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MESSAGE OF WELCOME FROM GENERAL MANAGER, DAVID DOME Hello and welcome to the first home match of the season for the Wellington - or should I say Wollongong - Phoenix at WIN Stadium.
stunning on the field. We’re also very pleased to have two new partners in KPMG and Right2Drive, represented on our playing kits for the first time.
It’s been a long and difficult road getting to where we are tonight, involving a lot of sacrifice on the part of our players and staff. And we couldn’t have done it without the support of the Wollongong community, who have welcomed us with open arms and helped the team to prepare for the long season ahead.
It’s also special to be able to face last season’s champions, Sydney FC, for our first home match tonight - as both clubs are based in New South Wales, this becomes an unofficial derby between our two clubs!
Special thanks has to go to the following organisations: The City of Wollongong, Venues NSW, University of Wollongong, Football South Coast and Destination Wollongong. We wouldn’t be here without their help. Tonight will be the first time wearing our new home kit in an A-League match, and we’re confident it will look
We enjoyed some great battles against Sydney FC last season, and tonight will serve as a solid test for our team as integrate in key newcomers Tomer Hemed, Clayton Lewis, Joshua Laws, James McGarry and more. Not only do we want to pick up the win tonight, we’re also keen to put on a show for our Wollongong fanbase. We appreciate your support this far and hope you enjoy our style of football on offer. COYN!
PHOTOGRAPHY: Cameron MacIntosh (Photomac), Getty Images PRINTING: University of Wollongong COPYRIGHT: Reproduction in whole or in part by any means is prohibited. DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any loss due to material in this magazine. All details are correct as at time of print.
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UOW Tottenham Hotspur Global Football Program Improve your game with an English Premier League club while studying at one of Australia’s leading universities. Study a qualification1 of your choice at UOW’s Wollongong campus, while developing your football skills, with training provided by fully qualified coaches from English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
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1. Students must be enrolled in an academic course at either UOW or UOW College whilst participating in the program.
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YOUR 2020/21 WELLINGTON PHOENIX SQUAD #1
GK
#2
DEF
STEFAN MARINOVIC
#5
DEF
LIAM MCGING
#6
# 10
DAVID BALL
# 14
# 15
#4
MID
MID
# 11
#8
FWD
MIRZA MURATOVIC
# 16
# 12
MID
MATTHEW RIDENTON
DEF
LOUIS FENTON
MID
CAMERON DEVLIN
JAUSHUA SOTIRIO
FWD
DEF
TE ATAWHAI HUDSON-WIHONGI
RENO PISCOPO
ULISES DAVILA
MID
ALEX RUFER
#7
TIM PAYNE
FWD
DEF
LUKE DEVERE
DEF
JAMES MCGARRY
#9
#3
# 17
FWD
TOMER HEMED
YOUR 2020/21 WELLINGTON PHOENIX SQUAD # 18
FWD
# 19
BEN WAINE
# 23
DEF
# 20
SAM SUTTON
GK
# 21
OLIVER SAIL
DEF
JOSHUA LAWS
MID
CLAYTON LEWIS
COACH UFUK TALAY
1
ANDREW REDMAYNE
GK
17
ANTHONY CÁCERES
MID
2
PATRICK FLOTTMANN
DEF
18
LUKE IVANOVIC
FWD
3
BEN WARLAND
DEF
19
CHRIS ZUVELA
MID
4
ALEX WILKINSON (C)
DEF
20 TOM HEWARD-BELLE
GK
5
ALEXANDER BAUMJOHANN
MID
21 HARRY VAN DER SAAG
DEF
6
RYAN MCGOWAN
DEF
23 RHYAN GRANT
DEF
7
MICHAEL ZULLO
DEF
26
LUKE BRATTAN
MID
8
PAULO RETRE
MID
28
CALEM NIEUWENHOF (s)
MID
10 MILOŠ NINKOVIĆ
MID
30 ADAM PAVLESIC (s)
11
KOSTA BARBAROUSES
12 TRENT BUHAGIAR 16
JOEL KING
GK
FWD
-
ANTON MLINARIC (s)
DEF
FWD
-
CALLUM TALBOT (s)
DEF
DEF
PHOENIX PRIMED TO FACE SYDNEY FC IN FIRST MATCH After two months on the ground in Wollongong, the Wellington Phoenix make their debut at WIN Stadium tonight as they take on Sydney FC in their first match of the 2020/21 A-League season.
The Nix bring back 15 players from last season’s squad, including veterans in club Player of the Year in David Ball (6 goals, 4 assists in 2019/20), Ulises Davila (12 goals, 5 assists), Alex Rufer, Louis Fenton, Luke DeVere and goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic. Returning youngsters Cameron Devlin, Reno Piscopo – who will sit out versus Sydney FC due to injury – and Jaushua Sotirio will be counted on to continue their strong form from last season, with opportunities for kiwis Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, Ben Waine and Sam Sutton to earn minutes in this revamped squad. The squad features newcomers in Clayton Lewis, Matthew Ridenton
and James McGarry, joined by Olyroo Joshua Laws and ex-Brisbane Roar forward Mirza Muratovic. Completing the new squad is marquee striker Tomer Hemed, an Israeli international player who joined the club last month following his season at Championship side Charlton Athletic. The Nix squad first assembled at the University of Wollongong at the beginning of November last year, bringing together players from New Zealand and Australia for a three-week pre-season camp. After deciding to remain in Wollongong for the season, key players Marinovic and Davila joined the squad from overseas. The squad has jelled well together over the past two months, playing six pre-season matches and going 5-1 during this time. The club has also recently named Davila – last season’s leading scorer with 12 goals and a contender for A-League player of the
year – as Captain, which Davila says is a huge honour. “I’m very happy to be named the captain, and like I did last season I will try to give my best for the team and for the club,” Davila said. “I will do my best and try to be a captain with good actions, and I will try to push everyone to try and get the best out of themselves.” Sydney FC will bring back the bulk of their championship squad, highlighted by reigning Goalkeeper of the year Andrew Redmayne and 2019/20 Grand Final hero Rhyan Grant. Captain Alex Wilkinson and Luke Brattan – the club’s player of the year – round out a seasoned squad who are looking for their third championship in three seasons. Although Sydney FC will be missing Adam Le Fondre - their leading scorer last season with 21 goals – this season, Phoenix Coach Ufuk Talay says Sydney still present a strong attacking threat with Trent Buhagiar and kiwi Kosta Barbarouses.
“Trent played very well in the Asian Champions League, and both Trent and Kosta like to go beyond and are quick players up front – so they can be dangerous players who we’ll be mindful of.” The Wellington Phoenix played Sydney FC three times last season (1D, 2L) and Talay says that the club always relishes the chance to play the champs. “I think we probably played our best games against Sydney in the three games we played them, we play a very similar style of football so we match up well against them,” says Talay. “For us it’s very important this year that we make the most of the opportunities we create to score, and to be more clinical in how we play. “It’s always a great occasion to play last year’s champions and the boys are definitely up for it.”
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OFFICIAL APPAREL PARTNER WELLINGTON PHOENIX For all your club and school teamwear please contact: LIAM ROBINSON LIAM@PALADINSPORTS.COM (02) 9938 8818 WWW.PALADINSPORTS.COM WW