There are some eye-catching names in contention to take out this year’s NAB Young Footballer of the Year award, which will be announced at next week’s Hyundai A-League awards.
Who will join the likes of Maty Ryan, Tommy Oar, Adam Taggart and Marco Rojas as winners of the prestigious prize?
The player who takes out the NAB Young Footballer of the Year trophy receives a $10,000 personal investment portfolio with NAB.
And the winner also receives a dedicated NAB Private Client Manager to assist with developing their wealth creation strategy.
We take a look at the five nominees for Hyundai A-League Season 10.
Despite being restricted largely to a ‘super-sub’ role this season, Maclaren has made a huge impact on the competition.
He finished the season with nine goals from his 20 appearances, but scoring a goal on average every 94 minutes. Talk about making an impact.
The highlight for the 21-year-old was his hat-trick against Melbourne City FC in Glory’s 3-1 in round 26, while he will be a key player for the Olyroos in their quest to make the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Brandon Borrello: Brisbane Roar FC
What a breakout season for this exceptional young attacker.
Given an extended run in the first team this season, Borrello has made it count and is sure to play a leading role for the club in years to come.
It wasn’t just his four goals from the right wing which most catches the eye but he also provided a number of vital goal assists as Roar snuck into the top six.
The 19-year-old, who scored the winner in the home win over the Wanderers earlier in the campaign, is one of a host of exciting youngsters coming through the ranks in Brisbane.
The 23-year-old’s decision to move to Adelaide from Melbourne Victory at the start of the season has paid off after a superb campaign in the Reds midfield.
Jeggo has been an ever-present under Josep Gombau, providing a real thrust and work-rate in Adelaide’s engine-room.
A well-rounded midfielder, Jeggo has a superb range of passing, is creative and has an eye for goal, not afraid to try his luck from distance.
He finished the regular season with one goal and three assists to his name to be a strong contender for the award.
Tomi Juric: Western Sydney Wanderers FC
It’s been some season for the striker at both club and international level.
Juric scored the decisive goal as the Wanderers won the AFC Champions League in November while he was also a member of the Socceroos’ historic Asian Cup triumph.
Who will forget his piece of individual magic and assist for James Troisi’s winner in the final against Korea Republic?
He finished the Hyundai A-League season with four goals and one assist from just 14 appearances.
A knee injury has restricted the 21-year-old to just 17 games this season but they were full of quality in the heart of the Sky Blues midfield.
Long-regarded as a star of the future, this was the season Antonis started to live up to the hype.
He was arguably the most consistent player in the competition in the early months, rewarded for that form by making the Socceroos Asian Cup squad.
Not many have the vision and instinct that Antonis possesses.
*Note Connor Chapman, a nominee, is ineligible due to being red-carded this season.
