Melbourne City FC’s Socceroo Mathew Leckie and Melbourne Victory’s Matilda Alex Chidiac have won the Austraffic PFA Player of the Month awards for January in the A-Leagues.
The pair join City’s Jamie Maclaren and Maria Rojas (November/December) and Sydney FC’s Joe Lolley (October) as winners of the PFA’s monthly member voted award for the 2022/23 seasons.
Leckie delivered a number of influential performances for the A-League Men leaders in January, scoring twice as City recorded an undefeated month.
The Socceroo continued to impress following his return to the A-Leagues after the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup. He finished ahead of his City teammate Aidan O’Neill, Macarthur’s Matt Millar, Wellington Phoenix’s Oli Sail and Western Sydney Wanderers’ Brandon Borello in the league-wide player vote.
“It’s a big honour to be voted PFA Player of the Month by my peers,” Leckie said.
“It says a lot about my teammates as the whole group has been in some great form as of late. I’m loving my football and am happy to play my role and help contribute to a winning squad.
“Our focus for the rest of the season is just to try and go out there and win every game we can to make sure we’re bringing home silverware for all the City fans out there.”
Chidiac’s impact in the A-League Women was recognised by her peers, with the Matildas midfielder earning the highest number of votes, edging out nominees Leah Davidson (Melbourne City FC), Western United’s Hannah Keane, Wellington Phoenix’s Mackenzie Barry and Western Sydney Wanderers’ Clare Hunt.
Chidiac will return to her parent club Racing Louisville in America’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), following the conclusion of her loan deal with Melbourne Victory. The 2023 NWSL season kicks off next month on March 25.
“Winning the PFA Player of the Month is a huge privilege, considering it’s voted by my peers throughout the A-League. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time back at Victory and it’s been enjoyable playing a part for the team this season. I’m sure the team will continue to push for the Premiers Plate and I’ll be watching on closely from Kentucky.”
Widely acknowledged as the most prestigious monthly award in Australian football, the Austraffic A-Leagues Player of the Month Award is the only peer-voted award in the A-Leagues.
After each month of action in the A-League Men and Women competitions, an expert panel consisting of former players and media experts put forward nominees for the PFA membership to vote on.
The Austraffic PFA Player of the Month is the only player-voted award in the A-Leagues. After each month of A-Leagues action, a PFA Nominations Committee, consisting of football media personalities and former players, provide nominees for the PFA membership to vote on. The awards are proudly presented in partnership with Austraffic.
Austraffic A-Leagues PFA Player of the Month
2022/23
October: Joe Lolley (Sydney FC)
November/December: Jamie Maclaren (Melbourne City FC) and Maria Rojas (Melbourne City FC)
January: Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City FC) and Alex Chidiac (Melbourne Victory)
