aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of the 2025-26 Ninja A-League Grand Final as the top two face off.
Read on below to catch up on everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s Grand Final.
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Melbourne City v Wellington Phoenix
Saturday, May 16 – AAMI Park– 4:15pm AEST
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Wellington prepare for the club’s first ever Grand Final
Bev Priestman rallied the players and fans into turning up to Porirua Park for their turnaround Semi-Final performance.
They’ll be travelling away from home to face-off against premiers Melbourne City, but Priestman is still keen on making Kiwi history.
“It’s been one of our bigger purposes, we want to put women’s professional sport and women’s professional football in New Zealand on the map.
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“I think for a New Zealand team to be competing, beating Australian teams in football, I think that’s great. We’re flying the flag in that sense.
“But it’s not just about representing Wellington, it is about representing New Zealand. And I think to go and do this, that we hope to do would be a great feat.”
Striker Makala Woods is confident that they can do it.
“We’ve already made history, but you’re like ‘this’ close, so it might hurt that much more if you fail.
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“It would be a disservice to ourselves if we look at it like we should be scared.
“I came in as an injury replacement when some really key players came out. It could have been really easy to just not do well and then have all these excuses.
“If we bring our best, I think the best version of us can beat any team in the league.”
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Melbourne City were at their professional best over two semi-final legs against Melbourne Victory, with 1-0 wins away and at home giving them a comfortable 2-0 win on aggregate.
Speaking after their second-leg victory, coach Michael Matricciani said that a Grand-Final win has always been a goal for them this season.
“It’s just another trophy on the line for us to be able to potentially win. We set out our goals and we do try and set the top, top standards.
“We want to win every single game and what every trophy is available, we want to win.
“Last year we got one and missed out on two, this season we’re one step further and we’re in a final.
Matricciani is wary of the Phoenix, recalling their round six clash.
“We won 1-0, but that was probably the first time that a team probably deserved to beat us and dominated us.
“Since then we’ve been working a lot on how to build out from a person-on-person press a team that’s really in our face all over the park.
“Whatever they throw at us, we’re ready.
Wellington have never beaten in eight attempts since joining the Ninja A-League in 2021.
In their two matches this season a late winner from Rebekah Stott saw City win 1-0 in December, while goals from Leticia McKenna and Aideen Keane were enough for City to hold off a late Woods goal for a 2-1 win in January.
