If your wanting to " showcase " NZ football don't ever have a game that involves Southern. Football down south must be in a very bad state!
I wouldn't say it's in a bad state. I just think it's the reality of their existence. They represent an area with the smallest playing and population base which only goes down over the summer as many players return home for the summer. By virtue of that, as well as having the smallest budget, it means that they can often produce a competitive starting XI, but when the side get's decimated by injuries/work commitments, it affects Southern more than others.
There's no easy fix for that, but they certainly weren't awful tonight, they're just a wee bit behind.