Who is the Liberty A-League signing of the season?
That is the question set to be answered via aleagues.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 season – and the rankings will shift month to month based on performance until we can crown the signing of the season.
Read on for the top 10 signings in the eToro Transfer Power Rankings after January in the Liberty A-League season.
Who dropped out of December’s Top 10? Ella O’Grady (10th), Rebekah Stott (5th)
eToro Transfer Power Rankings – Top 10 (January): Rachel Lowe (79.1), Jordan Silkowitz (75.0), Kaylie Collins (74.8), Mariana Speckmaier (71.5), Casey Dumont (70.6), Sarah Langman (69.7), Sarina Bolden (69.4) Lysianne Proulx (68.9), Keiwa Hieda (68.8), Maddie Caspers (67.7)
10. Jordan Silkowitz
- Ranking last month: N/A
- Opta index: 68.3
- Transfer: Kansas City Current -> Brisbane Roar (loan)
Jordan Silkowitz enters the top 10 in the eToro Transfer Rankings after four appearances in January, keeping one clean sheet, making 21 saves and conceding seven goals as the Roar won two games, drew one and lost one.
9. Kaylie Collins
- Ranking last month: N/A
- Opta index: 68.7
- Transfer: Orlando Pride -> Western Sydney Wanderers (loan)
Kaylie Collins has enjoyed a stellar run of form in goal for Western Sydney of late. Three consecutive clean sheets – including two to begin January – helped the Wanderers spark a four-game winning run and leap up the Liberty A-League table. In January Collins played four games – three wins and one loss – conceded four goals and made 18 saves.
8. Mia Corbin
- Ranking last month: 4th (dropped four places)
- Opta index: 69.2
- Transfer: Parma -> Brisbane Roar
Mia Corbin has put together a terrific first season at the Roar. In January she kept her consistent form alive, playing four games, scoring two goals and assisting one more. Corbin now has seven goals and three assists in 15 league appearances this season.
7. Millie Farrow
- Ranking last month: 3rd (dropped four places)
- Opta index: 69.6
- North Carolina Courage -> Perth Glory
Millie Farrow sat third on the list of off-season signings in the eToro Transfer Power Rankings after December – but one month later the Perth Glory striker has slid into seventh after a tough run for both the striker and her team.
Glory haven’t won in five games, and Farrow has gone goalless in each of those results.
6. Courtney Newbon
- Ranking last month: 6th
- Opta index: 69.9
- Free agent -> Melbourne Victory
It’s been an unusual season for Courtney Newbon, who began the campaign in Central Coast Mariners colours before the return of both Sarah Langman and Casey Dumont from injury.
Her last game came for the Mariners in November; in early January, she was recruited by Victory to replace the injured Miranda Templeman and has impressed ever since. With Victory No.1 Lydia Williams sidelined by an ankle injury, Newbon has stood tall in her absence.
Newbon conceded four goals to Western United in her first Victory appearance but has gone unbeaten in the four games since (D2, W2), keeping one clean sheet and making 17 saves.
5. Wurigumula
- Ranking last month: 7th (climbed two places)
- Opta index: 70.0
- Transfer: Fre
China international Wurigumula is enjoying a stellar start to life in the Liberty A-League. The 27-year-old has five goals and two assists for the season, scoring two of those goals in five appearances in January.
Wurigumula was seventh on the eToro Transfer Power Rankings after December but has climbed two places, pushing toward the front runners.
4. Sarina Bolden
- Ranking last month: 9th (climbed five places)
- Opta index: 73.6
- Transfer: Free agent -> Newcastle Jets
Who can stop Sarina Bolden?
The red-hot Newcastle Jets striker has eight goals and three assist in just 10 appearances this season; Bolden signed for the Jets ahead of Round 6 and has since become one of the league’s best performers, scoring in four consecutive games between the end of December and mid-January.
Bolden is quickly becoming a Golden Boot contender and will push for the top spot on the eToro Transfer Power Rankings in the coming months if her form continues.
3. Rylee Foster
- Ranking last month: 2nd (dropped one place)
- Opta index: 74.1
- Transfer: Free agent -> Wellington Phoenix
Rylee Foster’s January ended with a red card in a win for Wellington Phoenix over Canberra United. Prior to her dismissal, Foster had continued to perform for the Phoenix in a tough stretch of form for the New Zealanders.
Foster has made 55 saves across 12 appearances, keeping three clean sheets and conceding 14 goals.
2. Rachel Lowe
- Ranking last month: 8th (climbed 6 places)
- Opta index: 76.1
- Transfer: Sydney FC -> Melbourne Victory
Rachel Lowe has catapulted from eighth to second on the eToro Transfer Power Rankings – and it’s no wonder why: the Victory recruit is enjoying an outstanding season in her new colours, after her move from Sydney FC.
Lowe began January with a goal against Western United, and followed that up with a goal in each of her remaining three games in the month. Lowe took that consecutive-game scoring streak to five in a 2-1 win over Brisbane to kick off February and take her season tally to nine – just one behind Golden Boot leader Michelle Heyman.
1. Emina Ekic
- Ranking last month: 1st
- Opta index: 78.6
- Transfer: Racing Louisville -> Melbourne City
First after December, and first after January. Emina Ekic is still leading the charge on the eToro Transfer Power Rankings.
The City forward has made just eight appearances since her mid-season arrival from Racing Louisville. Three of those appearances were as a substitute – but Ekic has still managed six goals and two assists, contributing a score involvement at a rate of one per game.
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.
