ALW Match Preview: “We’ve got to get in their faces and let them know that we’ve arrived in New Zealand” – Peters

Perth Glory Head Coach Stephen Peters believes an aggressive approach is essential if his charges are to complete a Ninja A-League double over Wellington Phoenix when the two sides meet at Sky Stadium on Friday (kick-off at 11am WST, watch live and FREE on 10.com.au).

Click HERE to view his pre-match media conference in full.

The women in purple edged the ‘Nix out at Sam Kerr Football Centre back in Round 7, but since then, Bev Priestman’s side have racked up 16 points from seven games.

Now the competition’s top scorers and currently sitting third on the ladder, Peters is keenly aware of the threat the hosts will pose in the match which will form part of a Waitangi Day double-header in the New Zealand capital.

“Bev has done a great job and we have to be on our guard and ready to fight,” he said.

“They’re a very physically-imposing team and obviously it’s a bit of a travel for us, so it’s a very exciting challenge.

“If you want to be making Finals and competing in this competition, it’s the kind of game you’ve got to be ready for.

“My mantra on this is that we’re a better side when we’re on the front foot and getting in teams’ faces, so we’re not going to be sitting back waiting for them to come to us.

“We’ve got to get in their faces and let them know that we’ve arrived in New Zealand.”

The Head Coach went on to suggest that this season’s previous meeting with Phoenix will not have a huge bearing upon Friday’s re-match.

“I think they’ve completely changed since that game, to be honest,” he said.

“The make-up of the team defensively is still the same, but the introduction of the new strikers has given them a different profile.

“[Emma] Pijnenburg in the middle is a new one as well… so we can’t take much out of that previous game apart from the effort and intensity we created.

“So we have to replicate that, but be a bit better with the football than we were at that stage of the season and we’re confident we can do that.

“They’re defensively very tight and actually have the best defence in the league.

“So they tend to look to control games with their defence, but once they get on a roll, they’ve shown that they can put on goals quickly.

“Seven goals against Sydney and then five against Newcastle, so 12 in two games which is pretty scary.

“Outside of that, most of their games have been pretty tight, so they can do it at both ends and you have to be ready for both.”

In terms of early team news, meanwhile, Peters confirmed that Tijan McKenna will return to the squad but that Georgia Cassidy’s hamstring injury will again force her to miss out.

As for Phoenix, they have been the form side of the ALW in recent weeks, winning five of their last seven games and scoring 23 goals in the process.

Those goals have been spread throughout the squad, with seven players having found the net multiple times this term including 17-year-old rising star Pia Vlok who leads the way with five goals.

Former Glory forward Grace Jale has claimed two, along with one assist, while US defender Ellie Walker has played every minute of every game and English import Brooke Nunn has added three assists to go with her four goals.

The Sky Stadium clash will mark the tenth overall meeting between the two sides, with Phoenix having claimed five wins to Glory’s four and interestingly, there has never been a draw in this fixture.

Match Details

Ninja A-League 2025/26 Season Round 16

Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory

Sky Stadium

Friday 6 February 2026

Kick-off: 11am WST

Wellington Phoenix Squad: 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

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: Nil

Outs: Nil

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: 1.Teresa MORRISSEY (gk), 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 3.Emma TOVAR, 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 9.Gabby HOLLAR, 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM, 11.Natalie TATHEM, 12.Bronte TREW, 17.Rola BADAWIYA, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 23.Isobel DALTON (c), 24.Julia SARDO, 25.Ella LINCOLN, 26.Tanika LALA, 27.Charli WAINWRIGHT, 28.Clancy WESTAWAY, 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG, 30.Jessica SKINNER (gk)

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 28.Clancy WESTAWAY

Outs: None

Unavailable: 7.Megan WYNNE (injured), 8.Georgia CASSIDY (injured), 13.Naomi CHINNAMA (injured), 20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH (injured)

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