The Nix entered the weekend in fifth place on 19 points, two clear of Central Coast, who sit seventh.
Just five points separated third from eighth and Phoenix head coach Paul Temple says at the moment most games feel pivotal for the sides vying for the top six.
\u201cIf you lose one, you\u2019re out,\u201d Temple told media after training on Friday. \u201cIf you win one, you\u2019re clear. You put two or three wins in a row together and you just fly through.
\u201cIt\u2019s tough [when] you go away and you play against your rivals to get into the six.
\u201cThey all feel like traditional six-pointers. It\u2019s just so key.
\u201cIf you don\u2019t lose I think you gain an advantage, especially when you\u2019re playing away.
\u201cBut\u2026 the line every week is \u2018how do we win this game\u2019, It\u2019s not \u2018how do we draw\u2019 or \u2018how do we not lose\u2019 it\u2019s \u2018how do we win the game\u2019.
\u201cSo we\u2019ll go in with the same mentality that we do every week to try and win the game, but the reality is with this game here a point would be a good point on the road [and] three points would be amazing on the road.
\u201cWe need to get a result against the Mariners because they\u2019re chasing us, they\u2019re a good side and we know they\u2019re going to be in and around it (the top six) come the end of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/01\/Paul-Temple-2.jpg?w=1200\")
This will be the first meeting between the two sides this season, but both coaching staff are well-acquainted. Temple is full of admiration for Husband and the job she has done with the Mariners. Paul Temple says continuity between home and away matches and \u201cdoing what we\u2019re good at\u201d are two lessons he\u2019s learnt from last year. Temple has a near full-strength squad to pick from with December arrival Amelia Abbott starting to push for selection.
\u201cI get on pretty well with Emily Husband. We\u2019ve talked a lot during the off-season, and we talk a bit outside of when we play each other.
\u201cAmy\u2019s [Shepherd] pretty good mates with the Central Coast crew because of that Sydney Uni connection.
\u201cIt\u2019s weird we haven\u2019t seen them yet, but when you create those bonds with other coaches in the league there\u2019s definitely that element of you want to come out on top of the battle and have the bragging rights.
\u201cThe Mariners beat us twice last season so there\u2019s still something there for me where we need to get over the line against this team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/01\/Team-1-1.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cThey\u2019re so well-organised, well-drilled and so well-coached, and I think she really gets the best out of all of the players that she\u2019s got.
\u201cI\u2019ve got a lot of respect for them and we\u2019ll pay them that respect by preparing properly.
\u201cBut for sure we want to get out and win this game.\u201d
The Nix have picked up seven points from their matches in Australia so far this season, more than they managed for the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/01\/Smiles-1.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cThis season we\u2019re more focussing on these are the things that make us good and make us a handful to deal with.
\u201cHow do we get the opposition to be worried about us? And not go over and think \u2018how do we stop them?\u2019 all the time.
\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a delicate balance because you\u2019ve got to have that respect for your opponent but I feel we\u2019re doing that better this year and we\u2019re playing to our strengths more regularly, which I think is the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/01\/Annalie-Longo.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cThis is her second full week. She\u2019s been here four weeks and for two weeks she had a little niggle so she\u2019s kind of two weeks into her season and the rest of the girls are 18 weeks in and they\u2019ve played 12 games.
\u201cYou can imagine how hard it is to catch up that ground and be at that level of sharpness and match ability.
\u201cShe\u2019s very self-aware of that\u2026and she\u2019s getting better every week with training, so I think very soon we\u2019ll see her.
\u201cBut it\u2019s about timing for her because you want it to be in the right moment for her and the team.
\u201cThere\u2019s also the reality of the 16 that have been in there every week are doing well. We\u2019re winning games and we\u2019re in good form so it\u2019s hard to get into the team.\u201d
The round 13 Ninja A-League match between the Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners is scheduled to kick-off at Woy Woy Oval on the Central Coast at 7pm (5pm AEDT) Sunday and will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sport 4 in New Zealand and on Paramount+ and 10 Play in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n