Wellington Phoenix Women General Discussion

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I think it could be Ava Collins. Has repped Ferns and plays uni football in USA. But I know she is in NZ because she helped with Kate Sheppard Cup and Chatham Cup draws yesterday. Wouldn't be an unlikely signing. 

Mackenzie Barry commits to the Wellington Phoenix for another season! 🤩

Welcome back Mack! 🔥

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/9lpQJf2CHy

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) July 13, 2022

So more of a re-signing then.

YoungHe.\rt

Mackenzie Barry commits to the Wellington Phoenix for another season! 🤩

Welcome back Mack! 🔥

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/9lpQJf2CHy

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) July 13, 2022

So more of a re-signing then.

 Barry had a good season last year but far out... way to create excitement over nothing. 

lthomas20

YoungHe.\rt

Mackenzie Barry commits to the Wellington Phoenix for another season! 🤩

Welcome back Mack! 🔥

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/9lpQJf2CHy

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) July 13, 2022

So more of a re-signing then.

 Barry had a good season last year but far out... way to create excitement over nothing. 

Good to get her signed up for another year, but yes, someone needs to have a word to the admin regarding the difference between signings and re-signings (& loan deals while we've got their attention).

Still 4 months before ALW season starts, its going to be a long drawn out process. Might have to get used to these type of announcements.
Barry is a good first up signing. 
Intrigue is going to be if there are any new Kiwi's bought in. Longo, Collins, Van der Meer etc.
And what Aussies they can lure over to Wellington.

Ranix

Still 4 months before ALW season starts, its going to be a long drawn out process. Might have to get used to these type of announcements.
Barry is a good first up signing. 
Intrigue is going to be if there are any new Kiwi's bought in. Longo, Collins, Van der Meer etc.
And what Aussies they can lure over to Wellington.

Are we gonna be based in Wellington? I can't remember if the plan is to fly over to Aussie to play most of our home games or to stay over there and fly back for a few games in NZ.

RR

Ranix

Still 4 months before ALW season starts, its going to be a long drawn out process. Might have to get used to these type of announcements.
Barry is a good first up signing. 
Intrigue is going to be if there are any new Kiwi's bought in. Longo, Collins, Van der Meer etc.
And what Aussies they can lure over to Wellington.

Are we gonna be based in Wellington? I can't remember if the plan is to fly over to Aussie to play most of our home games or to stay over there and fly back for a few games in NZ.

From my understanding. It'll be the same as the men. Proper home and away. Home games in Wellington.
Anyone else in the know?

Will we offer anything more than 1 year contracts?

And genuine question here, do teams ever pay transfer fees for women players. Never heard of it, but have not looked to be fair.

Seems like they'll be based in Wellington, although I haven't seen anything announced. However, they've talked about how hard it will be to bring Australian women over to NZ for what is pretty much a semi pro gig (they can afford to be professional only during the season) but they also talked about the facilities being one of the main incentives that they have.

It's surprising, because when they were previously pushing to be in the competition the talk was that they'd have to be based in Australia because of travel costs.

MetalLegNZ

Will we offer anything more than 1 year contracts?

And genuine question here, do teams ever pay transfer fees for women players. Never heard of it, but have not looked to be fair.

NZF have some kind of arrangement with the Nix women's team which I believe runs for 1 more season. So imagine 1 year contracts are more than likely for this season.

Ranix

MetalLegNZ

Will we offer anything more than 1 year contracts?

And genuine question here, do teams ever pay transfer fees for women players. Never heard of it, but have not looked to be fair.

NZF have some kind of arrangement with the Nix women's team which I believe runs for 1 more season. So imagine 1 year contracts are more than likely for this season.

Not sure other ALW teams offer longer term deals either. Players head off to local sides or overseas sides during the off season, locking someone into a long deal means you probably would have to arrange loans to their winter clubs & then you might come into issues with professionals playing in amateur competitions etc.

Jale officially gone, signs with Canberra 

https://twitter.com/canberraunited/status/1547672278501994502?s=21&t=Xq7cFu3ZjN7AuOwUlCrnow

She will be a big loss. Someone who gave our attack a real point of difference. 
But I wish her all the best in Canberra and hope we see her kick on. 

kwlap

She will be a big loss. Someone who gave our attack a real point of difference. 
But I wish her all the best in Canberra and hope we see her kick on. 

Wonder if Hannah Wilkinson will be a target signing?
Has her critics for the Ferns, but a powerhouse in the ALW.

Has she re-signed for Melb City?

Don't think she has re-signed with Mel City. But while NZF are part of the Nix setup, can see them encouraging her to stay at MC to give more opportunities to NZers in the A league. 
With home WC getting closer, which players need a club and a pro environment?
Is Gabbie Rennie in her last year at US college ? Could she come in November?
What is Rosie White upto. Is she interested in making a run and being part of the Ferns for the home WC.
Do the U20 team (WC soon) have any bolters. Milly Clegg?  Still very young, but that hasn't stopped selections for this team.
Or maybe they will splash out for an Australian striker, as we can't bring in any imports so need to fill some positions with quality Australian's if we can.
Really tough only 11 spaces for NZers in this team, with so much potential talent around.

Well with Jale leaving off the back of a good Nix season and as top scorer they’ve truly become a Phoenix team. 😭

Ranix

Don't think she has re-signed with Mel City. But while NZF are part of the Nix setup, can see them encouraging her to stay at MC to give more opportunities to NZers in the A league. 
With home WC getting closer, which players need a club and a pro environment?
Is Gabbie Rennie in her last year at US college ? Could she come in November?
What is Rosie White upto. Is she interested in making a run and being part of the Ferns for the home WC.
Do the U20 team (WC soon) have any bolters. Milly Clegg?  Still very young, but that hasn't stopped selections for this team.
Or maybe they will splash out for an Australian striker, as we can't bring in any imports so need to fill some positions with quality Australian's if we can.
Really tough only 11 spaces for NZers in this team, with so much potential talent around.

Re: young bolters, does playing here impact NCAA eligibility?

reubee

Ranix

Don't think she has re-signed with Mel City. But while NZF are part of the Nix setup, can see them encouraging her to stay at MC to give more opportunities to NZers in the A league. 
With home WC getting closer, which players need a club and a pro environment?
Is Gabbie Rennie in her last year at US college ? Could she come in November?
What is Rosie White upto. Is she interested in making a run and being part of the Ferns for the home WC.
Do the U20 team (WC soon) have any bolters. Milly Clegg?  Still very young, but that hasn't stopped selections for this team.
Or maybe they will splash out for an Australian striker, as we can't bring in any imports so need to fill some positions with quality Australian's if we can.
Really tough only 11 spaces for NZers in this team, with so much potential talent around.

Re: young bolters, does playing here impact NCAA eligibility?

Good question. If your talking about US college eligibility. I think it does. A bit grey though. Once you play pro you can't then represent a US college team I believe? Not sure if that extends to scholarship players.
US college being the other popular football pathway for NZers. 
I remember something being spoken about Alyssa Whinham having to make a decision about US College eligibility v Playing for the Nix.

Signing today at 12pm, not sure if it's a player though as the Twitter page just described it as a member.

Alyssa Whinham on a 2 year deal.

Great signing obviously.

I remember reading that they almost didn't sign her last season because they were at the quota of kiwi players, great they figured out a way to add her.

Ryan

Alyssa Whinham on a 2 year deal.

Great signing obviously.

I remember reading that they almost didn't sign her last season because they were at the quota of kiwi players, great they figured out a way to add her.

So that ends all this speculation about only 1-year deals being handed out... good to see.

Plus Whinham is a superb player and talent - she will surely be off to Europe after this deal. 

Ryan

Alyssa Whinham on a 2 year deal.

Great signing obviously.

I remember reading that they almost didn't sign her last season because they were at the quota of kiwi players, great they figured out a way to add her.

From memory she was also very close to accepting a US College scholarship, and Gemma Lewis purposedly gave her time/space to make the right decision for herself. Sounds like she wasn't sure whether she would be good enough to make a career out of football. We know now she clearly does have the goods

Surely Kate Taylor and Zoe Meeks next

Surely for this season you look at those that are there or there abouts for the Ferns and are currently free agents? With the WWC next year we need to be focusing on players who will be actual contenders for the Football Ferns who aren't currently in a pro team. Of course you would encourage those who are able to to pick up contracts in more established A-League teams to do so and then aim to pick up as many as you can for your squad :)
I hope Yitka is involved in the selections. In fact is it an opportunity missed that she is not coaching them I wonder?

New Zealand women's national football team - Wikipedia
Here are a few names to scout from, from Wiki alone:
GKVictoria Esson | March 6, 1991 (age 31) | 6 | 0 | Free agent
MFPaige Satchell | April 13, 1998 (age 24) | 28 | 2 | Free agent
MFMalia Steinmetz | January 18, 1999 (age 23) | 7 | 0 | Free agent
MFAnnalie Longo | July 1, 1991 (age 31) | 124 | 15 |  Christchurch United
DFAnna Green | August 20, 1990 (age 31) | 80 | 8 | Free agent | 
MFRosie White | June 6, 1993 (age 29) | 111 | 24 | Free agent |
FWMichaela Robertson | August 28, 1996 (age 25) | 0 | 0 |  Lower Hutt City |

And 2021 Nix players in the frame:
GKLily Alfeld | August 4, 1995 (age 26) | 0 | 0 |  Wellington Phoenix
DFMackenzie Barry | April 11, 2001 (age 21) | 0 | 0 |  Wellington Phoenix
DFKate Taylor |  | 0 | 0 |  Wellington Phoenix 

It's a real problem being restricted to only 11(?) Kiwis, especially if the team is to be based in Welly now.
ALW seems still in many ways a league with many part time players, those with study commitments or other jobs in the off season .

So not so easy for many Aussies to uproot their lives in Oz to move to NZ maybe, for 6 months. Nix could be left signing some young Aussies that ain't that good, just to sign the 7(?) Australians required.

Then if you sign some of the more experienced free agent Kiwis above, some promising young Kiwis ain't given a chance. The next Alyssa Windham discovery is stuck playing amateur National League football, whilst some less talented Aussie prepared to move to NZ gets a gig.

That max 11(?) Kiwi players restriction, seemed an unnecessary rule now for Football Australia to still have, given plenty of new opportunities for young Australian talent to play in ALW, with new teams Western U & then CCM the following season, coming into the league.
 

Gemma Lewis interview.
https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=1022304

Talking about bringing in 2, 3 or maybe 4 new NZ players into the WahineNix.
Also talks about U20 WC prep.

Alyssa Whinham interview
https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=1022288

Unknwn Quantity

Surely for this season you look at those that are there or there abouts for the Ferns and are currently free agents? With the WWC next year we need to be focusing on players who will be actual contenders for the Football Ferns who aren't currently in a pro team. Of course you would encourage those who are able to to pick up contracts in more established A-League teams to do so and then aim to pick up as many as you can for your squad :)
I hope Yitka is involved in the selections. In fact is it an opportunity missed that she is not coaching them I wonder?

New Zealand women's national football team - Wikipedia
Here are a few names to scout from, from Wiki alone:
GKVictoria Esson | March 6, 1991 (age 31) | 6 | 0 | Free agent
MFPaige Satchell | April 13, 1998 (age 24) | 28 | 2 | Free agent
MFMalia Steinmetz | January 18, 1999 (age 23) | 7 | 0 | Free agent
MFAnnalie Longo | July 1, 1991 (age 31) | 124 | 15 |  Christchurch United
DFAnna Green | August 20, 1990 (age 31) | 80 | 8 | Free agent | 
MFRosie White | June 6, 1993 (age 29) | 111 | 24 | Free agent |
FWMichaela Robertson | August 28, 1996 (age 25) | 0 | 0 |  Lower Hutt City |

And 2021 Nix players in the frame:
GKLily Alfeld | August 4, 1995 (age 26) | 0 | 0 |  Wellington Phoenix
DFMackenzie Barry | April 11, 2001 (age 21) | 0 | 0 |  Wellington Phoenix
DFKate Taylor |  | 0 | 0 |  Wellington Phoenix 

Add to this list fringe fern players from US College system. I believe there season finishes in Nov. So would not be too late to join the Nix team.
Ava Collins, Gabbie Rennie, Hannah Blake, Maggie Jenkins, Sam Tawharu (all potentially in there last year at college)

Of the players mentioned. I think Esson will sign in Europe. And Steinmetz and Satchell will re-sign with last years ALW teams.

Okay goodnight Nix Fans! 😴

Oh btw we are announcing a NEW A-League Women's signing tomorrow at 7am 👀

💛🖤

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) July 19, 2022

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I reckon a 7am release means a football fern based overseas.

Jemma said the other day they were in talks with some overseas based ferns. And that some wanted to play through their normal offseason ahead of the world cup next year. US league finished in September and the ALW starts in November. Maybe someone like Katie Bowen?

Paige Satchell it is. Not sure if it's a one-year or a two-year signing, but a good pick-up nonetheless.

Makes up for the loss of Jale.

Awesome signing. Her speed and agility with the ball will be great for us this season. 

kwlap

Awesome signing. Her speed and agility with the ball will be great for us this season. 

Certainly has plenty of speed. Other skill sets remain a big workon, but signs she is improving. Somewhat a female version of Sotiro/Champness. 

Obviously trusts the Nix, and Gemma Lewis to help with her development. Overall a really good signing for the young & inexperienced ALW side.