WPM R1 vs Western United | Sun 20th Oct | 4:00pm | RoF / Sky Sport 3 | March 3pm

My notes from last year's first home game:
Ex-Nix keeper Sail gifts Zawada an early chance and he lobs it in! Payne bombing down the right flank. Kraev hit the post. Perth controlled last 20 of first half. Ben Old came on, made impact. Kosta ran at defence, pass to Zawada, then Kraev to score. Shirts off. Kelly-Heald silly hand ball gave late penalty, saved brilliantly by Paulsen. First league win for coach Chiefy. Att 6100.

Not sure how I feel to be honest. It's a real mixed bag from both sides. I wouldn't write WSW off as this is the sort of game, they will suddenly gel and find some form. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Good and bad news, I can attend the game. Not sure if I should be happy or bummed lol

LG

Not sure how I feel to be honest. It's a real mixed bag from both sides. I wouldn't write WSW off as this is the sort of game, they will suddenly gel and find some form. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Well hopefully it won't matter if WSW do ok because we are playing Western United this week... 😜

I think we'll get the win. I expect we will make some mistakes and look a bit clunky at times as the team work through their first chance at trying out the new style of play in a competitive match.

But even though we may not look overly polished on Sunday, I hope to see a few exciting moments that give us a glimpse at what we will be able to do when it all starts clicking

Fantastic notes from Oi Oi Edgecumbe. Should be a journo. Maybe you are!

Typhoon

Fantastic notes from Oi Oi Edgecumbe. Should be a journo. Maybe you are!

Haha, nah not a journalist, I just keep notes on the games on our plainsrangers.com website. They go all the way back to the Kingz first season, so a bit of history there.

Just saw the first promo for the A-League season. I'm almost in nervous territory for our first game. I didn't miss the feeling of game day anxiety. 

Also, off topic but did they manufacturer Auckland FC footage for the promo? Or take it from recent behind closed doors games.

SBS news tonight. Apparently the NSW derby (Mata verus Costa) is looking like being a near 30,000 sellout, at Parramatta's CommBank.

Brief mention of Auckland as the new club, and they are running with Kiwi Classico. 

Yakcall

LG

Not sure how I feel to be honest. It's a real mixed bag from both sides. I wouldn't write WSW off as this is the sort of game, they will suddenly gel and find some form. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Well hopefully it won't matter if WSW do ok because we are playing Western United this week... 😜

DOH on me, dementia moment ;) 

Beyond Rojas, new recruit Paulo Retre has a groin injury to sideline him for "at least three to four weeks but it could be up to six".

Lukas Kelly-Heald has a hamstring injury that will mean he misses a month, while Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues has hurt his knee, which Italiano said was not a major injury, but leaving him without a recovery timeline.

Chiefytheman

Beyond Rojas, new recruit Paulo Retre has a groin injury to sideline him for "at least three to four weeks but it could be up to six".

Lukas Kelly-Heald has a hamstring injury that will mean he misses a month, while Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues has hurt his knee, which Italiano said was not a major injury, but leaving him without a recovery timeline.

Not the ideal start!

Not ideal, may help temper some of the pre-game optimism! Was looking forward to seeing what retre had about him.

Not what you want to hear a few days out from game 1

Hopefully Chiefy's vision of having players able to take on many different roles helps to soften the blow

Aw man.... that's so unfortunate. The longest off season in the world and then 5 guys picking up injuries the week before the season starts....

a pic from an Instagram group chat that I run... still a class side

I feel like we're more likely to Barbarouses up top and OVH starting out wide, only because Cola's only been here for a few days

Yea I’m picking this:

IMG_7442.jpeg 441.65 KB

Could potentially see Conchie over Mo since Mo’s missed a few chunks of pre-season when he was away with Iraq.

now we just need to make up a bench which will certainly be looking spectacular 

AKH, Smith, Sheridan, Piper, Conchie, Ball, Supyk would be my guess

nixnation

a pic from an Instagram group chat that I run... still a class side

Even though he never got on the pitch in the recently completed international window I feel like we're more likely to start with Retre over Al-Taay - Purely because of the travel involved for him recently Wellington > Basra > Seoul > Wellington. If he stayed with the squad for the entirety of the window then he's only likely flown back in to NZ possibly only today.

**Doh. Discard. Only just read further up the page.  That'll learn me. 😅

YoungHeartHM

nixnation

a pic from an Instagram group chat that I run... still a class side

Even though he never got on the pitch in the recently completed international window I feel like we're more likely to start with Retre over Al-Taay - Purely because of the travel involved for him recently Wellington > Basra > Seoul > Wellington. If he stayed with the squad for the entirety of the window then he's only likely flown back in to NZ possibly only today.

 I'd Put Retre over Al-Taay too, but this is current active players so Retre isn't eligible due to his injury

nixnation

YoungHeartHM

nixnation

a pic from an Instagram group chat that I run... still a class side

Even though he never got on the pitch in the recently completed international window I feel like we're more likely to start with Retre over Al-Taay - Purely because of the travel involved for him recently Wellington > Basra > Seoul > Wellington. If he stayed with the squad for the entirety of the window then he's only likely flown back in to NZ possibly only today.

 I'd Put Retre over Al-Taay too, but this is current active players so Retre isn't eligible due to his injury

Yeah I'd skimmed over a large part of the latest posts. Whoops 😬

I was going to say "at least the backline looks solid" and then I decided to go all superstitious and bit my tongue.

Anyone got a good anti-jinx? 

It seems hard to expect us to get much for the first round with players out.

martinb

Anyone got a good anti-jinx? 

It seems hard to expect us to get much for the first round with players out.

5 years since the Nix last hosted Western in the first game of a new season. 
Marko, Dura, Kurto, Burgess & co leaving 1-0 victors October 2019.

coochiee

martinb

Anyone got a good anti-jinx? 

It seems hard to expect us to get much for the first round with players out.

5 years since the Nix last hosted Western in the first game of a new season. 
Marko, Dura, Kurto, Burgess & co leaving 1-0 victors October 2019.

The Ref not knowing the rules cost us a late penalty!
https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/aleague-wellington-phoenix-western-united-referee-controversy-referee-mistake-missed-penalty-var-news-video/news-story/01bb996a9af0dc81202494222cc394ff

Snakes grrr.

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 3. Corban PIPER, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 9. Hideki ISHIGE, 10. David BALL, 12. Mo AL-TAAY, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 19. Sam SUTTON, 23. Luke SUPYK, 24. Oskar VAN HATTUM, 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matt SHERIDAN, 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH, 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 39. Jayden SMITH, 41. Nathan WALKER

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: 41. Nathan WALKER (promoted)

Outs: 8. Paulo RETRE (injured), 11. Stefan COLAKOVSKI, 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES (injured), 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD (injured), 21. Marco ROJAS (injured), 35. Dublin BOON (gk) (omitted)

Unavailable: 8. Paulo RETRE (injured), 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES (injured), 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD (injured), 21. Marco ROJAS (injured)

Western United squad: 1. Tom HEWARD-BELLE (gk), 4. James DONACHIE, 5. Oliver LAVALE, 6. Tomoki IMAI, 9. Hiroshi IBUSUKI, 10. Matthew GRIMALDI, 13. Tate RUSSELL, 14. Jake NAJDOVSKI, 17. Ben GARUCCIO, 19. Noah BOTIC, 20. Abel WALATEE, 21. Sebastian PASQUALI, 23. Rhys BOZINOVSKI, 29. Charbel SHAMOON, 30. Dylan LEONARD, 32. Angus THURGATE, 33. Matthew SUTTON (gk), 34. James YORK, 37. Luke VICKERY, 77. Riku DANZAKI

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: Nil

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 7. Ramy NAJJARINE (injured), 43. Khoder KADDOUR (injured)

"Italiano said the absences meant his team on Sunday would have a youthful feel.

He cryptically offered that one academy player is likely to start, with first-team outings for other youngsters, without saying who."

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8794319/injuries-ravage-wellington-phoenix-ahead-of-alm-opener/

That would have to be Walker right? LBS is still really young & I would hope Hughes is above Piper and Smith at CB right now.

From memory Walker was the only Weenix kid to start against SM in the Australia Cup game

martinb

Anyone got a good anti-jinx? 

It seems hard to expect us to get much for the first round with players out.

Don't think it's an anti jinx, but it's probably not a good omen either - But we've never won on October 20th (small sample size though)

October 20th fixtures in our history
Western Sydney 1 - 1 Wellington
(2013)
Sydney FC 2 - 1 Wellington (2019)

YoungHeartHM

martinb

Anyone got a good anti-jinx? 

It seems hard to expect us to get much for the first round with players out.

Don't think it's an anti jinx, but it's probably not a good omen either - But we've never won on October 20th (small sample size though)

October 20th fixtures in our history
Western Sydney 1 - 1 Wellington
(2013)
Sydney FC 2 - 1 Wellington (2019)

Yeah but those games were against Sydney teams so it'll be ight

6 more tix for the Nix purchased for Sunday. Run me through the Sunday plans pls, I know the march leaves at 3pm, and the Featherston is the pre-match venue, what time is that? 

Ta 

Weather is looking good for Sunday so I'm hoping for a good walk up crowd. 

"Hail       The Chief" again??

The 14-year wait for Wellington Phoenix stars Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rojas to play together again | Stuff
Interesting little stat, Rojas and Barbarouses have only played 29 minutes together. Hopefully that increases with some success this season.

Frustrating, to say the least, to have a number of our players injured / not ready.