For the third month running, Melbourne Victory have had the majority of representatives among the A-League and W-League PFA Player of the Month nominees.

Victory – Premiers in the W-League in January and currently second on the A-League ladder – have had consistent representation amongst the nominees during October/November and December, with Natasha Dowie, Keisuke Honda and Ola Toivonen scooping previous awards this season.

In January, Toivonen, Emily Gielnik and Christine Nairn represent the Victory among the seven nominees from both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Wellington Phoenix’s prolific striker Roy Krishna, who enjoyed one of his best periods of his A-League career in January, midfielder Neil Kilkenny, who is flourishing for Perth Glory and Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne – the first goalkeeper to be nominated for the accolade during the 2018/19 season – are the A-League nominees.

Redmayne, however, is not the only goalkeeper to have been nominated this season across both leagues, however, with Eliza Campbell’s extraordinary form for Perth Glory during the first month of 2019 earning her a nomination in the W-League category alongside Gielnik and Nairn.

Campbell earned no less than three W-League ‘Saves of the Round’ during January, with her incredible acrobatics earning the 23-year-old plaudits throughout the month and helping Perth’s trajectory to the Grand Final.

Meanwhile, Gielnik and Nairn, two of the W-League Premiers’ stand outs, have combined formidably for the Victory this season. The duo were instrumental for Victory during their maiden Premiership campaign and will both be strong candidates for the PFA W-League Team of the Season. 

Gielnik netted against Sydney FC in a vital match in late January on the way to the W-League Premiers’ Plate, while Nairn scored an incredible winner direct from a corner kick in the 88th-minute of the Melbourne Derby in the first week on January in front of 1,265 fans.

Toivonen – the PFA Player of the Month for December – is again among the nominees for the January A-League award after the Swedish international continued his excellent form into the new year.  The striker took little time to continue his goal-scoring form, notching a brace against Western Sydney on the fifth day of January in a 2-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.

He then found the net three more times – in Victory’s 3-3 draw with Phoenix, 5-0 thrashing of Brisbane Roar and 2-1 win over Sydney FC. 

Although Toivonenwas impressive throughout January, Krishna started the season better than any other player, scoring a unique ‘triple-double’ across the first three games of the season – netting twice in three consecutive outings for Wellington; an A-League record for any player.

Meanwhile in the West, Kilkennyhas been a revelation for Tony Popovic’s league-leading Perth Glory, with the combative midfielder emerging as a key figure head for Glory’s rise to the A-League summit.

The 33-year-old former Leeds United, Bristol City and Preston North End midfielder scored twice against Brisbane Roar in Glory’s 4-2 win in the first week of January and then added another against the Newcastle Jets.

Redmayne, Sydney FC’s championship-winning number one, has saved three penalties this season, and made crucial saves in January to help secure Sydney FC vital points.  His 93rdminute save to deny Adelaide United an injury-time equaliser was a particular highlight, while the custodian denied fellow nominee Krishna from the spot in the 86thminute of Sydney’s encounter against Wellington in late January. 

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.

2018/19 PFA Player of the Month Recipients:

  • October/November 2018: Natasha Dowie (Melbourne Victory), Keisuke Honda (Melbourne Victory)
  • December 2018: Ola Toivonen (Melbourne Victory), Veronica Latsko (Adelaide United)
  • January 2019 Nominees: Ola Toivonen (Melbourne Victory), Roy Krishna (Wellington Phoenix), Neil Kilkenny (Perth Glory, Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC), Emily Gielnik (Melbourne Victory),