Brisbane Roar will make the trip across the ditch to face Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium this Sunday afternoon in Round 2 of the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Looking to build off their hard-fought 1-0 victory on opening night at Suncorp Stadium last week, Roar will be determined for a big three points away from home.
Wellington Phoenix will be chasing their first win of the season after sharing the spoils with Perth Glory in a 2-2 draw in Round 1.
WHAT WAS SAID
Head Coach Michael Valkanis and midfielder Milo Stajić shared their thoughts ahead of Roar’s first away trip in Wellington at the club’s press conference held earlier this week.
“It’s been a good week of work and preparing for this game,” Valkanis said.
“Wellington is a good team. They’ve changed their style a bit compared to last season. They are playing very high up the pitch, very high pressing and getting behind as often as they can.
“It’s a little bit of a change of style which is good and we’ve prepared accordingly for this game and we’re looking forward to it.”
“We talk now about Wellington, we go step-by-step and we want to win every game,” Stajić said.
“We finished the game against Macarthur and now we focus on the game on Sunday.”
TEAM NEWS
Michael Valkanis has made several changes to the squad, with Dimitri Valkanis being replaced with Benjamin Warland due to his one-match suspension. For Warland he is a chance of earning his first A-League minutes since his ACL injury in the December, 2024.
Attacker, Jacob Brazete and defender, Antonee Burke-Gilroy have also been called into the squad for the trip across the Tasman.
Brisbane Roar Squad: 1. Dean BOUZANIS (GK), 2. Youstin Delfin SALAS GOMEZ, 4. Benjamin WARLAND, 7. Jacob BRAZETE, 8. Samuel KLEIN, 9. Christopher LONG, 10. Georgios VRAKAS, 11. Macklin FREKE (GK), 12. Lucas HERRINGTON, 13. Henry HORE, 15. Hosine BIILITY, 17. Justin VIDIC, 19. Michael RUHS, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 23. James McGARRY, 26. James O’SHEA (C), 30.Quinn MACNICOL, 31.Noah MAIERONI, 44.Jordan LAUTON, 77. Milorad STAJIC
Ins: 4. Benjamin WARLAND (promoted), 7. Jacob BRAZETE (promoted), 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY (promoted)
Out: 3. Dimitri VALKANIS (suspended)
Unavailable: 6.Austin LUDWIK (groin), 22. Nathan AMANATIDIS (quad), 27. Benjamin HALLORAN (knee)
LAST TIME WE MET
Last time Roar faced the Phoenix was in their final home game of the 24/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season, where they sealed a 1-0 win thanks to a second-half strike from Florin Berenguer.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Games: 51
Wellington Phoenix wins: 13
Brisbane Roar wins: 22
Draws: 16
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League 2025/26 – Round 2: Wellington Phoenix FC vs Brisbane Roar FC
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Sunday, 26 October (12:00pm AEST KO) LIVE on Paramount+
