WPW 2025/26 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

Expires 2025/26
Lara Wall
Alyssa Whinham
Daisy Brazendale
Olivia Ingham
Aimee Danieli (s)
Ela Jerez (s)
Ella McCann (s)
Ella McMillan (s)

I think that is all correct.

Blimey, is that all?! Two sometimes starting players.

2ndBest

Expires 2025/26
Lara Wall
Alyssa Whinham
Daisy Brazendale
Olivia Ingham
Aimee Danieli (s)
Ela Jerez (s)
Ella McCann (s)
Ella McMillan (s)

I didn't realise Manaia Elliot was out of contract! A lot of work to be done on the squad this offseason it seems 

Good opportunity for a new coach to build there own team.

Just like Auckland, building a whole new team pretty much.

Yes. Be good if they can name a coach soon and they can start the process talking to players before AFC's entry into the comp is confirmed or denied.

I imagine she's more a target for Auckland, but Jacqui Hand will be looking for a new club. From Niche Cache

That’s the second year in a row that Jacqui Hand has been relegated from this division. It happened with Lewes, now it’s happened with Sheffield United. It’s a first relegation for Olivia Page. Not sure what that’s going to mean for either of them in the future but they do have one more game to play first – against Katie Kitching’s Sunderland.

coochiee

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2025/4/30/the-wellington-phoenix-2024-25-a-league-womens-season-in-review

I think that's a great article,with lots of insightful analysis. 

I wouldnt argue with any of it, but it
does sort of conclude that the squad wasn't good enough.

But it barely touches on the fact that the squad WAS quite good enough in the first half of the season - going 6-1-5, even after a very slow start. 

The wheels came off in the second half going 1-2-8. Same squad.

Yes good article. Also highlights (with great stats) Temples poor selection choices with X factor players left out for hierarchical reasons.
Very in-depth analysis.

We don’t need to have an import keeper. Bree would have been fine if it meant that we could keep Spekmeir or Cox. Both of them are better than Fergusons return. 

Good that they have signed up the temporary coach to get recruitment going. I'm guessing that the new permanent coach will have to be happy with whoever is signed.

Something I’ve been wondering about following the WCL, if a 16-year old Academy player like LBS can play for the men’s first team then could a 16-year old like Katie Pugh do the same for the Wahinix?

How does promotion actually work for our Academy players, especially the younger ones who have to fit football in around their studies? Do they get offered a casual contract with no guarantee of making it to the bench (hopefully different to the zero-hour contracts the hospitality industry got in trouble for offering kids), or do they stay amateurs with the chance for a “hey, got any plans for Saturday?” opportunity?

Simon B

Something I’ve been wondering about following the WCL, if a 16-year old Academy player like LBS can play for the men’s first team then could a 16-year old like Katie Pugh do the same for the Wahinix?

How does promotion actually work for our Academy players, especially the younger ones who have to fit football in around their studies? Do they get offered a casual contract with no guarantee of making it to the bench (hopefully different to the zero-hour contracts the hospitality industry got in trouble for offering kids), or do they stay amateurs with the chance for a “hey, got any plans for Saturday?” opportunity?

You need to be a contracted A league player and can’t just rock up with your boots

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

Simon B

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

You’d hope were after a higher level calibre of player, but I think we’ll be taking pretty much anyone who wants to come.

Feverish

Simon B

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

You’d hope were after a higher level calibre of player, but I think we’ll be taking pretty much anyone who wants to come.

If they identify as?

Feverish

Simon B

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

You’d hope were after a higher level calibre of player, but I think we’ll be taking pretty much anyone who wants to come.

Think if Priestman is involved as is rumored. There wont be much of a problem with the quality of player wanting to come.  

Feverish

Simon B

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

You’d hope were after a higher level calibre of player, but I think we’ll be taking pretty much anyone who wants to come.

Totally agree we don’t want to end up like the men’s team last season, over-reliant on young players without the more experienced pros to lead by example. But if we have the luxury of going for a healthy mix of promising young talent and proven experience then I still think we could do worse than Olson.

Simon B

Feverish

Simon B

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

You’d hope were after a higher level calibre of player, but I think we’ll be taking pretty much anyone who wants to come.

Totally agree we don’t want to end up like the men’s team last season, over-reliant on young players without the more experienced pros to lead by example. But if we have the luxury of going for a healthy mix of promising young talent and proven experience then I still think we could do worse than Olson.

The promising young talent are the 17 year olds in the academy not a 23 year old innit

Feverish

Simon B

Feverish

Simon B

I went to the Wellington United Diamonds v Nix U18s WCL game today (United won 2-1), and the match programme had a little feature on striker Natalie Olson who recently scored her 100th goal for the club.

This bit caught my eye:

A pre-season stint with the Wellington Phoenix this year has whetted her appetite to look for professional opportunities - an aim that had been on hold while she completed a law degree. With that now in the bag, Olson is currently focused on helping Wellington United chase another Central League title and a spot in the National League, before seeing if devoting herself full-time to her footballing passion can further enhance the ability of “Postman Nat”, as she’s known, to keep delivering the goals.

Olson’s currently top of the WCL leaderboard with 17 goals this season, and for all she didn’t add to her tally today she’s obviously the kind of fast, accurate striker we could have done with on the end of Longo’s passes last season. I wonder if her Wellington roots run deep enough to keep her from migrating north or west?

On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure I saw Bev Priestman at the game today.

You’d hope were after a higher level calibre of player, but I think we’ll be taking pretty much anyone who wants to come.

Totally agree we don’t want to end up like the men’s team last season, over-reliant on young players without the more experienced pros to lead by example. But if we have the luxury of going for a healthy mix of promising young talent and proven experience then I still think we could do worse than Olson.

The promising young talent are the 17 year olds in the academy not a 23 year old innit

Maybe, but she could be better than the 30 year old we had last year.

Screenshot_20250610-120216.png 1.72 MB

Thats a statement of intent signing if some of you needed it.

The eight players listed at the start of this thread + Leon makes nine and the article on the nix website says we have 10 players contracted. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious but does anyone know who the tenth player is?

jaggedlittlenix

The eight players listed at the start of this thread + Leon makes nine and the article on the nix website says we have 10 players contracted. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious but does anyone know who the tenth player is?

"The Phoenix have 10 players signed on for next season. Leon joins New Zealand players Aimee Danieli, Manaia Elliott, Ella McMillan, Lara Wall, Alyssa Whinham, Daisy Brazendale, Olivia Ingham, Ela Jerez and Ella McCann on the books for 2025-26."

I think that's 10.

djtim3000

jaggedlittlenix

The eight players listed at the start of this thread + Leon makes nine and the article on the nix website says we have 10 players contracted. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious but does anyone know who the tenth player is?

"The Phoenix have 10 players signed on for next season. Leon joins New Zealand players Aimee Danieli, Manaia Elliott, Ella McMillan, Lara Wall, Alyssa Whinham, Daisy Brazendale, Olivia Ingham, Ela Jerez and Ella McCann on the books for 2025-26."

I think that's 10.

Ahhh I missed Elliott, thanks!!

Hopefully this is a show of intent for the level of signings for next season.  With only 10 players signed there is plenty of space for the new yet to be named coach to build there own squad and implement there own style of play.
Encouraging.

Don't forget MvdM has the contract offer depending on her recovery, assuming we haven't pulled it with the coach change.

ballane

Thats a statement of intent signing if some of you needed it.

Everyone raises hand 

Surely Lake will be re-signed

Dougie Rydal

Surely Lake will be re-signed

She had ankle surgery for a serious injury last season and full recovery from these type of injuries is 50/50 apparently.

Proven in the A-League and also proven she can contribute with a few goals and assists too - which is something we really need from more players.

Looks like a great signing!

What's the situation with Mackenzie Barry?

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

What's the situation with Mackenzie Barry?

Jaber isnt mentioned either. Jaber, Barry, VDM and Lake would be a very full hand.

Madness. The Nix POACHING a decent visa player from another A League club instead of the other way round. Hopefully the men might be able to do similar.

I wanna see Zoe back too.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

I wanna see Zoe back too.

Even better if they can convince Flea to go around again