Wellington Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman is imploring her players to seize the moment in the club’s maiden grand final.
The Phoenix are squaring off against Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Saturday evening for the Ninja A-League championship in what doubles as the women’s 100th match in the team’s five year history.
It’s the culmination of their record-breaking season and Priestman says they have to leave everything on the pitch and have no regrets.
“We’re in a moment in time where this dressing room, this group of staff, everyone will never be in the same room again,” she told media at AAMI Park on Thursday afternoon. “And you have to grab that.
“Because there’s something special bubbling away there. I can see it, I can feel it on the bus, I’ve felt it all season and when you have that you want to wrap that bubble up.
“This group of players now have to give it everything because you might never get this moment back, you might never and in those moments it’s the team that takes it and we’ve got to take it.”
Priestman says the club deserves this moment.
“Five years in the making. I’m really excited to see the club and the players, someone particularly like a Mack (Mackenzie Barry), who’s been pushing for five years to get to this point.
“For us we have to go in and enjoy the moment but not enjoy it too much.
“We have to stick to the process, stick to the things that have got us here but at the same time when we enjoy ourselves we play our best football.
“It’ll be a case of managing moments which is what I think finals are about. It’s the team that can manage the moments the best but also let the team take in the moment, enjoy the moment and hopefully in our 100th game we can deliver something really, really special for this club.”
And they’re driven to reward their supporters, many of whom have travelled over from Wellington.
“We have the best fans in the league. They’re loud and we always have the Little Corner of Yellow there.
“That’s what the players do it for. We want to reward people who have to work nine to five jobs, work every single day to support this team and I think tomorrow will be a great reward for our very loyal fans.”
City enter the grand final as favourites, having won the premiership and all eight previous meetings with the Nix.
“I love being an underdog,” Priestman said. “I’ve been an underdog most of my career, I think this team has been underdogs and I think it helps you.
“It lets you come out and swing a little bit and it’s better to be chasing than being the one chased.
“Listen they’re a great side. They are where they are. They have a rich history in this league that we definitely respect.
“We brought it to them in the last away game, they brought it to us at home so I’m sure for anybody watching it’s going to be a really special grand final.”
Bev Priestman has no fresh injury concerns from the second leg of the semi-final tie with Brisbane.
“Everybody is healthy. We got our legs back after the extra time last week.
“Everybody is fit and firing and ready to go which is what you want for a grand final.”
Priestman knows what it takes to win finals, having guided Canada to Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
“Belief is a big part of that. The group coming off last week and the season has high confidence and a real togetherness was a real part of that gold medal [winning side].
“But I also think you’ve got to get your energy and you’ve got to manage your energy.
“A big watch out for me this week is a little bit like the gold medal [winning side] when you beat the U.S. for the first time in 19 years, it was 19 years in the making the last semi-final.
“We’ve got to be careful that that wasn’t our final and get our energy back and we go again.
“This is why we’re here and we’re here not just to take part in a grand final.
“I believe if we show up and we catch ourselves on a good day and we get Melbourne City maybe on a bad day it’s there for the taking. So, we’ve got to be ready to show up and do what we’ve done all season.”
The Ninja A-League grand final between the Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne City is scheduled to kick-off at AAMI Park in Melbourne at 6:15pm (4:15pm AEST) on Saturday and will be broadcast free-to-air on Sky Open and LIVE on Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand, and on Channel Ten and Paramount+ in Australia.
Most recent meeting: 10 January 2026 – Wellington Phoenix 1 Melbourne City 2
All-time A-League head to head: Phoenix 0W, City 8W, 0D.
Wellington Phoenix squad (two to be omitted): 1. Victoria ESSON (gk), 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Ellie WALKER, 7. Grace JALE, 8. Macey FRASER, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 14. Lucía LEÓN, 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE, 16. Marisa VAN DER MEER, 21. Lara WALL, 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk), 23. Brooke NUNN, 24. Pia VLOK, 27. Zoe BENSON, 29. Mikaela BANGALAN, 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), 20. Emma MAIN (injured).
Melbourne City squad (two to be omitted): 2. Ellie WILSON, 3. Danielle TURNER, 5. Taylor OTTO, 6. Leticia MCKENNA, 7. Danella BUTRUS, 8. Alexia APOSTOLAKIS, 9. Holly McNAMARA, 11. Deven JACKSON, 12. Shelby McMAHON, 13. Rebekah STOTT (c), 14. Laura HUGHES, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN, 18. Leah DAVIDSON, 20. Caitlin KARIC, 21. Aideen KEANE, 22. Bryleeh HENRY, 23. Melissa BARBIERI (gk), 24. Malena MIERES (gk), 25. Ayana AOYAGI (gk).
Unavailable: 10. Izabella RAKO (international duty), 15. Chinaza UCHENDU (suspended), 17. Kaya JUGOVIC (international duty), 19. Keira SARRIS (international duty).
