With four rounds remaining the Nix sit eighth on the ladder, but just two points behind the Mariners who occupy the sixth and final playoff berth.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple says it\u2019s felt like the finals started a few weeks ago.
\u201cThe wins are worth more it feels and the defeats are kind of a bit more soul destroying,\u201d Temple said.
\u201cYou feel it. We\u2019re on the edge but as I said to the players today, we\u2019d much rather be there fighting for what we can achieve and looking upwards as opposed to having nothing to play for.
\u201cFor us it\u2019s great to still be in the hunt and we\u2019re still confident we can do it.
\u201cWith the games that we\u2019ve got, three of those last four games at home, I think it makes a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/25-03-09-ALWvWSW-20.jpg?w=1200\")
Temple says the crowd at Porirua Park is likely to be the difference. The Mariners have won the three previous meetings with the Phoenix, who are desperate to get one over a coaching staff they have a huge respect for. Paul Temple will be without ever-present defender Tiana Jaber, who is serving a one-match suspension. But he\u2019s hopeful of being able to call on Football Ferns centre back Mackenzie Barry, who has missed the past two matches with a foot injury. Forward Grace Jale played the final half an hour of last Saturday\u2019s last-gasp defeat to Sydney FC after three outs out with a hamstring injury and is in line for more minutes at Porirua Park.
\u201cIt\u2019s that connection we have with the fans and the community. It kind of brings the whole club together.
\u201cI think there\u2019s a really good base of people coming every week. We\u2019re seeing familiar faces and it\u2019s so awesome to see the young kids idolising their players and having that visual pathway for them.
\u201cThere are lots of important parts of people being there and growing the women\u2019s game, but we also need the fans, their noise and the energy that brings us.
\u201cThey really helped us against Western Sydney last time out. We could hear them and there was that constant noise.
\u201cThey\u2019re the 12th<\/sup> man and now we\u2019re into four cup finals and three of them are at home, we need them to help us get through to where we need to get to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2195977769.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cWe haven\u2019t played them in New Zealand. I think that\u2019s really key.
\u201cIt\u2019ll be their first visit to New Zealand and to Porirua Park so obviously we\u2019ll have home advantage, which we haven\u2019t had in the previous games.
\u201cI think we know their staff better than anyone else and know how much they\u2019re putting into it.
\u201cThey\u2019re extremely organised team, difficult to play against, difficult to breakdown, but it\u2019s our home game.
\u201cThey\u2019ve been struggling a bit for form too, so it\u2019ll be a real battle on Saturday and hopefully we come out on top.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/25-03-21-ALW-Training-8.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cIt\u2019s close. She\u2019s potentially an outside chance of being involved.
\u201cShe\u2019s trained the whole week which is good, so potentially some minutes.
\u201cStill pretty touch and go with Mack. We\u2019ll just have to wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/25-03-21-ALW-Training-45.jpg?w=1200\")
\u201cI thought she had a great game when she came on and had a big impact so she\u2019s pushing to start this weekend.
\u201cShe\u2019s been good at training, [and] everyone is really happy having her back after a few weeks out.
\u201cShe\u2019s a top quality player, we know that, so excited to get her out there and combining with the other attackers.\u201d
The round 20 Ninja A-League match between the Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners is scheduled to kick-off at Porirua Park in Wellington at 4pm Saturday and will be broadcast free-to-air on Sky Open and LIVE on Sky Sport 5 in New Zealand and on Paramount+ and 10 Play in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n