Emma Main has recommitted to her hometown club.
The pacey forward quickly established herself as a fan favourite in her first full season with the Wellington Phoenix, earning the moniker ‘The Main Train’.
Main, 24, finished the 2023-24 A-League as the team’s second top scorer with five goals, including a brace in their final round match against Western Sydney Wanderers which doubled as the club’s Pride game.
“It’s awesome to re-sign with the Nix,” she said. “All my family and friends are in Wellington.
“There was a little bit of interest from other clubs in the A-League, but the Phoenix were the first option for me from the get-go.
“I’m looking forward to playing another season under Temps (head coach Paul Temple).”
Main has known Temple since her time at the Phoenix academy and was his first signing as head coach.
“Familiarity makes the decision easier.
“I have an insight into how he works, how the team works, and how the league works now.”
The women are coming off their best season, having spent the first half of the campaign in the top six before ultimately missing out on the finals.
“This season we definitely want to make top six, or even higher than that.
“You could see last season that we were almost there. Hopefully this year, building from what we did last year, we will be able to crack that.”
Emma Main acknowledges she has an important role to play to make that happen.
“As a forward, I want to be scoring more goals.
“Putting in consistent performances for the team, making sure I’m able to perform every week as needed.”
Paul Temple is delighted to keep a “really important” player and one he has known for a while.
“She has developed a lot in terms of her contribution to the team.
“When you work with players in the academy, it’s focused on personal and individual development.
“It gives me more insight into her character and what her mentality is.
“I know what we’re getting, and I know what she brings on and off the pitch which makes a big difference.”
Main’s versatility is also a bonus for Temple.
“She ended playing quite a lot of time as a winger last season as her form was good and she trained well there.
“But Emma’s got big potential as a striker, and so hopefully this season we can see her play more through the middle as well.
“Now it’s just a case of continuing that progress for next season and seeing if we can step things up.
“She’s going to play a big role in the team next season.”
Paul Temple now has eight players contracted for the 2024-25 Liberty A-League, with discussions continuing with other off-contract players.
