MELBOURNE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) is pleased to announce the 2017 nominees for the PFA Footballer of the Year, PFA Women’s Footballers of the Year, PFA Harry Kewell Medal, PFA Young Women’s Footballer of the Year, and the inaugural PFA Community Medal.
Proudly supported by LUCRF Super and Travellers Choice, the winners, as voted by the players, will be announced at the 2017 PFA Players’ Awards on Sunday 17 September at the Merewether Surfhouse in Newcastle.
The nominees for the PFA Footballer of the Year, as selected by the PFA Awards Committee, made up of former Socceroos and leading figures in the football media, are as follows:
>> Jackson Irvine;
>> Aaron Mooy;
>> Milos Ninkovic;
>> Tom Rogic; and
>> Danny Vukovic.
The nominees for the PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year are as follows:
>> Steph Catley;
>> Caitlin Foord;
>> Katrina Gorry;
>> Alanna Kennedy;
>> Sam Kerr; and
>> Lydia Williams.
Recognising outstanding achievement by an under 23 footballer playing in the A-League or an overseas based Australian, the nominees for the PFA Harry Kewell Medal are as follows:
>> Mustafa Amini;
>> Jonathan Aspropotamitis;
>> Alex Gersbach; and
>> Riley McGree.
For the first time the PFA will also recognise the nation’s best performed under 21 female footballer. The nominees for the PFA Young Women’s Footballer of the Year are as follows:
>> Ellie Carpenter;
>> Alex Chidiac;
>> Grace Maher; and
>> Remy Siemsen.
PFA President Alex Wilkinson paid tribute to all the nominees for their outstanding form.
“As a player, being recognised by your peers is the greatest honour you can receive. All these players should be very proud of what they achieved during the 2016/17 season,” said Wilkinson.
“Some of the very best footballers our country has ever produced have won these awards in the past and I’ve got no doubt that the current generation will leave their mark on Australian football.”
in 2017, the PFA is introducing a new award, the PFA Community Medal. In line with the PFA’s commitment to ensuring that football has a positive impact on the community, the medal aims to recognise the outstanding contribution many PFA members are making to communities both here and abroad.
Voted on by all PFA members, the 2017 recipient will be a player who has dedicated their time away from football to a charity or community initiative with the winner to receive $2,500 to go to a charity of their choice.
The nominees for the 2017 PFA Community Medal, as voted by the players, are as follows:
>> Luke Brattan;
>> Tim Cahill;
>> Robbie Cornthwaite;
>> Chris Harold;
>> Michelle Heyman; and
>> Jerrad Tyson.
PFA Chief Executive John Didulica said: “It’s critical to recognise the growing number of players who are using their personal time to pursue causes close to their heart and inspiring people off the field as well as on.”
“The PFA is proud to recognise the winner at our most prestigious night and, in recognition of his strong commitment to social causes, we are very honoured to have former A-League player Rodrigo Vargas presenting the award to the winner on the night and ‘passing the baton’ to current players.”
The 2017 PFA Players’ Awards will be held at the Merewether Surfhouse in Newcastle on Sunday 17 September where Matildas legend Cheryl Salisbury will be honoured with the PFA’s highest honour, the Alex Tobin OAM Medal.
