Liberty A-League Women’s Premiers and Grand Finalists Sydney FC have dominated the PFA’s Team of the Season, with five players voted into the Starting XI and a total of seven included in the squad.
The PFA announced the 17-player squad ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster ‘Big Blue’ Grand Final tomorrow – a rematch of the 2021 decider.
A-League Women’s players competing in the 2021/22 campaign voted on the composition of the squad, which considers player performances across the A-League Women’s 14 regular season rounds.
Sky Blue forward Cortnee Vine received the most votes from her peers across the competition, earning the status of Team of the Season captain.
“It’s such an honour to receive the most votes from my peers across the competition and to be named captain,” Vine said.
“Receiving recognition from the players is the ultimate compliment and I’d like to say a massive thank you to all my fellow players for voting me as part of their PFA Team of the Season.
“I’d also like to say a massive thank you to my team for making this a year to remember – it wouldn’t have been possible without them and I can’t wait for tomorrow’s Grand Final to hopefully finish the season on a high.”
Joining Vine in the starting XI are her four teammates – midfielder Mackenzie Hawkesby, defenders Natalie Tobin and Ally Green and goalkeeper Jada Whyman – who all played critical roles for Sydney FC in the Premiers Plate-winning season.
Sky Blues midfielders Rachel Lowe and Taylor Ray also made the bench.
Regular season runners-up Melbourne City FC were the club with the second-most representation across the squad with five players.
Forward Holly McNamara, attacking midfielder Rhianna Pollicina and right-back Winonah Heatley secured enough votes to feature in the starting XI, while Hannah Wilkinson made the bench.
Just two players outside City and Sydney were voted into the starting XI, with the A-League Women’s record-breaking golden boot winner Fiona Worts (Adelaide United) and Melbourne Victory’s dynamic midfielder Alex Chidiac making the team.
The remaining bench consists of City’s evergreen Melissa Barbieri, Western Sydney Wanderers’ Clare Hunt, Brisbane Roar’s Katrina Gorry and City’s Wilkinson.
When voting on the composition of the team, a 4-3-3 formation was preferred by 81% of players who completed the survey.
The PFA’s A-League Women’s Team of the Season is proudly supported by Austraffic.
About the Team of the Season
At the end of each season, A-League Womens players vote on a ‘Team of the Season’, which celebrates the individual and collective achievements of the best players in the A-Leagues.
The team is spread across a preferred Starting XI (based on the number of votes received by each player) and placed in the formation which receives the highest number of votes from the players. The six players with the second-most number of votes in each position are placed on the Team of the Season’s bench.
