s always one of the most rewarding honours being recognised by your peers and I thank all the players who voted for me, it’s truly humbling.”

Jamie Maclaren

Trio Voted in Back-To-Back Teams

Wellington Phoenix’s midfielder Ulises Dávila and Sydney FC’s right back Rhyan Grant join Maclaren as players who have been selected in consecutive Teams of the Season, with the trio featuring in the 2019/20 edition. 

Grant, a vital contributor to Sydney FC’s recent dominance in the A-League, features for the third season running and the fourth time overall, having been selected by his peers for his form during the 2016/17, 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

Goalkeeper and Defenders

In his debut campaign with Macarthur, goalkeeper Adam Federici was voted as the Team’s custodian after an impressive campaign with the Bulls, which saw the A-League newcomers secure a Semi-Final berth in its inaugural campaign. 

Melbourne City’s captain Scott Jamieson, teammate Curtis Good and Central Coast Mariners’ Ruon Tongyik line up next to Grant in a back-four. Good and Tongyik were both rewarded for impressive campaigns this season with selection in the Socceroos’ recent FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Kuwait, alongside national team regular Grant. 

The Midfielders

In midfield, Wellington’s influential midfielder Dávila is joined by City’s 21-year-old Connor Metcalfe, who had a breakout campaign for the A-League Premiers and earned a Socceroos cap during the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Kuwait, and the Mariners’ ever-reliable and instrumental Oliver Bozanic.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 06: Oliver Bozanic of the Mariners celebrates after scoring his teams second goal during the A-League match between Western Sydney Wanderers FC and the Central Coast Mariners at Bankwest Stadium, on April 06, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

The Strikers

Up front, Maclaren is joined by English duo Matt Derbyshire, who finished second on the goalscoring charts with 14 goals in his first foray into Australian football, and Craig Noone who delivered eight assists and six goals in City’s Premiership campaign.


SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 14: Matt Derbyshire of the Bulls celebrates scoring a goal during the A-League match between Macarthur FC and Melbourne Victory at Campbelltown Stadium, on May 14, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

The Substitutes

Central Coast Mariners’ goalkeeper Mark Birighitti and striker Matt Simon, Sydney FC’s defender Ryan McGowan and midfielders Luke Brattan and Milos Ninkovic, Brisbane Roar’s midfielder Jay O’Shea and Adelaide United’s defender Ryan Strain comprise the substitutes bench. 

The Coach of the Season

The players picked Melbourne City FC’s Patrick Kisnorbo as the Coach of the year, after the former City skipper and W-League coach led the Melbourne club to its maiden A-League Premiers Plate.

About the PFA Team of the Season

The inaugural PFA A-League Team of the Season was announced in 2009 and has been revealed annually in A-League Grand Final week for the past 13 seasons. Based on peer recognition, selection in the PFA Team of the Season remains one of the highest accolades a professional footballer can receive in Australia.

At the end of each season, PFA members across both the A-League and W-League are asked to vote on their best XI.  The composition of the team is based on the number of votes tallied for each player in each position, with the substitutes bench comprising those players who finished below those in the starting XI positions. 

The player with the most votes (this season it’s Jamie Maclaren) is determined the Team of the Season’s captain. The PFA W-League Team of the Season has been acknowledged each season since 2017 when W-League players first became members of the PFA.

The PFA Team of the Season is proudly supported by PFA Major Partner LUCRF Super.