Yipe way too early to worry about any Nix signings, or lack of yet. I'd be more focused on any Govt financial support announcements, or news from FFA/NLWG what next A League season is likely to look like. Club survival needs to be the focus for the moment.
I guess players will return to pre season training in October, when some NZ domestic based players will be invited in for trials.
Early days but already looks like MVC, SFC & MC will be operating on a different financial plane to the other clubs. Salary cap rorting will be in overdrive. Victory were always likely to quickly bounce back from such a poor season just finished. Though if crowds are not possible in the new season that will hurt them, more than most.
When club's squads have all been sorted, you need to be comparing the Nix against likes of CCM, Newcastle, WU etc - not the big 3.
The raison d'etre of the Nix is to produce success results-wise and to develop local players, so if they have to cut their cloth to fit in tight financial times and sign more Kiwi players, that is a positive from the player development point of view.
As you say, most other A-League clubs won't be rolling in money either and will be spending less on players and recruiting fewer foreigners (or cheaper foreigners).
News out of the UK is that several clubs are struggling financially or on the point of bankruptcy, so there are likely to be plenty of decent players of the required standard available who will be happy to earn a living playing in the A-League.
My club Charlton was on the point of going bust before an enthusiastic genuine Danish-American football fan with money bought them yesterday:
"With the club about to run out of funds this month, it was important that I moved quickly to complete the acquisition and put funds in to the club to ensure its survival."
Charlton's situation meant they were under an EFL ban from signing players.