Sydney FC star Mackenzie Hawkesby will begin the 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League season as the most expensive player in Official A-League Women Fantasy.
The Sky Blues attacking midfielder leads a top 10 made up of two midfielders, seven forwards and one defender set to cost the most for fantasy managers working with the $4,000,000 budget allocated to each 15-player roster.
With the top three players alone worth more than $1,700,000 combined, fantasy managers face a tough task selecting which players with a premium price tag make it into their squad.
Please note: some players are not yet included in the game, and will be added once their contracts are formally lodged.
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1) Mackenzie Hawkesby – Sydney FC
Midfielder ($622K)
Mackenzie Hawkesby capped off a fantastic season in 2021-22 with a Matildas call-up in June; the Sydney FC midfielder was key to her side’s premiership triumph last season, and with 10 assists and five goals proved time and again her ability to impact games in the final third at a far greater rate to any season prior.
Should you select Hawkesby in your fantasy squad, you’ll be forking out a substantial amount of your $4million budget – but should the midfielder produce end product at a similar rate to last campaign, Hawkesby might just be worth every penny.
2) Hannah Wilkinson – Melbourne City
Forward ($615K)
Five goals in one game – a Melbourne Derby, no less – was the high point of a glittering debut season at Melbourne City for Hannah Wilkinson.
The New Zealand international bagged 14 goals in 14 games across the season to be named City’s joint Player of the Year, alongside Holly McNamara. Going back around in 2022-23, Wilkinson has expressed the desire to win the league’s Golden Boot after being pipped to the post by Adelaide’s Fiona Worts last season.
3) Chelsie Dawber – Adelaide United
Forward ($527K)
Adelaide fans will be delighted to see Chelsie Dawber back amongst the club’s ranks this season, after her arrival on loan from National Women’s Soccer League outfit Chicago Red Stars.
The 22-year-old is primed for a huge season after dwarfing her individual best efforts over the 2021-22 campaign; prior to last season Dawber had bagged seven goals in 27 games, but proceeded to score a further 10 in 15 games last season.
Dawber will look to pick up where she left off with fellow Reds striker Worts – who is not yet included in the game ahead of Round 1. Expect Worts to land as a fantasy prospect prior to the opening game of the season, and fetch a similar price to her attacking counterpart.
4) Cortnee Vine – Sydney FC
Forward ($505K)
This could be the season we see Cortnee Vine explode in the Liberty A-League.
The Sky Blues winger is gunning for a spot in the Matildas squad at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and will use the 2022-23 campaign to state her case to head coach Tony Gustavsson.
Vine scored eight goals in 11 games last season, adding two assists. The Sydney FC squad is a strong one yet again this season, and with fellow Matildas Remy Siemsen, Princess Ibini and Hawkesby all signed on for another tilt at silverware Vine could thrive in a settled attacking unit.
5) Charlize Rule – Sydney FC
Defender ($500K)
Sydney FC’s marauding full-back contributed five score contributions last season (three goals, two assists) in a dominant backline which kept nine clean sheets and conceded just six goals.
The 19-year-old became a key figure in Sky Blues head coach Ante Juric’s starting XI last season, and you can expect the Young Matildas star to continue to get opportunities when the new campaign kicks off this month. Rule is one to watch in the future for the Matildas – and a premium fantasy asset in the now.
6) Michelle Heyman – Canberra United
Forward ($470K)
Michelle Heyman has two key goals ahead of the 2022-23 campaign: continue the pursuit of 100 club goals, and push for selection in the Matildas’ World Cup squad.
The Canberra United legend has 82 club goals on the board, bolstered by 19 struck in 26 games in the past two seasons since returning from retirement.
“I like setting myself high targets” was the pre-season message from the 34-year-old. Confidence and self-belief is in no short supply – should Heyman hit the ground running early doors you’ll be desperate to fit the Canberra gun in your fantasy roster.
7) Holly McNamara – Melbourne City
Forward ($466K)
Holly McNamara’s breakout campaign at Melbourne City came to a premature end with a ruptured left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) suffered in February. The 19-year-old has scored four goals in eight games for City prior to the injury, earning a call-up to the Matildas squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in early 2022 – returning to A-League Women action before succumbing to the injury in a clash with Sydney FC.
The rising City star still managed to take out the Liberty A-League Young Player of the Year, was named Player of the Year alongside Wilkinson at City as well as finding a spot in the PFA Team of the Season.
McNamara is yet to return to competitive action as she continues her recovery.
8) Rhianna Pollicina – Melbourne City
Forward – ($453K)
Rhianna Pollicina came into her own throughout her maiden Melbourne City campaign, ending the season with seven goals and three assists from 16 appearances.
Pollicina’s mid-season form saw the versatile midfielder bag four goals in four successive games, taking out PFA Player of the Month in both January and February and ending the season with the Coaches Award at the club’s awards night.
Pollicina was a consistent contributor in a resurgent City side last season. Her flourishing partnership with Wilkinson was a key feature of City’s run to the A-League Women semi-finals – that combination should continue to reap rewards this season as the pair return for another tilt at silverware.
9) Shea Connors – Brisbane Roar
Forward ($444K)
Shea Connors bagged seven goals in her first full campaign at Brisbane Roar – and the American import is primed to improve on her 2021-22 output after a stellar season in the NPLW NSW with APIA Leichhardt, where she scored 16 goals in 22 games to take out the competition’s Golden Boot. She scored 84 goals in three years in all competitions during her time in Queensland, where Connors netted 48 in total in 2021.
Connors will look to dovetail off Matildas striker Larissa Crummer and versatile attacker Mariel Hecher in a Brisbane attacking unit bolstered by the return of Katrina Gorry who, like Reds forward Worts, is not yet included in the Official A-League Women Fantasy but will rank highly amongst the most expensive players in the game.
10) Grace Maher – Canberra United
Midfielder ($423K)
Grace Maher scored two goals and added three assists last season – but her fantasy value comes from consistent contribution across the board.
Taking Maher’s 2021-22 stats and running them through the fantasy points rubric, the Canberra midfielder would have averaged an impressive 10.5 points per game, with her 137 total points accumulated through an even spread of categories such as goals (20 points), assists (18 points), rey passes (16 points), crosses (12 points), and dribbles (seven points).
