South Island United FC (OFC Pro League)

152 replies · 11,008 views
5 months ago
They've made some good solid signings. 

More in the offing too!
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Endorsed by
BicoochieeLT01Southernix
5 months ago
Transfermarkt may have already have let slip one of your picks YH.
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Endorsed by
YoungHeartHM
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
coochiee
Transfermarkt may have already have let slip one of your picks YH.

Hahaha, so they have! (No, it wasn't me who updated it 😆).
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5 months ago
Another Mainlander returns to his roots.
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Endorsed by
coochiee
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
So I'd go it's someone from the 2023 U20 WC squad.

Then they need to be based in Auckland

Jackson Jarvie, Noah Karunaratne, Jackson Manuel, Kian Donkers, Oli Fay and 
Ben Wallace of that 2023 squad all currently play in the 09?? 
Not too many of that 2023 U20 team have gone pro have they.

Finally needs to be a winger. I'd go Ben Wallace or Oli Fay. 
Though got given another name on that list has also signed for SIU, just don't think he's a winger??

Oli Fay played a bit of Swedish 3rd tier stuff with Otto Ingham who has signed for Vanuatu United.
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5 months ago
coochiee
So I'd go needs to be someone from the 2023 U20 WC squad.

Jackson Jarvie, Noah Karunaratne, Jackson Manuel, Kian Donkers, Oli Fay and 
Ben Wallace of that 2023 squad all play in Auckland??

Needs to be a winger. I'd go Ben Wallace or Oli Fay. 
Though got given another name on that list has also signed for SIU, just don't think he's a winger??

Oli Fay played a bit of Swedish 3rd tier stuff with Otto Ingham who has signed for Vanuatu United.

Oli Fay this time around. Although Jackson Manuel should be announced pretty soon for them as well.
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Endorsed by
coochiee
5 months ago
coochiee
So I'd go it's someone from the 2023 U20 WC squad.

Then they need to be based in Auckland

Jackson Jarvie, Noah Karunaratne, Jackson Manuel, Kian Donkers, Oli Fay and 
Ben Wallace of that 2023 squad all currently play in the 09?? 
Not too many of that 2023 U20 team have gone pro have they.

Finally needs to be a winger. I'd go Ben Wallace or Oli Fay. 
Though got given another name on that list has also signed for SIU, just don't think he's a winger??

Oli Fay played a bit of Swedish 3rd tier stuff with Otto Ingham who has signed for Vanuatu United.
Donkers has signed for Auckland Fc II
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Endorsed by
coochiee
5 months ago
Jaylen Rodwell signed. They're not even giving us hints anymore, just announcing them. 🥲
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Endorsed by
coochiee
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Adding to the defensive unit

Welcome to South Island United, Jaylen Rodwell!

Our first attacker in the ranks

Welcome to South Island United, Oli Fay!
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5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Building a squad nicely, and I think so far they are all in the 20-25 age range, so you'd think all hungry to show what they can do. Some like Manuel with a brief taste of pro football prior. 2-3 who have come through the Weenix Academy

Be interesting to see if some of the better Kiwi performers in the OFC League, can get a deal at the Nix for season 2025/26? That would be mostly SI United, as the  Auckland II players have a obvious path to the first team and ALM football.

We have seen the likes of Piper, Randall, Gillion make the step up from domestic scene to the A League.

Edit - wonder what Luis Toomey is up to?
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Endorsed by
brLT01niSouthernix
5 months ago
coochiee wrote:
Edit - wonder what Luis Toomey is up to?


AFC balls up. 

Was supposed to go to Western Springs for the National League as a spot had opened up, but he was still registered with AFC and couldn't sign. 

Whoops...
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5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
YoungHeartHM
coochiee wrote:
Edit - wonder what Luis Toomey is up to?


AFC balls up. 

Was supposed to go to Western Springs for the National League as a spot had opened up, but he was still registered with AFC and couldn't sign. 

Whoops...

AFC not so perfect after all. Toomey rightly shouldn't be happy about such a stuff up.

He'd be a good pickup for SI United or even one of the Island teams. 
He was just a bit unlucky last season Auckland were so strong in the ALM, and had very few injuries.

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Endorsed by
ni
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Wasn’t he meant to be trying his hand at the USL?

Auckland will rise once more

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5 months ago
AucklandPhoenix
Wasn’t he meant to be trying his hand at the USL?

Canada and USL was the talk, with more of a leaning more towards Canada overall.
 
But that chatter seemed to have died down now that the respective seasons have been completed (and it was more than midway through those seasons that murmurings around a possible move were mentioned anyway).
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5 months ago
✅️



Actually a really good signing for SIU.


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Endorsed by
AucklandPhoenixBicoochieeLT01+4
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Had a hunch he would pop up in the OFC League.

Great pickup for SIU. He was after all with the AWs at the OFC Nations Cup in Vanuatu 18 months ago.

He should stand out at this level. Presumably he'll play as a striker/winger and not as a full back.

Little odd to use a Wellington backdrop in the promo photo though. 
What's wrong with the Port of Lyttleton?

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/12/09/south-island-united-sign-all-whites-striker-for-new-ofc-pro-league-campaign/

Van Hattum’s arrival at the United Sport Centre will reconnect the family name with Christchurch, where uncle Frank van Hattum was part of the Christchurch United team in the early 1980s after featuring at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain with the All Whites.

“Obviously, it’s cool to have an uncle who’s also an All White, probably the more well-known van Hattum, but it’s cool to have that connection of him also playing down in Christchurch,” Oskar van Hattum said.
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5 months ago
So 10 signings so far for SI United with OVH's announcement today. In order (with previous club) they are:
David Yoo (Auckland City)
Lewis Partridge (Wellington Phoenix)
Dauntae Mariner (Nelson Suburbs)
Ollie van Rijssel (Christchurch United)
Josh Rogerson (Christchurch United)
Riley Grover (Christchurch United)
Oli Fay (Auckland United)
Jaylen Rodwell (Auckland United)
Jackson Manuel (Auckland City)
Oskar van Hattum (Valour FC - CAN)

Imagining so far that team would line up something like this:
lineup.png 161.11 KB

Looking forward to seeing who else they can bring in.
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Endorsed by
Bicoochiee
5 months ago
Sounds like a GK signing to be announced.



@CobainMitchell1
Yup, pretty simple.
Their first goalkeeper signing. Steven van Dijk.
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5 months ago
SVD was announced this morning.

Plenty of Christchurch Utd representation so far but not much from other SI clubs. So far you can split the squad into those with Chch Utd links, those with no link to the South Island, and Dauntae Mariner (two years with Nelson Suburbs). Hopefully we see a bit more variety in their SI signings soon.
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Endorsed by
Half a PintLT01niSouthernix
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Yes but Riley Grover (Christchurch United) is Nelson/Tasman born & bred.

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360905117/nelson-footballers-embark-professional-football-dream-south-island-united

He was the face of SIU's recent promo in Nelson.



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Endorsed by
LT01SamCoughlan
5 months ago
SVD confirmed at SIU's first keeper signing.
A 28 yr old Dutchman, who played for Christchurch United this winter season.

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5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
The Ex-Nix/WeeNix cohort continues to grow in the South. Charlie Beale signs on for SIU.

Screenshot_20251211_092516_Instagram.jpg 505.19 KB


Really happy for the lad. Knowing a little about his story and the near misses of his young career so far, its been a journey for him. Hope he goes well.
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Endorsed by
coochieeFoLT01Oi Oi Edgecumbe+1
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
100% YH.

Though with your other 2, HZ (a returning Cantab), appeared on SIU's Transfermarkt squad list and has now fallen off again. Not sure what is happening there. 

HZ has his own back story of some heartbreak and near misses re pro football prior, so hopefully you go 3 from 4 on him soon to.

Beale is originally from Tauranga and McLeod might be as well.
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5 months ago
Regardless of who wins it, I just hope this Pro League is competitive. The worst thing that could happen is AFC, SIU and SM smashing the league and regularly thrashing the island teams. No blame on any of them for recruiting well/having a strong squad, but this comp is going to struggle to survive if there's a lot of one-sided matches. 
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Endorsed by
Half a PintLGnewzealandpowerOi Oi Edgecumbe+2
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Playing 3 hubs in Honiara, Port Moresby and Suva/Ba helps the Island teams immeasurably.

Unused Subs Podcast, Darren Bazeley got asked the toughest place he played football over his career. Quick fire response. 'Honiara'!
13 years ago an AWs team with far better players than SIU or AFC II, had their own little horror show in the Solomons. It can be a brutal place. 

All the Kiwi/Aussie guys will be in for a body shock when they go there. And 3 games in a week long hub will test squad depth, in sapping conditions. I'm sure a big part of AFC II signing Tade is his years of experience playing in the Islands.

Then you get the fact the Island clubs look like being de facto National teams, and no they won't be easy to beat. At least outside of the Auckland and Melbourne hubs anyway. 

Plus we have no real idea how good their imports will be. PNG Hekari have a number of Brazilians?? They could be anything from awesome to very average.
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Endorsed by
BiJessie MerinoniSouthernix
5 months ago
Yeah. Hekari winning big might make PNG folk feel sorry for us. Like the Germans no doubt felt sorry for us when Bayern got home over ACFC 10 - 0
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5 months ago
coochiee
100% YH.

Though with your other 2, HZ (a returning Cantab), appeared on SIU's Transfermarkt squad list and has now fallen off again. Not sure what is happening there. 

HZ has his own back story of some heartbreak and near misses re pro football prior, so hopefully you go 3 from 4 on him soon to.

Beale is originally from Tauranga and McLeod might be as well.

Given that anyone can make an account on there, and as good a tool as it is for agents, intermediaries and both clubs as well as the staff themselves, I think you'll find people sometimes get a wee bit ahead of themselves.

Don't worry, the other signings are still coming. 😄
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Endorsed by
coochiee
5 months ago
Ryan Feutz to SIU from Sydney Olympic
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Endorsed by
coochiee
5 months ago · edited 5 months ago · History
Mainlander through & through. Ashvegas!

Great signing. Been scoring well at NPL level enough to get a trial at the Jets, and maybe if he wasn't I'm guessing a visa player in Aus, they might have picked him up.
Hopefully this OFC League is a shop window for him.

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/12/12/south-island-united-add-goalscorer-ryan-feutz-to-their-ofc-pro-league-squad/

“The other attraction, of course, is moving back to my roots, close to Ashburton where I played all my junior football,” says Feutz, who still has grandparents and other family living in Mid-Canterbury.

Father Greg Feutz is a legend in Canterbury football circles, winning the Golden Boot and Mainland Premier League with Nomads United, and he is still banging in goals on a regular basis in the Masters leagues in Wellington.

With father Greg on the sidelines, Ryan Feutz recalls his early days on a frosty Ashburton Domain, playing for the Collegiate club, and representing Mid-Canterbury.

At the age of 12, Feutz was offered a trial with Spanish academy CF Cracks and ended up in Spain for a year, including a stint at professional club Levante.

“But I never played an official game with them because I was too young under FIFA rules, so came back to New Zealand to join the Olé Academy,” says Feutz.

He stayed at the academy until he was 19 before moving to Eastern Suburbs to play National League, with fellow South Island United signing Josh Rogerson.

The two players then spent a season together at Torslanda IK in the Swedish second tier................

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Endorsed by
ni
5 months ago
Jessie Merino
Ryan Feutz to SIU from Sydney Olympic
Best player in the team by a country mile.
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5 months ago

Well we'll find out next month.
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5 months ago
3rd keeper named.
21 yr old Kennett from Nth Wellington. Another who has spent time at Weenix





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