PS vs Wellington Olympic | Sat 20th Sep | 1:00pm | NZCIS | Club Open Day - Gates Open 9am

Pleased to hear that Cassidy played well. He really impressed me as the best player of the youngsters in the Wrexham game.

Think he is class based upon that brief snap shot and if indicative of his play could see him taking the midfield spot next to Rufer this season. 

Pretty spot on djtim3000 i thought it was good early season hit out. Great to see some of the BS thats been posted about Payne was just that thought he looked good faded a bit in the second half but thats to be expected. Awesome to see Rufer on the park looking something like his old self.
Of the newbies James looks like he is going to be a great a addition looks to be a no nonsense CB, looking forward to seeing more.
Eze after some of the earlier posts about him wasnt expecting much but think he could be useful he is friggen fast and has some nice touches. One was an easy tap in the other was a well taken goal after he set himself up. Going to become very unpopular though if he continues to drop and roll like he has been shot, he was taken out once but the others there wasnt much in them.
Najjarine and Armiento both showed glimpses they are going to offer something  Armiento looks to have a very powerful left foot.
Josh looked a lot more confidant than he did last season and cant recall him being as vocal last season as he was today.
Another plus for me was the absence of continually playing it back obviously there were times but most teams do that.
All in all for me a promising start the boys are off the Sydney next week then back here and into it. Also great to see Chief smiling lets hope the boys keep that happening.

thanks again for the updates and the great writeup tim!

i like the sounds of the high line and the pace. very encouraging!

Great summary djtim3000.

The young boys impressed against the women ,they got better as the game went on.

Very little attacking threat from the women. But good at knocking it backwards and sideways. 

Probably the best guaranteed day out with the Nix this season! 

If Eze has been in a league that’s rewarded going down after contact, that needs communication and coaching with the change in A league refereeing or it’s going be a frustrating season. 

Payne’s our best RB and good in the A league, but he was mid preseason against a guy playing well at the top of the Eredivisie and other forward playing championship and SFPL. 

Good news about the younger kids’ challenging. 

It sounds promising, but we won’t know how we’re tracking until we hit the league. Bit of a worry about Ishige.

Are we on track to give Auckland a game? 

Injuries? Retre plus…

No Walker, Piper, Nagasawa? 

Thanks for the summary Tim. 👏

I was after info about James' performance specifically, so i'm very happy to see he's come in and hit the ground running. Eze will be buoyed by his couple of goals, and everyone else sounded like they chipped in. A shame to read about a potentially serious injury to Ishige too, but thems the breaks.

Good to see some positive vibes around here too. It's been a while!

Nathan Walker is in Chile with the under 20s.  Didn't see Nagasawa so perhaps he is injured or being rested? Piper still out, but he was there signing autographs 

martinb

Probably the best guaranteed day out with the Nix this season! 

If Eze has been in a league that’s rewarded going down after contact, that needs communication and coaching with the change in A league refereeing or it’s going be a frustrating season. 

Payne’s our best RB and good in the A league, but he was mid preseason against a guy playing well at the top of the Eredivisie and other forward playing championship and SFPL. 

Good news about the younger kids’ challenging. 

It sounds promising, but we won’t know how we’re tracking until we hit the league. Bit of a worry about Ishige.

Are we on track to give Auckland a game? 

Injuries? Retre plus…

No Walker, Piper, Nagasawa? 

Spoke to Piper he is hoping to target 1st game but to be honest he wasnt at all convincing

Mileusnic injured as well?

Cheers for the reports! Sounds like a good day. 

I'm sure in Iraq a player is rewarded for simulation and rolling around Neymar like.
Job for the Nix staff to coach him out of that.

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

No concern at all for me,very early in their build up and they also had 3/4 out.  Also dont under estimate the boys side there are some very talented young footballers in that team  and they are able  play a lot more physical game of football than you expect. Wouldnt at all be surprised if we dont see a few of them playing at higher levels in the future,  going to be pretty exciting to see them come through if im honest. 

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

A little concerning if what i heard about the lack of attacking opportunities is true but not entirely unexpected. It is early in the preseason for them while the boys will have just finished theirs (although I am aware that plenty of the women play through as well). 

Just great that the fans could go along and see the players again, especially the new ones. No concern to me.

It is par for the course, women's teams regularly get thumped by teams of boys. If anything, losing only 2-0 is a decent result. When I was 14, I played for a club whose women's team won the league every season in my city, and my team beat them 9-0 in a preseason friendly. Granted they weren't pro but we were an unremarkable team of 14/15 year old boys ourselves, not any sort of representative team. 

This is the nature of men v women in sport. It regularly makes the news when womens' international teams get thrashed by random local boys teams they have friendlies against, and certain types of people will gleefully mock them for this, but these people probably never played sports themselves and don't understand just how biologically  advantaged men are. 

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

imanixsupporter

It is par for the course, women's teams regularly get thumped by teams of boys. If anything, losing only 2-0 is a decent result. When I was 14, I played for a club whose women's team won the league every season in my city, and my team beat them 9-0 in a preseason friendly. Granted they weren't pro but we were an unremarkable team of 14/15 year old boys ourselves, not any sort of representative team. 

This is the nature of men v women in sport. It regularly makes the news when womens' international teams get thrashed by random local boys teams they have friendlies against, and certain types of people will gleefully mock them for this, but these people probably never played sports themselves and don't understand just how biologically  advantaged men are. 

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

I seem to recall the Oz women's World Cup team were beaten 13 - 0 by Jets Under-17's prior to departure not so long ago.
Edit: may have been Under 15's not 17's.

Was 7-0 and whilst it was a Matilda's side, it was full of fringe players to bring them into the national team environment. So they were focusing on development rather than chasing a result.

Senior women's teams lose to men's youth sides all the time. Only losing by a couple this early into pre-season probably isn't a bad result. Hopefully the lack of attacking cohesion is down to them focusing on the defense side of things initially. 

AucklandPhoenix

Pleased to hear that Cassidy played well. He really impressed me as the best player of the youngsters in the Wrexham game.

Think he is class based upon that brief snap shot and if indicative of his play could see him taking the midfield spot next to Rufer this season. 

Yeah he looked a class above the other reserves in the Wrexham game. From reports he was good again yesterday. Must be pushing Roa Conchie, who hasn't looked a particular standout, very hard.

I love the optimism here.

Monto

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

A little concerning if what i heard about the lack of attacking opportunities is true but not entirely unexpected. It is early in the preseason for them while the boys will have just finished theirs (although I am aware that plenty of the women play through as well). 

 I only saw the first 20 or so minutes before running off after kids, but the Wahinix had two very good chances cleared off the line in that time. The girls did seem to get bullied a bit physically, at one point mvdm (who's not exactly a lightweight) got flattened by U15 striker in what was apparently a fair tackle. The team as a whole did look pretty cohesive given the very limited pre-season so far, I'm not concerned at all.

To add to other examples people have mentioned:

Why do women's teams do it?

I'd say 2-0 loss sounds pretty good.

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

I think back 12 months ago and a pre season hit out like this at Martin Luckie Park, that was not very exciting at all.  First look at the two Japanese imports.  

I cannot recall who that as against.  Can i be enlightened please? my rationale was yesterday a whole lot more encouraging.

Walsall Boy

I think back 12 months ago and a pre season hit out like this at Martin Luckie Park, that was not very exciting at all.  First look at the two Japanese imports.  

I cannot recall who that as against.  Can i be enlightened please? my rationale was yesterday a whole lot more encouraging.

Also against Olympic. Rojas was pretty much the only one that showed any promise or excitement, though we were missing a few first teamers. Second half in that game was all academy plus Corban Piper’s first game for us.

Walsall Boy

I think back 12 months ago and a pre season hit out like this at Martin Luckie Park, that was not very exciting at all.  First look at the two Japanese imports.  

I cannot recall who that as against.  Can i be enlightened please? my rationale was yesterday a whole lot more encouraging.

That game last year at Martin Luckie Park was also against Wellington Olympic 

Edit: Sorry already answered!

Quality from Ramy. pic.twitter.com/xDclITiNjS

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) September 20, 2025

Goals for Najjarine and Armiento, two for Eze, plus two own goals secure a comfortable friendly win at NZCIS ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/MhOrKVO7Hc

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) September 20, 2025

Thank you to everyone who came out today! Can't wait for the season ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/JUIYTUc1gO

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) September 20, 2025

For me the women's result points to needing our last import to be another proven goal scorer.  
I wonder if the delay of any announcement so far means we might be looking at someone to come on board after the US or Canada season is finished on a loan. Not sure when transfer window closes for the women.

From what I've seen of male vs female football, this is pretty normal.

Napier Phoenix

Is the Wahinix result against the under 15 boys side of concern to anyone? Regular women's football  watchers, is this kind of result unusual ?  

We went down 1-0 to Sydney today - their match report is here. As you might expect, not much coverage for our boys from their perspective.

Nothing posted on our socials as yet which is a shame - not even a lineup

dunnix

We went down 1-0 to Sydney today - their match report is here. As you might expect, not much coverage for our boys from their perspective.

Nothing posted on our socials as yet which is a shame - not even a lineup

Is that overly defensive from the club? Or reasonable with the new/young players?

The social media content from the club has gone downhill, so probably didn't fly the intern who knew the Twitter password over.

RR

The social media content from the club has gone downhill, so probably didn't fly the intern who knew the Twitter password over.

Lulz 

A preseason 0-1 loss away ti Sydney is no big deal. They will be better for the hit out.
Strange how the club has gone a bit quiet....do they have a full time media manager? Whos doing the socials. 

That result gives me more hope for our fortunes this season.

1-0 loss is a good result against what should be a decent Sydney team.

I would like to see us scoring some more goals though against better opposition. All good hitting six past NZ sides, but I want to see us find the net against the A League teams or top NPL teams.

How is this a good result?
It's a loss, no goals, it may does not matter but I wished we where winning more, at  least score.

I find it weird that the club can tell us that the game is on.... and then nothing about the line-up and how it went.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

I find it weird that the club can tell us that the game is on.... and then nothing about the line-up and how it went.

Agree 100% sometimes im sure the Nix just dont understand what fan engagement is. Next thing they will be banging on about people turning up to games. 

number8

How is this a good result?
It's a loss, no goals, it may does not matter but I wished we where winning more, at  least score.

Some excuses: I think this was Sydney's 11th game in preseason, and our 5th? Its preseason and I remember the 'Nix comfortably beating Roar 2 nil in preseason before the Roar would dominate the league and go 36 unbeaten. We are also missing about a dozen players through injury and u20s, with Sydney only missing a few. It was played in temps around 30c and us in black away kit. Sydney have just a better squad, more $$$, and should be one of the favourites for league.