WPW R1 vs Melbourne City | Sun 20th November | 3:00pm | RoF

Here it is, the Wāhinix first home game in New Zealand. Get along and join the women's supporters group "Flight of the Nix" in aisle 29! The Nix are hoping for a crowd of 10k+ with 2-4-1 tickets and kids go free, hopefully they'll see a good crowd for the players.

Head coach: Natalie Lawrence

2021-22 position: 10th

Wellington Phoenix showed plenty of spirit in their inaugural A-League Women season and improved as the campaign went on amid the COVID-19 pandemic and being forced to play away from home in Australia. Natalie Lawrence has replaced Gemma Lewis as head coach.

Prospects: Wellington have a far older and more experienced team thanks to targeted recruiting and international call-ups at both senior and under-20 level for many of last season’s returning players. Football Ferns veteran Betsy Hassett will bring seniority and leadership to the Phoenix while fellow current internationals Paige Satchell, Marisa van der Meer and Emma Rolston all arrive with their form counting down to the World Cup front of mind. Winning and retaining the ball higher up the pitch will be key to better results after conceding a league-high 36 goals at an average of 2.6 per game last season.

Re-signed: Lily Alfeld, Brianna Edwards, Kate Taylor, Mackenzie Barry, Zoe McMeeken, Saskia Vosper, Isabel Gomez, Grace Wisnewski, Chloe Knott, Alyssa Whinham, Ava Pritchard

New arrivals: Marisa van der Meer, Betsy Hassett, Paige Satchell, Michaela Robertson (Phoenix academy), Claudia Cicco, Emma Rolston, Milly Clegg (amateur)

Injuries: Alfeld, Taylor, Wisnewski, Rolston and Satchell not 100% still.

“Injuries: Alfeld, Taylor, Wisnewski, Rolston and Satchell not 100% still.”

According to Nat’s presser today you can add Izzy Gomez to that list (foot) and someone else not named recovering from concussion.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/130457296/wellington-phoenix-target-record-crowd-for-first-aleague-women-home-game

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/130473306/wellington-phoenix-sweat-on-fitness-of-football-ferns-pair-ahead-of-first-game

Kenyabold

“Injuries: Alfeld, Taylor, Wisnewski, Rolston and Satchell not 100% still.”

According to Nat’s presser today you can add Izzy Gomez to that list (foot) and someone else not named recovering from concussion.

And the coaches think they can play 5 games in Janauary. Plus release a whole lot of players to the Ferns for 2 games against the US. That move could back fire.
Hopefully we have a fully fit squad by that stage.

Signing players with pre existing chronic injuries (Rolston back) is a curious one? If she hobbles off everytime she gets knocked over it’s a worry

Ranix

Kenyabold

“Injuries: Alfeld, Taylor, Wisnewski, Rolston and Satchell not 100% still.”

According to Nat’s presser today you can add Izzy Gomez to that list (foot) and someone else not named recovering from concussion.

And the coaches think they can play 5 games in Janauary. Plus release a whole lot of players to the Ferns for 2 games against the US. That move could back fire.
Hopefully we have a fully fit squad by that stage.

Pretty sure I read Lawrence would split the release of any Nix players called up, over the 2 USA games. Half for first game other half for 2nd game

just hope the weather plays ball, at this stage its looking warm and damp.

Taylor played a few minutes tonight. Injury??

LG

Taylor played a few minutes tonight. Injury??

Yeh, that's weird. Maybe she's not injured.

Hi, anyone know how to get free tickets for kids if you have a season ticket?

DANALDO

Hi, anyone know how to get free tickets for kids if you have a season ticket?

Asked on Twitter, they said to ring Ticketek to get them.

So if you rock up to the gate and buy your adult ticket, your child/children get in free? Just wanting to confirm that.

My predicted line up.
With Alfeld, Gomez, Wisnewski, Rolston presumably all out injured.

                   Candy
Cicco    Barry    Taylor   Van der Meer
       Knott                  Hassett
                  Whinham
Satchell                          Robertson
                    Foster

Am picking Foster to be the breakout player of the season. Our top goal scorer and a bolter for the WWC squad.  (NZ player most like Amber Hearn I've seen for a while)

I’m heading down from Hamilton for the game, where is the best place for a beer pre match with other fans?

Looks good only the change I would make is Wisnewski for Knott. Injury wasn't as bad as expected so should be available for Sunday!

Ranix

My predicted line up.
With Alfeld, Gomez, Wisnewski, Rolston presumably all out injured.

                   Candy
Cicco    Barry    Taylor   Van der Meer
       Knott                  Hassett
                  Whinham
Satchell                          Robertson
                    Foster

Am picking Foster to be the breakout player of the season. Our top goal scorer and a bolter for the WWC squad.  (NZ player most like Amber Hearn I've seen for a while)

....

Kenyabold

I’m heading down from Hamilton for the game, where is the best place for a beer pre match with other fans?

Usually (for the menNix) it's the BackBencher

Kenyabold

I’m heading down from Hamilton for the game, where is the best place for a beer pre match with other fans?

Back Bencher

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/130456612/wellington-phoenix-keeper-brianna-edwards-wants-to-show-shes-number-one

good to see we have serious competition for the #2 #1 spot with three decent keeping options in the squad

Crap weather predicted. I hope it doesn't eventuate. i really want this game to be a success with a very large crowd.

RR

Emma Rolston and Grace Wisnewski have both been ruled out. Milly Clegg had her NCEA exams this week but is expected to feature on the bench. https://t.co/qSyErZgWaw

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) November 18, 2022

Bless him and his support but Rollo has no idea who plays where or on what side for the woman 🤷‍♂️

Kenyabold

RR

Emma Rolston and Grace Wisnewski have both been ruled out. Milly Clegg had her NCEA exams this week but is expected to feature on the bench. https://t.co/qSyErZgWaw

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) November 18, 2022

Bless him and his support but Rollo has no idea who plays where or on what side for the woman 🤷‍♂️

 What did he get wrong?

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

            Edwards
Cicco Barry Taylor VDM 
          Hasset Knott
Satchell Whinham Pritchard  
               Foster

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

Deliberately misleading headline too. 
Pritchard hadn’t even started school when first ever Phoenix goal was scored. 
Why I didn’t read the article, not interested in what appeared to be 15 year old news. 
Also why I have zero respect for 99% of gossip rag journalists 

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

I do think Whinham will play as a 10, roaming behind a lone striker (perhaps I should've listed it as a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-2-3-1) but as you can see in these images taken from games last season Whinham was positioned very high without the ball. (In the first image LM Grace Jale is off camera, and in the second it's Whinham who pushes up to the left to put pressure on the ball not Jale). Lawrence has referred to her attack this season as a front "four" (and I don't think she's planning on playing Whinham out wide).

As for saying van der Meer will start right-back, well she did play a bit of right-back for Melbourne City last season (the team they're playing - she's on defence in the image below)

image_123986672 (4).JPG 123.71 KB

Personally I think Foster will nail down the starting role at left-back, I just pushed her forward for this game given all the injuries and the fact there's lots of fullbacks and picked the most versatile player to play midfield. But then I was thinking well if I'd have Foster as my starting left-back when everyone is fit and Vosper is there too, could van der Meer actually have a better chance of playing on the right? McMeeken didn't start right-back for the under-20s and maybe for this game it's better go with the more experienced options (Lawrence also suggested she won't start Clegg with Rolston out because it's too big an occasion).

I also would prefer Pritchard as a 9 and Satchell out wide but Pritchard has played out wide for the Phoenix and the Under-20s (while Lawrence has been assistant) and the Ferns use Satchell as a striker in a front two, so was more guessing what she'll do there.

Haven't seen any of the pre-season games they've arranged with the boys teams so I genuinely have no idea, but hopefully that explained my rationale.

ClubOranje

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

Deliberately misleading headline too. 
Pritchard hadn’t even started school when first ever Phoenix goal was scored. 
Why I didn’t read the article, not interested in what appeared to be 15 year old news. 
Also why I have zero respect for 99% of gossip rag journalists 

It's under women in sport. Hence first Phoenix goal is referring to that of the womens team. 

lthomas20

ClubOranje

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

Deliberately misleading headline too. 
Pritchard hadn’t even started school when first ever Phoenix goal was scored. 
Why I didn’t read the article, not interested in what appeared to be 15 year old news. 
Also why I have zero respect for 99% of gossip rag journalists 

It's under women in sport. Hence first Phoenix goal is referring to that of the womens team. 

 
It’s on the internet. A thousand ways to get to an article on the internet, and one if them is by stepping down through headlined under “women in sport”
I bet you didn’t head it up under women in sport on twitter and instagram and wherever else you advertised it. 
Deliberately misleading to get clicks. And if you are in denial about that you are probably dumber than half your audience. 

ClubOranje

lthomas20

ClubOranje

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

Deliberately misleading headline too. 
Pritchard hadn’t even started school when first ever Phoenix goal was scored. 
Why I didn’t read the article, not interested in what appeared to be 15 year old news. 
Also why I have zero respect for 99% of gossip rag journalists 

It's under women in sport. Hence first Phoenix goal is referring to that of the womens team. 

 
It’s on the internet. A thousand ways to get to an article on the internet, and one if them is by stepping down through headlined under “women in sport”
I bet you didn’t head it up under women in sport on twitter and instagram and wherever else you advertised it. 
Deliberately misleading to get clicks. And if you are in denial about that you are probably dumber than half your audience. 

Personal insults are not very appealing on the forum

ClubOranje

lthomas20

ClubOranje

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

Deliberately misleading headline too. 
Pritchard hadn’t even started school when first ever Phoenix goal was scored. 
Why I didn’t read the article, not interested in what appeared to be 15 year old news. 
Also why I have zero respect for 99% of gossip rag journalists 

It's under women in sport. Hence first Phoenix goal is referring to that of the womens team. 

 
It’s on the internet. A thousand ways to get to an article on the internet, and one if them is by stepping down through headlined under “women in sport”
I bet you didn’t head it up under women in sport on twitter and instagram and wherever else you advertised it. 
Deliberately misleading to get clicks. And if you are in denial about that you are probably dumber than half your audience. 

Football - and especially women’s football - is extremely underserved in NZ media. Phil puts in a hell of a lot of work and is one of the only journalists in the country giving us anything to read about the Nix. There’s basically just him, Andrew Voerman, Michael Burgess, Piney and The Niche Cache. You don’t like what he wrote? Cool, don’t read it. The bloke’s come on here and given a detailed explanation of his decision making, and you’ve chosen to nitpick and hurl insults.

Get off the computer, out from behind the keyboard and touch grass mate. You better be cheering on the Wāhine tomorrow, otherwise not only will you be a dick, but a hypocritical one at that.

Friar Tuck

ClubOranje

lthomas20

ClubOranje

Kenyabold

“ What did he get wrong?”
Whinham is a 10, definitely no striker and VDM is a left back

Deliberately misleading headline too. 
Pritchard hadn’t even started school when first ever Phoenix goal was scored. 
Why I didn’t read the article, not interested in what appeared to be 15 year old news. 
Also why I have zero respect for 99% of gossip rag journalists 

It's under women in sport. Hence first Phoenix goal is referring to that of the womens team. 

 
It’s on the internet. A thousand ways to get to an article on the internet, and one if them is by stepping down through headlined under “women in sport”
I bet you didn’t head it up under women in sport on twitter and instagram and wherever else you advertised it. 
Deliberately misleading to get clicks. And if you are in denial about that you are probably dumber than half your audience. 

Football - and especially women’s football - is extremely underserved in NZ media. Phil puts in a hell of a lot of work and is one of the only journalists in the country giving us anything to read about the Nix. There’s basically just him, Andrew Voerman, Michael Burgess, Piney and The Niche Cache. You don’t like what he wrote? Cool, don’t read it. The bloke’s come on here and given a detailed explanation of his decision making, and you’ve chosen to nitpick and hurl insults.

Get off the computer, out from behind the keyboard and touch grass mate. You better be cheering on the Wāhine tomorrow, otherwise not only will you be a dick, but a hypocritical one at that.

Good on him
Label it as such. Just be proud and honest about woman’s football instead of hiding it.