Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has announced their annual player-voted Ninja A-League Team of the Season ahead of this Sunday’s Grand Final between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners.
The 18-player squad features four players who will feature in the decider, but is unsurprisingly dominated by invincible Premiers Melbourne City, who have seven stars included, led by Golden Boot winner Holly McNamara who has been voted captain.
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City’s Michael Matricciani has also been voted as Coach of the side, which comprises a starting XI and seven substitutes, in his debut season as a professional head coach.
At the end of each season, PFA members from the A-Leagues 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 is determined the Team of the Season’s captain.
Adelaide United goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins is among five Reds players selected, picked as the starting goalkeeper behind a defence of Rebekah Stott (MCY), Taylor Otto (MCY), Kayla Morrison (MVC) and Alexia Apostolakis (MCY).
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Stott has secured a third appearance in the Team of the Season, while Otto was also selected on the bench last season.
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Brisbane Roar skipper Tameka Yallop is joined in midfield by Central Coast Mariners star Isabel Gomez and City’s Laura Hughes.
Unsurprisingly, McNamara was the player to receive the most votes; she is flanked in attack by Ninja A-League all-time top scorer Michelle Heyman and Adelaide import Erin Healy, who is rewarded for a stellar debut season in South Australia.
“I am extremely grateful to be voted by my peers as the Captain of the PFA A-League Women Team of the Season,” McNamara said.
“I wouldn’t have been in this position had it not been for the support of my teammates at Melbourne City who have helped me flourish in this amazing squad since returning from injury.
“We’ve achieved so many great things as a team this year; winning the Premiership, going undefeated for 24 straight games and being on the precipice of success in Asia.
“To be recognised by the broader player community and sit alongside so many incredible names to have been named captain in the past is a tremendous honour.”
On the bench, VIctory’s Alex Chidiac secures a record fifth appearance in the Ninja A-League Team of the Season, equalling Australian icon Clare Polkinghorne.
She is joined by teammate Courtney Newbon, Adelaide trio Fiona Worts, Lucia Leon and Ella Tonkin, retiring Wellington Phoenix great Annalie Longo, and City’s Leticia McKenna.
