The Wellington Phoenix women are chasing more history on Waitangi Day.
The Phoenix can move to the top of the Ninja A-League for the first time with a win over Perth Glory at Sky Stadium on New Zealand’s national holiday.
The women have already achieved a number of firsts this season, several of which came during the 5-1 win over Newcastle Jets on Sunday, including Pia Vlok scoring a hat-trick.
Head coach Bev Priestman says it will be special if they jump above Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City to sit atop the ladder.
“We’ve talked about a lot of firsts, and that is a big first,” Priestman told media before training at Sky Stadium on Thursday morning.
“But at the end of the day, when it really matters, that’s when I’ll worry about it.
“You’ve seen this table is wide open, you could go from first to probably fifth in a matter of days.”
The chance to move to the top of the table has added to the surge in support for the Nix women this season and Priestman says they want to create a movement.
“Everywhere I go at the moment, there’s people talking about the Phoenix. That’s what we want. We want this to be a women’s football country.
“In that sense, it gets more people talking, but for us, I hate to sound like a cliched coach, it’s just another game.
“We have to continue down this road that we’re on, and I’m sure for the players it’s there, it’s real, and it’s a motivator.”
Wellington are in their most consistent run of form, winning a club record-equalling three games in a row.
“We’ve looked a hard team to beat. Although frustrated that we’ve conceded late goals. No matter what the score is I love to keep a clean sheet, and we’ve given up a couple of them.
“I do think the consistency and the fluidity, especially in the first half of the last game, probably where I know this team can be.
“I’d love to do that across 90 minutes, but you have the second game in mind and make a lot of changes.
“I do think the fluidity that you see, people now get the tactics. I’m not worried about on the job, trying to fill in some gaps. It’s now about players bringing their personality to the game.”
Vlok was named in the Football Ferns for the first time this week, three days after scoring her hat-trick.
Priestman says there’s more to come from her.
“The minute she got on the pitch with great footballers, she was not out of place, and she trains like an animal.
“She’s a competitor. The best players are ultimate competitors.
“It’s early doors, people are going to start scouting her now and asking different questions of her game, and that’s the journey of a young player, to evolve and keep growing.
“I’ve seen signs of that for sure. She’s exciting.”
The Glory beat the Phoenix 1-0 in Perth in December, scoring direct from a corner with 15 minutes remaining.
Priestman says the Glory are definitely a better side now than when they played them.
“They’ve narrowed the margin [and] they’ve had some good results.
“Early in the season, it was a much more open team. I think they changed shape for us, and since then they haven’t looked back.
“Perth are a bit like a Canberra in that they’re a scrappy team, they have athleticism, they get in your face, they have players that can finish from distance.
“We have to respect the team in front of us, make sure we do everything that we do well against them, and not take them for granted.”
The round 16 Ninja A-League match between the Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory is scheduled to kick-off at Sky Stadium in Wellington at 4pm on Waitangi Day and will be broadcast LIVE and free-to-air on Sky Open on Sky Sport 1 in New Zealand, and on Paramount+ in Australia.
Most recent meeting: 13 December 2025 – Perth Glory 1 Wellington Phoenix 0
All-time A-League head to head: Phoenix 3W, Glory 6W, 0D.
Wellington Phoenix squad (two to be omitted): 1. Victoria ESSON (gk), 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Ellie WALKER, 7. Grace JALE, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 14. Lucía LEÓN, 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE, 16. Marisa VAN DER MEER, 17. Ela JEREZ, 20. Emma MAIN, 21. Lara WALL, 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk), 23. Brooke NUNN, 24. Pia VLOK, 27. Zoe BENSON, 30. Mackenzie ANTHONY, 31. Makala WOODS, 32. Emma PIJNENBURG.
Unavailable: 2. CJ BOTT (c) (pregnant), 6. Tessel MIDDAG (injured), 9. Sabitra BHANDARI (injured), 10. Alyssa WHINHAM (injured), 18. Ella MCCANN (injured).
Perth Glory squad to be confirmed.
Main image: Lara Wall passes the ball during a Wellington Phoenix training session at NZCIS. Photo: Cam McIntosh/Photomac.
