It's useful to look at the Niche Cache's weekly domestic wraps, to get a summary of who is coming through the Reserves team and worth a watch.
https://theniche-cache.com/football/2026/6/29/aotearoa-domestic-football-roundup-june-29
Couple of debutants in the AFC squad too: double goalscorer Charlie Hale was literally playing for the Wellington Phoenix Reserves last week, in fact he’s been a regular for that team appearing in every Central League game until this weekend. We’ve seen a few players who’ve spent time in both academies but this is the first instance of a direct mid-season transfer between the two A-League rivals.
...............As for those Wellington Phoenix Reserves, they had a 1-1 stalemate away against Petone. Ben Trenberth scored their goal (31’) with the 16-year-old continuing to look like an amazing prospect... and it was assisted by Jack Clegg who is around the same age and starting to get similar prominence with plenty of NZ age grade stuff upcoming for both later this year. However Nick Drayton (84’) turned up to force a share of the spoils. Second start for new Nix goalkeeper Liam McMaster. Also a season debut, probably a Central League debut in fact, for 18yo Grayson Lunman who once took on the Mayor of Wellington in a football juggling contest when he was seven years old. He lost... but Mark Paston was there too and he touted him as a future All White. Now he’s cracked the Nix U20s team so who knows?
https://theniche-cache.com/football/2026/6/29/aotearoa-domestic-football-roundup-june-29
Couple of debutants in the AFC squad too: double goalscorer Charlie Hale was literally playing for the Wellington Phoenix Reserves last week, in fact he’s been a regular for that team appearing in every Central League game until this weekend. We’ve seen a few players who’ve spent time in both academies but this is the first instance of a direct mid-season transfer between the two A-League rivals.
...............As for those Wellington Phoenix Reserves, they had a 1-1 stalemate away against Petone. Ben Trenberth scored their goal (31’) with the 16-year-old continuing to look like an amazing prospect... and it was assisted by Jack Clegg who is around the same age and starting to get similar prominence with plenty of NZ age grade stuff upcoming for both later this year. However Nick Drayton (84’) turned up to force a share of the spoils. Second start for new Nix goalkeeper Liam McMaster. Also a season debut, probably a Central League debut in fact, for 18yo Grayson Lunman who once took on the Mayor of Wellington in a football juggling contest when he was seven years old. He lost... but Mark Paston was there too and he touted him as a future All White. Now he’s cracked the Nix U20s team so who knows?