https://theniche-cache.com/football/2024/5/31/what-comes-next-for-the-wellington-phoenix-blokes-after-their-best-ever-a-league-seasonAnother thing to track is that David Ball will have been at the club for five years as of July 2024. In that time he has played 123 A-League games for the club, scoring 16 times. He remains under contract for one more year and this is relevant because as long as the immigration office doesn’t look unkindly upon the time the club spent in Australia during the pandemic... he could have New Zealand citizenship by the time the team next plays.
As to who those next up academy lads might be, here are a few names to get knowledgeable with...
Fergus Gillion (Born 2005) – Goes without saying since he’s now the most established fella left on an academy contract. Mobile midfielder with a headstart on the rest of his WeeNix pals. Also could instigate a delicious aspect of the new Wellington Phoenix vs Auckland FC rivalry if, as rumoured (or is it merely wishful thinking?), his brother Liam Gillion gets signed by the newbies. Liam recently won Player of the Tournament at the Oceania Champions League with Auckland City. Sister Emily Gillion played National League for Eastern Suburbs last year and is also a highly regarded futsal player. Huge tekkers in that family.
Nathan Walker (Born 2006) – A speedy winger with a knack for goals who made the U17 World Cup squad last year while playing for NRFL Championship club Fencibles. Has since made the trip down to Wellington to link up with the many U17s teammates already at the WeeNix and hasn’t taken long at all to get settled.
Anaru Cassidy (Born 2007) – A technically-gifted midfielder, very good passer, who joined the Nix Academy from Waterside Karori. There are a lot of good midfielders at the club from first team downwards and he’s definitely one of them. He was another of the 2022 U17 World Cup crew.
Dylan Gardiner (Born 2006) – Tall central defender who was starting games for Hamilton Wanderers aged sixteen. Easily recognisable for the cleanly shaven head. Spent some time training in Spain at the start of the year and then returned to join the Phoenix Academy. Yes, he did go to the U17 World Cup as well.
Tze Xuan Loke (Born 2005) – Captained the WeeNix in their last few games so there are leadership credentials here. TXL is a fullback who can play on either side and the Nix always need fullbacks. Bit of a different style to possession-based guys like Kelly-Heald and Sutton, Loke is more dynamic and will absolutely bomb forward. He joined the academy from Green Island in Dunedin.
Notice how the WeeNix recruit from all over the nation. Notice also how Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues, who was born in 2007 and is the Phoenix’s youngest ever A-League player, is still younger than every single hombre on that there list.