Zwane backs Petersen, Mofokeng and three Pirates stars for Player of the Year

zwane has put Brandon Petersen in the Player of the Year conversation with three Orlando Pirates standouts after a season that ended with Pirates back on top of the PSL. He named Sipho Chaine, Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis as the other players he believes should be in the race.

Chaine and Petersen lead the case

The strongest part of Zwane’s argument sits in goal. Chaine kept 21 clean sheets and conceded 12 goals, while Petersen posted 15 clean sheets in 24 South African top-tier outings for Kaizer Chiefs.

“There’s a few, I think the two goalkeepers from Pirates and Chiefs by virtue of their clean sheets and their outstanding performances. They deserve to be there. I’m talking about Chaine and Petersen,” Zwane said.

Mofokeng and Appollis numbers

The Pirates pair gave the title charge its edge at the other end of the field. Mofokeng finished with 10 goals and eight assists in 27 league matches, while Appollis added nine goals and six assists in 30 appearances.

“I think Relebohile Mofokeng for by virtue of the fact that his contribution has been by far the biggest in the Pirates team. I think Apollis has been far more consistent than Mofokeng,” Zwane said. “But Mofokeng’s contribution is bigger. So, I think they both should be there. For me, those will be the four players in contention for the Player of the season,”

Pirates’ title edge over Sundowns

Those numbers sit inside a bigger season for Pirates, who ended a 14-year wait to win the PSL title. They did it after Mamelodi Sundowns had won the league eight times in a row, then added the MTN8 for a fourth consecutive time and the Carling Knockout as well.

Kaizer Chiefs finished third, but Petersen’s clean-sheet count gives Zwane a direct challenge to the idea that the award race should be limited to the title winners. The debate now centers on whether league medals should outweigh the split of goals, assists and shutouts that Zwane used to draw his four-man list.