WPW R3 vs Newcastle Jets | Sun 16 Nov 4:00pm | Porirua Park / SS3

Coming off the back of a bye and a 1-1 draw with Canberra hopefully we can get the win and start the season off strong.

Yes, looking forward to the connections being better this time

Aren’t the Jets packed with Kiwis this season?

Can’t wait for us to be back at our fortress.

Anyone else find the club referring to Sky Stadium and Porirua Park as fortresses kinda embarrassing?  Neither team are coming off great home records. 

Oska

Anyone else find the club referring to Sky Stadium and Porirua Park as fortresses kinda embarrassing?  Neither team are coming off great home records. 

I believe "manifesting" is the modern term?

yep Anna Leat, Olivia Page, Charlotte Lancaster and Kelli Brown.
Jets beat Canberra 2-1 with a late goal. I'm optimistic we can build from last week and am looking forward to being back at Porirua

HattyCW

Aren’t the Jets packed with Kiwis this season?

Can’t wait for us to be back at our fortress.

Yes hope to see improvement from last game. 
Midfield looks like the area that needs most work on. Both Bott and Jale are converted midfielders and will take time to settle and gel there. But thought Jale was better 2nd half against Canberra.
Without Fraser, our main creative midfielder is Whinham. Who started the season well with her performance last week. Still needs to back herself a little and shoot on occasions. And big ask for her to go 90 minutes performing at a high level.
Middag went off with a knee niggle, i hope that's all ok, Otherwise we will be down 4 players in Middag, Leon, Fraser and Jaber. 3 of those would be starters if fit.
The kiwi players Brown and Lancaster in the Jets team will probably feel they have something to prove. 
Should be an entertaining game.

Whinham looked totally pissed off about being subbed, so I hope she makes a statement this Sunday!

Lancaster and Brown. 
Phoenix didn't want them.
They will probably own it.

I think the new system with our attacking weapons up top will keep the jets on the back foot. Midfield does need a little spark, and angy Whinham or a fresh Fraser would do it. I think we will win at home and build that fortress brick by brick.

In light of recent news, we will not have a fresh Fraser. Good on her for taking time for herself, total respect. 

Kelli Brown had 2 chances and didn't do much in either stint. Happy she's succeeding elsewhere but also not upset she left at all.

Jets name their 4 Kiwis.
Squads

Wellington Phoenix (one to be omitted)
1. Victoria Esson (Gk), 2. CJ Bott, 4. Mackenzie Barry, 5. Ellie Walker, 6. Tessel Middag, 7. Grace Jale, 9. Sabitra Bhandari, 10. Alyssa Whinham, 11. Manaia Elliott, 12. Ella McMillan, 15. Daisy Brazendale, 16. Marisa van der Meer, 19. Liv Ingham, 20. Emma Main, 21. Lara Wall, 22. Aimee Danieli (Gk), 23. Brooke Nunn, 24. Pia Vlok

Unavailable: 3. Tiana Jaber (injured), 8. Macey Fraser (personal reasons), 14. Lucía León (injured).

Newcastle Jets (two to be omitted)
2. Josie Wilson, 3. Claudia Cicco, 4. Natasha Prior, 5. Olivia Page, 6. Cassidy Davis, 7. India Breier, 8. Emma Dundas, 10. Libby Copus-Brown, 11. Charlotte Lancaster, 12. Georgia Ritchie, 13. Lauren Allan, 14. Melina Ayres, 23. Zoe Karipidis, 24. Anna Leat, 26. Josie Allan, 32. Claire Adams, 44. Kelli Brown.

In: 6. Cassidy Davis

Out: 9. Haley Johnson, 15. Emma Bates, 18. Sophie Hoban, 30. Alexis Collins, 35. Lily-Rose Dunbar, 50. Ally Boertje.

It'll be tough

Lovey sunny day today.  Would love 3 points. Come on girls!

Procrastinixing

Lovey sunny day today.  Would love 3 points. Come on girls!

Absolute cracker of a day. Hopefully a decent turn out fans and performance wise!

20251116_140121.jpg 3.88 MB

Get there. Gentle breeze. Awesome day.

For those of you tuning in from home today, we have a new broadcast angle for your viewing pleasure 😁 pic.twitter.com/2fJLN8tOpy

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) November 16, 2025

Broadcast is going to be facing towards the crowd this season! Should look good on TV

Your starters 🟡⚫️ pic.twitter.com/EbHZ3mXMsq

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) November 16, 2025

Today's lineup

No Samba, didn't realise she was injured?

Sabitra Bhandari and Tessel Middag both out with knee injuries. 17-year-old Pia Vlok handed a starting debut in her second A-League Women appearance. Lily Brazendale - no relation to Daisy - in line for her pro debut. https://t.co/HpuqUylzDX

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) November 16, 2025

Knee injury for Samba apparently

Half a Pint

Sabitra Bhandari and Tessel Middag both out with knee injuries. 17-year-old Pia Vlok handed a starting debut in her second A-League Women appearance. Lily Brazendale - no relation to Daisy - in line for her pro debut. https://t.co/HpuqUylzDX

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) November 16, 2025

Knee injury for Samba apparently

Biggest surprise to me is that the Brazendale’s aren’t related

Damn so many injuries. That's 3 imports out. And 4 starters missing.

Rumour is Middag out for season!

Elbo

Rumour is Middag out for season!

Please no!

What! Really?

Elbo

Rumour is Middag out for season!

No Jaber or Leon either,as well as Fraser, Middag,Samba...

Blooming  heck

Nice early goal!

Footage is absolutely horrendous 

good bit of early dominance. And how good is having a goal to show for it!!

Boo. unlucky pen to give away

Unnecessary from Barry there to concede that penalty

shark, Jale. Really should be a head again

Disappointing.
Going backwards when we don't need to.
Apart from the goal,the crossing and balls to the forwards have been poor.

just not clicking up front and lots of not great options are being taken by our runners

Jale was okay.
The rest really need to improve significantly. 

Started well, then fell off the pace. Bott and Jale doing better in midfield this week, but Jets will always be dangerous on the counter with Ayres up top. Terrible penalty to give away, rather needless block by Barry.  Main is frustrating to watch in that center forward role. Not convinced that is her best position. Really missing Samba already.
We seem set up heavy in defence and defensive midfield. Do we have anyone else to throw on to chase the game later on? 

do we have the official line on the different injuries today?

Ranix

Started well, then fell off the pace. Bott and Jale doing better in midfield this week, but Jets will always be dangerous on the counter with Ayres up top. Terrible penalty to give away, rather needless block by Barry.  Main is frustrating to watch in that center forward role. Not convinced that is her best position. Really missing Samba already.
We seem set up heavy in defence and defensive midfield. Do we have anyone else to throw on to chase the game later on? 

 lily brazendale is quick!

wow. we really should be a head again! great play but the final finish is just not happening for us

Crowd looks terrible?