After 24 goals in 51 appearances across two spells with the club, Wellington's Shane Smeltz has flown out to join Indonesian club Pusamania Borneo FC as a marquee player.
Wellington showed spirit to grab a crucial late equaliser to even out a Video Assistant Referee-awarded penalty for Sydney FC in a tense and engrossing 1-1 encounter at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.
Injuries have robbed the Phoenix of two key defenders, but coaches Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre still have a strong squad for Saturday's finals-deciding match at Westpac Stadium.
With many pre-game suggesting a Melbourne cakewalk, Wellington have recorded a stunning 3-0 win at AAMI Stadium on Sunday night to give Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre back-to-back wins over Kevin Muscat's Victory.
The return of seven players from International duty plus the performance of those that stepped in against Newcastle makes for some interesting selection choices for coaches Des Buckingham and Chris Greenacre.
A terrific night at Westpac Stadium as a Phoenix side missing seven International players showed wonderful spirit and belief to keep their outside finals hopes alive (Images: @NZPhotomac)
Wellington Phoenix have put aside concerns over All White absentees to reward their faithful fans with a vintage performance on Sunday night at Westpac Stadium.
International callups see Phoenix lose seven key players, but also an opportunity for the #NixGeneration to stake their claims for future starting positions.
All-Whites captain and NZ football legend Winston Reid has announced his commitment to a new Foundation aimed at supporting and developing young Maori footballers.