Newshub were at the press conference and even asked a question on behalf of One news. I hope that it leads but a Warrior or Rugby player stubbing a toe may be more important 🙄 MetalLegNZ
I really hope this story leads the news this evening - it really is a great story.
Name me one other female professional in NZ that a team has paid 6 figures for??
Good luck Macey. 👏 Selfishly would have liked to see her with us for another season, but that's a great move, and a nice return on investment for the Nix too.
FYI - $USD35K is about $NZD60K. I'm guessing being a Football Fern international, she won't be on the bare minimum - that's more likely the girls straight out of college.
Being a pro athlete she's likely not wasting money on alcohol, like most of us were at age 21. But even less of that vice temptation in Salt Lake City!
Is there any more specific word on the transfer fee?
You cant just pick and choose which laws to follow. Sure Id like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of major league baseball, but thats just not the way it works.-Hank Hill
Nothing much happening for her in the NWSL. Injured again? Hasn't been in a match day squad since 4th May, or 7 matches ago. 5 league games & 192 mins for Utah to date. 0 goals & 0 assists.
Like alot of young ALW players who go Stateside, the NWSL proving a tough league to crack for Macey. Like Clegg may have to look north at the Canadian league or similar in 2026?
Played 5 games at start of season. Including 2 starts. Got injured (knee). NWSL has just been on a long break. Starts back in Aug. Looks like she has since recovered from here injury.
Niche Cache. Barely played in 2 years now. Similar to Miley Clegg, who has yet to score a goal in the Canadian League, though she's at least getting game time there.
And then there’s Macey Fraser with the Utah Royals in the NWSL. Second game back after the midseason pause and still there’s no sign of her. She’s not listed as injured after the knee issue she dealt with earlier in the year. She’s been pictured training with the team and is still on the active roster. Heck, she was even at the game as they lost 1-0 to Kansas City Currents. What the hell is going on? No idea... but it has been pointed out that she recently signed with a new agency – the NZ-based Football Asset Management which represents a bunch of kiwi footballers, particularly those who’ve come through the A-League. It’s still possible that Fraser’s simply being eased back from that injury... but even when she was fit at the start of the season they were playing her out of position and then didn’t hesitate to drop her to the bench. This is how they treat a player that cost them a six-figure transfer fee. Free Macey!
Ali Riley is on her way back from a long term injury with ACFC and it’ll take some time before she’s ready for a matchday squad. Macey Fraser hasn’t played in months for Utah Royals even though she’s also back in training after her knee injury from earlier in the season. It had been absolute crickets on that situation until this week somebody finally asked the coach what the deal is. His response didn’t explain anything...
Jimmy Coenraets, Utah Royals coach: “There's a whole background of why or why not Macey is involved in the game squad. I think that takes about 6 or 7 months of history and it's nothing Macey against us, not us against Macey. Macey's doing well at practice. She's doing her job. There's just other things happening for her right now which make it hard for us to involve her in the game squad. It's not about not wanting or not willing, it's just more like it's really a private matter that right now is keeping her out of the game squad. That's something as a coach, you have to take into account as well. Players have to want to really participate and feel in a very good spot to be able to participate. And that's just not always the case.”
You can interpret that as anything from a serious personal issue to an attitude problem. Who bloody knows? Free Macey!
Ali Riley is on her way back from a long term injury with ACFC and it’ll take some time before she’s ready for a matchday squad. Macey Fraser hasn’t played in months for Utah Royals even though she’s also back in training after her knee injury from earlier in the season. It had been absolute crickets on that situation until this week somebody finally asked the coach what the deal is. His response didn’t explain anything...
Jimmy Coenraets, Utah Royals coach: “There's a whole background of why or why not Macey is involved in the game squad. I think that takes about 6 or 7 months of history and it's nothing Macey against us, not us against Macey. Macey's doing well at practice. She's doing her job. There's just other things happening for her right now which make it hard for us to involve her in the game squad. It's not about not wanting or not willing, it's just more like it's really a private matter that right now is keeping her out of the game squad. That's something as a coach, you have to take into account as well. Players have to want to really participate and feel in a very good spot to be able to participate. And that's just not always the case.”
You can interpret that as anything from a serious personal issue to an attitude problem. Who bloody knows? Free Macey!
It's good someone finally asked the coach, but unfortunately it really answered nothing and it just raises more questions than we had in the first place
Someone posted somewhere that Lachlan Brook who has just signed with Auckland, was/is her boyfriend. Absolutely zero idea if that's true or not. Brook was playing for Real Salt Lake (RSL) so obviously also based in Utah until very recently.
Hopefully whatever issues Macey F has can be sorted out soon. Seems that far too many young Aus/NZ players go from the ALW to NWSL and then just never get to play stateside. If the Ferns are to make any real progress, young talents like her and Clegg, need to be playing and generally doing well.
Seemed happy visiting New York and playing in that Steve Nash street soccer thing.
Wasn’t she in the same boat around this time last year where she returned home for a few months mid season?? Can’t remember why that was but do recall her missing for Utah last year too.
Hope she’s all good behind the scenes and all but maybe the TikTok’s, podcasts and media shenanigans might be all too much to juggle right now.
The Wellington Phoenix have brought back one of the club’s most notable alumni.
The Phoenix have signed Macey Fraser to a three-year contract after the Football Ferns midfielder was released by Utah Royals FC late last week.
Fraser, 23, was one of the first women to join the club’s academy in 2021 and finalised a record transfer to the National Women’s Soccer League club in April last year after a breakout maiden season as a professional.
She scored three goals and led the Nix with five assists during the 2023-24 A-League season and was called up to the Ferns for last year’s Paris Olympics.
Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman is thrilled to have secured Fraser’s signature.
“For someone of Macey’s calibre to want to come back to the Phoenix speaks to where the club is heading and the people in the building,” Priestman said.
“Macey’s quality speaks for itself and I look forward to integrating her back in.
"She can play higher up the pitch and deeper, and having that flexibility in midfield depending on who we’re playing and who she’s playing alongside will really benefit us.
“We really do have a whole squad and a bench that can be used week to week and Macey’s certainly going to add to that.”
Macey Fraser has already arrived in Wellington and has joined the squad for the first week of pre-season training.
“It’s been on my mind for a while to return to the Phoenix,” Fraser said. “I have a bit of unfinished business at the club.
“I grew up watching the Phoenix with my family and I’m really grateful for them giving me my start in professional football. To win a league with the Phoenix is my dream.
“Obviously I haven’t had the minutes I wanted at Utah Royals. It’s important for me to get back playing football again.
“I looked at my options and I said I just want to go somewhere I can completely focus on my football and not worry about a language barrier or moving to a new place, so I thought why not go back to the Phoenix."
Im guesing the fact that she was being played out of position as a wnger when she played might have had some part of her unhappiness, add to that maybe she missed the comforts of home.
I hope the buzz around the womens team shows in an increase in spectators. People need to get along to watch them. Are they mainly playing at Porirua? Dome said its getting too expensive their. Newtown park would be good.
