vs Roar, Sun 12 Feb, 5 pm

The stadium has a couple wild cats around the place. Pigeon control.

Downloadable match poster here.

Print it out and put it up at your workplace, every little bit of advertising helps!

Ward to start perhaps?

What have we done to deserve that?

sad about the weather but still think we should pull about 15k, this is a huge game, with two great teams, and so close to the finals. hope the weather is wrong though

Is it just me who thinks this is completely awesome?

Wild cats.. you mean like cougars?

There are a couple of those in the stadium at most games already.

Both.

metservice now predicting a fine day on Monday....lets hope that jumps forward a day.

Yeah the cougars aren't tenants fortunately but they have been seen from time to time. I'm thinking the cougar count might be a bit higher for this game particularly in the singles zone.

Get. In. There.

Metservice update looks like the worst of the southerly may have pushed through by Sunday evening ...could be quite pleasant with a bit of luck

I thought manny was suspended for this game having collected five yellows already???

Yep,Lindsay isnt even in Wellington.

Personally not too keen on him getting a run at the moment anyway Tegal2012-02-08 17:00:23

FACT POLICE: Lucas Pantelis is a contracted player, and he has not played a game for us yet.

FACT POLICE: Lucas Pantellis is a contracted player, and he has not played a regular season competitive game for us yet.

FEVER CAT!

and, thus, team mascots are created ...

You need that on a flag Coops...

FACT POLICE: Fact police officers often get their facts mixed up...

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/aleague/matchcentre/Wellington-Phoenix-FC-v-Brisbane-Roar-FC-Hyundai-A-League/2191

Wellington Phoenix FC won 2
Draws 5
Brisbane Roar FC won 9

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/phoenix-roar-set-for-pivotal-clash/45174

Title contenders collide on Sunday when high-flying Wellington Phoenix welcome champions Brisbane Roar to Westpac Stadium.

The Phoenix are enjoying a purple patch of form with four wins on the trot and lead the Roar, who knocked off leaders Central Coast 2-0 on Saturday, in second place by a point.

Both can lay claim to second spot and the double chance in the finals with a win, but a slip up could invite fourth-placed Perth, who sit a further point behind Brisbane, into the fold.

Wellington's run has seen them account for Gold Coast, Newcastle Jets, Melbourne Heart and most recently Adelaide, making them the form side in the league and the player at the heart of much of it is Paul Ifill.

Brisbane are finding their feet too after a string of losses in the middle of the season following their record-breaking run and there would be no better way to reassert their title credentials than back-to-back wins against the league's top two.

The champions have found their vigor once more and the win over the Mariners, which ended their 15-game unbeaten run, will do the Roar a world of confidence.

Central to their resurgence and absent for much of their struggles was playmaker Thomas Broich.

The German, considered the heartbeat of the side, has played a major part in each of the four games since his return against Sydney in January.

Coincidentally, Henrique returned that day as well and so it appeared did Brisbane's good fortunes. The duo came on as second-half substitutes after layoffs to help guide Brisbane to a miraculous 2-1 comeback win, courtesy of an injury-time double.

Since Broich's return, Brisbane boast two wins, a draw and a loss and more importantly, are playing with the kind of fluidity that saw them stretch their unbeaten run to an unprecedented 36 matches.

Besart Berisha seems to have found his goal scoring touch with Broich playing once again in behind him.

So prolific earlier in the season, Berisha endured a baron run more or less when the team did but has scored in three of the four games since the German's re-introduction.

Whether it be Broich's creativity in the final third or Ifill's daring run and lethal finishing, both will play key roles for their respective sides when they meet on Sunday.

Ifill has been in devastating form in recent weeks, scoring goals and creating chances as well.

The Barbadian bagged a brace in Wellington's 3-1 win over Melbourne Heart and created the opener for Tim Brown in their 2-1 win over Adelaide last Friday.

His constant willingness to run at defenders in one-on-one situations should serve as a reminder to Brisbane of his threat.

Only a refereeing blunder denied him what was a stonewall penalty late in the win over Adelaide.

Plenty will be on the line on Sunday and if neither should win, chasers Perth can move up to second with a win over Sydney.

Grrrr rrrrrrivals!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/6386366/Roar-fear-Phoenixs-Ifill-says-Franjic

Their attacking weapon Besart Berisha may be making headlines but another danger man was on Brisbane Roar's mind ahead of Sunday's A-League clash in Wellington.

Berisha was in the news again after extending his season goal tally to 12 in a stirring 2-0 win over Central Coast at Gosford last Saturday night - then clashing post-match with team-mate James Meyer.

His bizarre confrontation with Meyer was not a good look after Berisha had just returned to the side from serving a week ban for another post-match incident against Sydney FC last month.

But Roar defender Ivan Franjic - himself no stranger to a dust-up with a team-mate - backed Berisha.

Franjic admitted his focus was on another talisman Paul Ifill, saying Wellington's English-born Barbados international should be muttered in the same breath as A-League elite Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton.

"This is the best I have seen him play in the A-League," Franjic said.

Asked if he should be rated alongside the likes of Kewell and Emerton, he said: "Yeah - he is one of the top players in our league.

"He is always a danger when he has the ball - one on one is when he is most dangerous."

Ifill tormented Adelaide United last round to set up a 2-1 away win, extending their winning run to four and retaining second spot - one point ahead of Brisbane.

Despite starting just nine games Ifill has notched five goals and three assists.

But the Roar are not short of attacking options - namely their controversial Albanian import Berisha.

And Franjic - who clashed with teammate Michael Theoklitos at training in November - expected Berisha to make headlines on the field this weekend after dismissing the latest incident.

"It was just passion," he said.

"There was nothing to it. There are a lot of arguments at training but it's all part of the game because everyone wants to win out there.

"It's pretty much handbags."

Franjic said the Roar still believed they could reel in leaders Mariners and claim the Premier's Plate after snapping Central Coast's 15-game unbeaten run last round at Gosford.

The Roar extended their 12-game unbeaten run at Bluetongue Stadium, marking only their third win in 12 games since their 36-game record was broken.

"There's definitely confidence in the camp after that win - it has kept our chances of finishing first still alive."

I wish I had time to make a banner that said

Fear the Handbag!

http://www.treatme.co.nz/Deal/Wellington/wellington-phoenix-feb12cf

$30 for a Ticket to the Wellington Phoenix Vs Brisbane Roar & $25 Food & Drinks Voucher for The Grand (value $60)

Sunday
12 Feb

MAX 19�C
MIN 13�C
Fine, apart from morning cloud. Southerlies dying out.

I wonder how Gareth's Guest is going to work with him being on a Russian Icebreaker on its way to Antarctica.

14 November 2009 is a date that will be forever etched in the mind of Brisbane Roar�s Bahraini defender Mohamed Adnan - and not for the right reasons.

Bahrain had a 50-50 chance of reaching the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time after being drawn against Oceania heavyweights New Zealand in the final two-legged qualifying play-off.

Following the first leg at Bahrain�s Manama National Stadium which ended in a goalless stalemate, Adnan and his countrymen headed to Wellington knowing just one goal could be enough to see them through to the 2010 edition of the tournament, on the away goals rule.

But, New Zealand drew first blood in the must-win second leg with Rory Fallon heading home a corner in the dying stages of the first half.

The Bahrainis were faced with a mountain to climb if their dreams of representing their country on the world�s biggest stage were to come true.

Five minutes into the second period, Bahrain were handed a lifetime.

Veteran defender Tony Lochhead was adjudged to have fouled Abdulla Omar in the penalty box and Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda pointed to the spot.

The responsibility of converting the equalising goal fell to Adnan and as he stepped towards the ball, the crowd around Westpac Stadium roared, urging on their goalkeeper Mark Paston to pull off what would be the most crucial of saves.

Whether it was the overwhelming noise, the overpowering responsibility or something else, Adnan�s uncharacteristically weak right-footed strike was easily caught by the Kiwi custodian and the All Whites went on to win 1-0 and qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/brisbaneroar/news-display/Big-Bahraini-with-point-to-prove/45207

I'm extremely nervous.  when do brisbane arrive here?

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Preview-Wellington-Phoenix-v-Brisbane-Roar/45192

Preview: Wellington Phoenix v Brisbane Roar

Date:Sunday, February 12
Kick-off:3pm AEDT, 5pm Local
Venue: Westpac Stadium

Head-to-head
Played 14: Wins: Brisbane 8, Wellington 2, Draws: 4

Previous encounter
Wellington 2, Brisbane 0, December 14, 2011

History:
Brisbane have had the better of this fixture over the years, losing just twice in 14 previous clashes, but Wellington have enjoyed a good time of it this season.

After grabbing a draw in their first meeting at Suncorp Stadium, the Phoenix picked up a rare win against Ange Postecoglou�s side in December when a goal in each half from Paul Ifill and Nick Ward handed the Kiwi�s a well-deserved 2-0 win.

Form:
Past five matches:
Wellington: LWWWW
Brisbane: DWDLW

Wellington have emerged as a real dark horse for the title in the last month, winning five of their last six matches. Not only are they proving hard to beat at the Cake Tin but Ricki Herbert�s side are starting to win matches on the road which makes them a very dangerous proposition.

They continue to be very hard to break down and with key players Ifill, Dani Sanchez and Tim Brown in form, are finding the net regularly as well.

Brisbane�s form hasn�t been quite so impressive but showed signs in their vital away win over league leaders Central Coast last weekend they are still very much in this competition.

The real question is whether that performance was a one-off or have they fully turned the corner. If it�s the latter then the Roar will be very confident of beating the Phoenix on their home latch and moving back into a vital top two spot.

Match Committee:
Both these sides have the luxury of being relatively injury free at the moment. Given Wellington�s hot form it�s hard to see Ricki Herbert making any changes to the team that got the job done in Adelaide last weekend. The Roar are again without winger Rocky Visconte, defender Matt Jurman and midfielder Mitch Nichols on Australian under-23 duty.

Danger men:
Dani Sanchez � Ifill might get most of the headlines out of New Zealand but Sanchez is proving just as vital to the Phoenix�s chances for the title.

The crafty midfielder has struck up a good partnership in the middle of the field with Kiwi international Tim Brown. Sanchez is creative, has the ability to dribble past a defender and has the eye for goal, as evidenced by his winner against the Reds last Friday night.

Thomas Broich � A-League rivals of the Brisbane Roar should be afraid, very afraid. After finally getting back on the field a couple of weeks ago after a long lay-off with injury, the German maestro looks to be back to full match fitness and right on his game. Despite being out for half the season Broich is still second in the league for assists and it should come as no surprise that Besart Berisha is back amongst the goals again with the playmaker back in the Roar midfield.

At the end of the day�
The best thing about the A-League heading into the last few rounds of the season is that almost every match will have an impact on the make-up of the finals....and none more so than this fixture on Sunday. This looms as the match of the weekend due to the importance of the result for both sides, with the winner to take pole position for second spot and a double chance in the finals.

The luxury the Phoenix have had for most of the year is that being on the other side of the ditch they have very much gone about their business quietly, with not too many experts considering them for the title. Well Wellington can no longer fly under the radar with the Kiwi side the hottest team in the league and being talked about as a championship threat. That type of talk brings with it a different pressure and expectation and how Herbert gets his players to handle that will be a key for their chances.

The Roar are one side that know all about that kind of pressure which is why despite their patchy form, no one has dared to write them off. The loss of Nichols to national team duty is a blow but their key players seem to be coming back to form just at the right time. With no team having ever won the A-League grand final from outside the top two, the result of this match takes on extra significance. With so much at stake neither side will want to lose, so a draw would seem the most likely result.

The Roar will miss Mitch Nicholls

He is traveling back to Australia, after picking up two yellow cards in Olympic qualifying, meaning he is suspended for the next qualifying game. Not sure yet whether he will play or not.