We might already be a week into August, but here are the July nominations for Player of the Month, which throw up a mix of players previously not nominated for the award. In particular, the NPL2 saw difficulties in picking out a conclusive bunch, with many consistent but not standout performances of previous months across the board making a top five difficult to come about. Therefore the list may surprise a few, but it’s nonetheless a list of worthy nominations.
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NPL
Dusan Bosnjak (Oakleigh Cannons)
Seven goals from six games in July doesn’t paint the full picture of Dusan Bosnjak’s form last month. The Cannons midfielder made four consecutive Team of the Week starting XI’s after a series of game breaking performances, starting with the 6-0 win over Avondale FC, where he played a hand in five of the six goals of the night, netting a brace, winning a penalty and grabbing an assist in a brilliant solo performance. He grabbed a winner against Melbourne Victory the week after, while also scoring in a mid-week win over Richmond SC. A brace followed against South Melbourne to put the then title-favourites away in a thrilling contest, before netting yet another late winner against Melbourne Knights to cap off a fine month from the attacking midfielder.
Jonatan Germano (Avondale FC)
The Argentine dragged Avondale away from the relegation mire with a brilliant month of football on the right wing, which saw him grab two braces in his five appearances. While he struggled in the 6-0 loss to Oakleigh Cannons – as did the majority of his teammates – there were some bright sparks from him, especially in the second half. He really kicked into gear the week prior as a brace helped spark a win over Melbourne Victory, before putting on another man of the match performance in the upset win over South Melbourne, where he ran the show and grabbed two goals. It was an incredibly fruitful month for the club, who picked up 10 out of a possible 15 points to push all the way up to eighth on the NPL Victoria ladder. Michele Crazia also had a fantastic month, steering his side to three clean sheets in the month of July after not featuring in the Cannons thrashing.
Steven Pace (Heidelberg United)
Three clean sheets and just two goals conceded in the month of July marks a fantastic month of football from Heidelberg United’s ‘barometer’ Steven Pace. The centre-half has been absolutely immense for George Katsakis’ men, who made a late bolt for the NPL Victoria title with a perfect five-from-five in July. While those hopes are now dashed, the Bergers look a dangerous side heading into finals, with defensive stability the cornerstone for their recent success. Pace was best-on in the 2-1 win over Hume City, while also impressing enough for a Team of the Week berth in wins against Northcote City and Port Melbourne Sharks (both clean sheets). In an attacking sense, talismanic forward Kenny Athiu has been the pick of the bunch for the Bergers and can consider himself unlucky at not earning a spot amongst the five nominees.
Gonzalo Munoz Abascal (Pascoe Vale)
With experience in Chile’s top divisions, Pascoe Vale’s full-back has come with a fair amount of pedigree for this level and it has certainly shown in his time at the club since arriving mid-season. In a position that often goes without the levels of credit as others, Gonzalo has provided a strong presence defensively, while also showing a penchant for getting forward, making two Teams of the Week in July.
Wayne Wallace (Bentleigh Greens)
The midfielder enforcer’s form for Bentleigh Greens has been paramount to Bentleigh running away with the NPL Victoria title. His presence was missed in the middle of the park as Bentleigh only narrowly got past Melbourne Victory in the first game of the month. He returned from suspension to skipper his side to victory against South Melbourne, then netting in wins over Pascoe Vale and Green Gully with the veteran substituted in all three games in preparation for their FFA Cup Round of 32 fixture. Just before they flew out to South Australia, Wallace put in a man of the match performance to help down Green Gully 3-0, with the Englishman netting his third goal of the month in that game.
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NPL2
Josh Knight (St Albans Saints)
Admittedly we didn’t have a handful of standout this month, but Knight’s pick has been a cumulation of solid performances which has helped St Albans rise to second on the ladder in July (and eventually top in August so far). His constant presence in the Saints’ midfield has been testament to his ability in a season which has been a rollercoaster to date off the pitch at the club. Nonetheless, his ability to control possession and pick out a good pass in midfield has been a massive asset to Kruni Razov’s side.
Andrew Le Page (Brunswick City)
A familiar name in the NPL before his Brunswick move from State League Four, Le Page is often remembered for his Avondale stint which helped the club to its rise to the top tier two years ago. His move to Brunswick has seen him reach similar heights, and while promotion is not on the cards for City, his impact has contributed to their long unbeaten run. Two winning goals including a Liam Boland-like lob from distance against Thunder, which dealt their only defeat of the year, has seen Le Page be a massive contributor to George Karkaletsis’ team (his double salvo against Whittlesea continued his form, but that falls in August and not July).
Nick Stamatiou (Kingston City)
Kingston’s incredible this year has seen numerous players stand out at various points of the season, helping the wheels turn at the Grange in 2016. Last month it was Stamatiou, the Kingston veteran – as one of the last remnants of the 06/07 halcyon days at the club – proving a rock at the heart of the City midfield. Contributing to four wins in five to help City sit alongside Thunder now at the top of the table, the midfielder’s presence in the middle of the park has been an invaluable link between the defenders and attackers in the side as he helps in the club’s attempts to climb back to the top tier in Victoria.
Matt Townley (North Geelong Warriors)
Make no mistake, we recognise North Geelong have had plenty of contributors in July that led to an unbeaten streak which now sees them in a top-two position. Nick Jurcic for example was a bright attacking spark, and Kene Eze regularly found the back of the net. But the outcome of Townley’s impact meant North Geelong only conceded three goals in five games, keeping two clean sheets in the process – by far the best defensive record of the month. And while the attackers often get the praise, the captain’s influence has been just as profound at the back.
Jonathan Voulgaris (Werribee City)
Maybe somewhat contentious given he did pick up a red card this month, but we don’t necessarily have suspension rules for POTM. Regardless, Voulgaris’ performances drew praise from the Werribee camp on regular occasions in July, underscored by scoring in three of the four games he featured in throughout the month, and being a key cog in Werribee’s run in the latter half of the season.
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