Who is the Liberty A-League signing of the season?
That is the question set to be answered via a-leagues.com.au’s eToro Transfer Power Rankings, in 2023-24, ranking the best performers of all the off-season signings every month.
Each player’s place in the eToro Transfer Power Rankings is based off their Opta Index score for the month in question – and the rankings will shift month to month based on performance until we can crown the signing of the season.
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What is the Opta Index?
Opta defines it as follows: The Player Index is based on totals in a variety of statistics for each player. The index score uses subcomponents (such as shooting, passing, defending), corresponding to different qualitative aspects of a player’s performance.
These component scores are combined to create an overall rating for each player. The formula that works out the overall match rating have been developed by Opta’s own team of data scientists in conjunction with our award-winning Data Editorial team.
Read on for the top 10 signings in the eToro Transfer Power Rankings after five rounds of the Liberty A-League season.
eToro Transfer Power Rankings – Top 10
10. Fiona Worts
- Opta index: 68.9
- Transfer: Adelaide United -> Sydney FC
Three games, three goals; Fiona Worts is relishing a change of scenery in Sydney after her off-season move from Adelaide United to the Sky Blues.
Worts has seven goals in six games in all competitions for Ante Juric’s side after bagging four goals in the AFC Women’s Club Championship.
9. Vicky Bruce
- Opta index: 68.9
- Transfer: Bristol City -> Western Sydney Wanderers
In an improving Western Sydney side, United States defender Vicky Bruce has been quietly putting together a very impressive season in Red & Black. Bruce has two goals to her name scored in back-to-back games against Newcastle Jets and Melbourne City ,and most recently contributed to a clean sheet in a shock 2-0 win over Western United.
8. Grace Jale
- Opta index: 69.2
- Transfer: Canberra United -> Perth Glory
Grace Jale was Perth Glory’s biggest off-season signing, arriving from Canberra after venturing to the World Cup with New Zealand.
Her impact has been emphatic; a scorching strike on debut sealed a win over Western United, and the Football Fern has since added two more goals to her Glory tally after six games.
7. Ella O’Grady
- Opta index: 69.3
- Transfer: Football Queensland Academy QAS -> Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory’s signing of Junior Matildas forward Ella O’Grady has been a masterstroke, with the teenager putting together a promising body of work in a breakout Liberty A-League campaign.
O’Grady has scored two goals from four shots in five substitute appearances for Victory to date this season.
6. Emily van Egmond
- Opta index: 69.5
- Transfer: San Diego Wave -> Newcastle Jets (loan)
Blink and you’ll miss it; Emily van Egmond is already halfway through her four-game guest contract at Newcastle Jets and the Matildas star has made the most of every minute afforded to her thus far, scoring two goals and assisting two more in two brilliant performances for the Jets.
5. Rylee Foster
- Opta index: 69.7
- Transfer: Free agent -> Wellington Phoenix
Rylee Foster’s inspirational return to football is undeniably the story of the season to date. Foster was signed to Liverpool in October, 2021 when a car accident threw the goalkeeper through the windscreen and resulted in life-threatening injuries. Foster was told she’d never play football again, but after a gruelling recovery provess was given a fresh start at Wellington Phoenix in the Liberty A-League.
Foster has since proved a revelation in between the sticks in Wellington; she’s made 20 saves, kept one clean sheet and conceded just four goals in five appearances this season.
4. Emina Ekic
- Opta index: 70.3
- Transfer: Racing Louisville FC -> Melbourne City
Last season, Emina Ekic was on track for a monster season at Melbourne City before suffering a fractured fibula in January that cut her campaign short.
Now, she’s back at the club and back to full fitness, and has made quite the impact in just three games since her return. Ekic has one assist and one goal to her name in the league this season – including an ‘Olimpico’ struck direct from a corner in City’s 3-2 win over Sydney FC in Round 6.
3. Courtney Newbon
- Opta index: 71.9
- Transfer: Sydney Olympic -> Central Coast
Courtney Newbon stood tall when Central Coast needed her most early in the season, playing four games, keeping one clean sheet, making 17 saves and conceding just three goals across two wins, one draw and one defeat to the Mariners.
2. Jordan Silkowitz
- Opta index: 75.5
- Transfer Kansas City Current -> Brisbane Roar
American goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz has relished her first six games in the Liberty A-League. In six appearances she’s made 27 saves and conceded just six goals, with her best performance to date coming in Brisbane Roar’s 1-0 win over Sydney in which she made six eye-catching saves to almost single-handedly seal three points for the Roar.
1. Rachel Lowe
- Opta index: 76.4
- Transfer: Sydney FC -> Melbourne Victory
One of Melbourne Victory’s big-name off-season recruits, Rachel Lowe arrived from rivals Sydney FC and has wasted no time familiarising herself with her new surroundings.
Lowe has four goals and one assist to her name, including back-to-back braces scored against Newcastle and Perth.
