General Ninja A-League Discussions

Wellington Phoenix will play all of their A-League Women home games at Porirua Park this season. They kick off the 2024-25 campaign with an away game against Western United on November 1. All 11 home games will be at 4pm. 7 on Sundays, 4 on Saturdays.

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) September 12, 2024

This news will please a lot of people.

So Yellow Fever Boot Parties in the car park pre-match?

Thu 7/2 - BRI [ALM]
Sat 9/2 - MVC [ALW] 

Sat 29/3 - WSW [ALM]
Sun 30/3 - MCY [ALW] 

They look to be the only weekends* when both Nix teams are playing at Home. 

*Can make Waitangi Day into a long weekend by taking the Friday off.

RR

Introducing … the Ninja A-League! 👋️⚽️

We’re thrilled to announce a multi-year deal with SharkNinja to become the new naming rights partner of the A-League Women.

Full details: https://t.co/PnTcxO7Vae#youcanmakeit pic.twitter.com/V4BkqhK3bH

— Ninja A-League (@aleaguewomen) September 12, 2024

not bad, pretty cool. Could be worse like "Isuzu Ute"

 

Fantastic to have SharkNinja on board 🥷

This deal sees a 40% uplift on the previous naming rights deal which is fantastic for the game.

Along with a strong rise in FTA and more great initiatives to come, we now have the most elite league name on the planet https://t.co/IcYX11mfaD

— Joseph Esposito (@JE5POSITO) September 12, 2024

More money & more games on free to air in Australia, good news for the league. 

Both mens and women's teams not able to score against A-League opposition during preseason. 😩

Procrastinixing

Both mens and women's teams not able to score against A-League opposition during preseason. 😩

Apparently a few of the women’s starters didn’t travel as still nursing niggles

Received my digital pass for the Womens matches. No physical pass will be sent.  

Was that just send to your email? I have only brought the Womens season membership (and my first time buying a membership) so just to know to keep an eye on my email the next couple of days

Procrastinixing

Received my digital pass for the Womens matches. No physical pass will be sent.  

yes indeedy at 5:11pm. Subject line: Your digital access for Wellington Phoenix 2024/25 season is attached

Check your spam folder in case it is there.

Congratulations on getting your first membership! 

brookem

Was that just send to your email? I have only brought the Womens season membership (and my first time buying a membership) so just to know to keep an eye on my email the next couple of days

Procrastinixing

Received my digital pass for the Womens matches. No physical pass will be sent.  

Thank you, I did check my email I haven't got it yet but I did get the one about the scarfs a few days later then everyone else. I still have access to digital ticket anyway from when I brought the membership

Procrastinixing

yes indeedy at 5:11pm. Subject line: Your digital access for Wellington Phoenix 2024/25 season is attached

Check your spam folder in case it is there.

Congratulations on getting your first membership! 

brookem

Was that just send to your email? I have only brought the Womens season membership (and my first time buying a membership) so just to know to keep an eye on my email the next couple of days

Procrastinixing

Received my digital pass for the Womens matches. No physical pass will be sent.  

The U17 Girls thread is Forbidden, so I'll post here.

North Korea win the U17 WC girls crown to complete a double with the U20 WC.

Perhaps NZF & Fooball Australia (given the poor performance of Australia's U20s in Colombia) officials need to visit the Dear Leader to see what their recipe for success is.

I of course jest. One hates to think

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/korea-dpr-win-fifa-u-17-womens-world-cup-2024-beating-spain-in-shootout/GQPBODT4LBCEBIKSTJVKEIUDKA/

coochiee

The U17 Girls thread is Forbidden, so I'll post here.

So I'll post this here. North Korea win the U17 WC girls crown to complete a double with the U20 WC.

Perhaps NZF & Fooball Australia (given the poor performance of Australia's U20s in Colombia) officials need to visit the Dear Leader to see what their recipe for success is.

I of course jest. One hates to think

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/korea-dpr-win-fifa-u-17-womens-world-cup-2024-beating-spain-in-shootout/GQPBODT4LBCEBIKSTJVKEIUDKA/

As I said to someone on Twitter, their recipe for success no doubt will involve a lot practices frowned upon everywhere else. 

Knew someone who visited in the mid 1980s, so awhile ago. South Korea was bidding for the Seoul Olympics games, so of course Nth Korea bid as well - even though they had zero chance. 

This lady went there as a journo supporting the Australian Olympic Commitee who were part of the IOC host judging panel. All a charade of course. But I remember her saying that kids were taken away from their parents most of the day for schooling, basically boarding school from a very early age. Taught to then spy on Mum & Dad.

Doubt it's much different now, and if you have any early sporting ability - poisoned chalice as that's likely the end of any half normal childhood. Though upside probably in getting extra rations rations for the family. Any pastoral care of young footballing girls, away from home?? Shudder to think

Wonder if any of them are allowed to leave to play in pro leagues like Japan.

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From the WU v Brisbane video…

coochiee

Knew someone who visited in the mid 1980s, so awhile ago. South Korea was bidding for the Seoul Olympics games, so of course Nth Korea bid as well - even though they had zero chance. 

This lady went there as a journo supporting the Australian Olympic Commitee who were part of the IOC host judging panel. All a charade of course. But I remember her saying that kids were taken away from their parents most of the day for schooling, basically boarding school from a very early age. Taught to then spy on Mum & Dad.

Doubt it's much different now, and if you have any early sporting ability - poisoned chalice as that's likely the end of any half normal childhood. Though upside probably in getting extra rations rations for the family. Any pastoral care of young footballing girls, away from home?? Shudder to think

Wonder if any of them are allowed to leave to play in pro leagues like Japan.

It wouldn't be Japan, if you think Iran has a problem with Israel you don't want to know what Koreans (esp. north of the DMZ) think about their former colonial overlords

There was one DPRK men's national team member who played professionally in Qatar but they had to let him go because of sanctions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Kwang-song

Doloras

coochiee

Knew someone who visited in the mid 1980s, so awhile ago. South Korea was bidding for the Seoul Olympics games, so of course Nth Korea bid as well - even though they had zero chance. 

This lady went there as a journo supporting the Australian Olympic Commitee who were part of the IOC host judging panel. All a charade of course. But I remember her saying that kids were taken away from their parents most of the day for schooling, basically boarding school from a very early age. Taught to then spy on Mum & Dad.

Doubt it's much different now, and if you have any early sporting ability - poisoned chalice as that's likely the end of any half normal childhood. Though upside probably in getting extra rations rations for the family. Any pastoral care of young footballing girls, away from home?? Shudder to think

Wonder if any of them are allowed to leave to play in pro leagues like Japan.

It wouldn't be Japan, if you think Iran has a problem with Israel you don't want to know what Koreans (esp. north of the DMZ) think about their former colonial overlords

There was one DPRK men's national team member who played professionally in Qatar but they had to let him go because of sanctions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Kwang-song

Some amusing story a few years ago about a North Korean player from Japan showing his national team mates a smart phone for the first time
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1205671/sports

Nothing about phones in that article. They do have home-grown Android smartphones in the DPRK, it's just that you can't access anything but Juche Intranet there.

Apparently there's a real problem with DPRK soldiers sent to die in Ukraine getting onto the uncensored internet for the first time and developing instant and crippling porn addictions

We can today confirm the departure of Ninja A-League head coach Robbie Hooker who leaves the club following the mutual termination of his contract due to personal reasons: https://t.co/TfIUp4uPog #WSW pic.twitter.com/31AcFQus37

— WS Wander Women (@WSWanderWomen) January 6, 2025

I put this in our match thread against the Wanderers as well but it fits here too.

Robbie Hooker, the coach of the Wanderers has left mutually due to personal reasons

Academy Technical Director Geoff Abrahams takes over as the interim manager

I didn't catch the incident live but see NUJ have released a statement regarding Tash Prior's red at the end of the game against WU. 

"In relation to the Newcastle Jets’ Ninja A-League Women game on Friday night, versus Western United at Ironbark Fields, the Jets confirm that a complaint has been lodged to Football Australia in relation to an alleged offensive slur being made by a member of the public directed at a Jets’ player during the match."

Tash was sent off with some confusion as it seems she was responding to the abuse from the crowd, in a more r rated manner, and the assistant ref thought it may have been directed at them.

Speaking of the Jets, Adelaide must be wondering what just happened - is this the ALW’s week for epic finishes?

4/12 teams have scored more goals, but only 2/12 have let in fewer goals.  A few teams on the same number of GF and GA.  I wish we could score like Brisbane!

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A couple of tough away matches coming up.

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CCM v Canberra postponed due to weather, but Adelaide v Western still on for 6:00pm NZ time today (Sky Sport 4).

I notice the grand final is a few days after our men play in Darwin purgatory - that could be quite the road trip.

And Adelaide go through 1-0 to the semi against Victory, doesn't look like Sky Sport has caught up with the new CCM v Canberra time yet (at least not on their TV Guide site, dunno about the EPG).

Adelaide won 1 nil.  Interesting stats from the game.  Western had 23 shots to 8 and still lost.

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CCM through 2-1 for the semi against City, despite Heyman putting Canberra ahead at HT with a ripper of a long-range strike. Hard to choose between that and Pennock's winner for goal of the game.

Procrastinixing

Adelaide won 1 nil.  Interesting stats from the game.  Western had 23 shots to 8 and still lost.

Screenshot_2025-04-27-21-43-38-04_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg 235.88 KB

Nix had stats like this most of last season and finaished 2nd.
A change in keeper and losing soime of our attack has cost us big time

theprof

Procrastinixing

Adelaide won 1 nil.  Interesting stats from the game.  Western had 23 shots to 8 and still lost.

Screenshot_2025-04-27-21-43-38-04_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg 235.88 KB

Nix had stats like this most of last season and finaished 2nd.
A change in keeper and losing soime of our attack has cost us big time

“A change in keeper and losing soime of our attack has cost us big time”

I would have Vilou over Foster all day!

Forgive me, I was referring to the men's team, not the women's ignored the fact this was the ninja a league, as you were.

theprof

Forgive me, I was referring to the men's team, not the women's ignored the fact this was the ninja a league, as you were.

But thats the biggest concern for me. We didn't have the players to continue playing the same tactics as last season. But the coach persisted anyway. Like he didn't have any other strategy.

Ranix

theprof

Forgive me, I was referring to the men's team, not the women's ignored the fact this was the ninja a league, as you were.

But thats the biggest concern for me. We didn't have the players to continue playing the same tactics as last season. But the coach persisted anyway. Like he didn't have any other strategy.

Because the imports cost the club a lot more than the locals the coach has to play them ( or take the wrap)
We saw this with Davidson last year and Fergusson this year.
Poor recruitment and weak selection management and you end up with unhappy players and crap results.

Tanaka played thew fewest minutes of the imports.  Sometimes not even being in the match day squad. Pretty disappointing. 

Wellington Phoenix End of Season Awards 24/25 - Women's Player & Goal of the Year

Reminder that this closes 5pm tomorrow (Wed 30 April), so it's not too late!

Semi-final first leg results:

CCM 2 - 2 Mel C
Adelaide 1 - 3 Mel V

So both Melbourne teams with home advantage next weekend, but nothing guaranteed. McKenna’s goal for Sporty Spice was a thing of beauty though.

And that’s the final determined, Victory v CCM at AAMI Park, 5:15pm NZ time on Sunday 18th.

CCM win on penalties 4-5.  

Another team that that has been in the comp for a shorter time than us wins.  

Rough weekend for Victory all round, but an epic result for CCM.

We need to be thinking that if they can beat the odds, so can we.

From 4th to winning the grand final certainly gives you hope. 

Trust you had an enjoyable time at the game? 

Procrastinixing

From 4th to winning the grand final certainly gives you hope. 

Trust you had an enjoyable time at the game? 

Sadly I had to fly back this morning so I missed it - from what I’ve read and seen it packed in more excitement than both men’s semis combined.

I get they want home finals, but not locking in the date or venue until a week out does test the dedication of would-be travelling fans. But it looked like a pretty decent crowd in the highlights which is good to see.

Great for Izzy. Another under utilised player for the Phoenix