FIFTY-THIRD EDITION SEASON 2015/16 ROUND 19 VS WELLINGTON PHOENIX PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY CONTENTS THIS MATCH WE'VE PACKED THIS ISSUE OF THE WANDERER WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR TONIGHT'S MATCH FEATURES FIFTY-THIRD EDITION SEASON 2015/16 ROUND 19 VS WELLINGTON PHOENIX PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY WHY WE LOVE OUR MEMBERS 8 NPL CLICKS INTO GEAR 18 THE WANDERER An ode to the Red & Black faithful Ushering in the NPL era The views in this publication are not necessarily the views of Story by Jacob Windon Story by Domenic Trimboli the NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers FC. Material in this publication is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the written REGULAR COLUMNS permission from the Club. OPEN LETTER: TODAY'S MATCH 16 GUARDIAN FUNERALS ADVERTISING For all advertising enquiries FOUNDATION MEMBER WANDERCREW MEMBERS in The Wanderer or questions DALE BROMFIELD 5 FOX FOOTBALL FIX 20 OF THE WEEK: FOXTEL about partnership with NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE the club please contact the WARM UP 6 SLAV'S SPOT THE VOLUNTEERS 26 Corporate Partnerships team [email protected]. DIFFERENCE 22 FIVE THINGS 11 CORPORATE NEWS: IN THE COMMUNITY: PHOTOGRAPHY All photography courtesy PLAYERS TO WATCH: A WINNING WHY THE COMMUNITY of Ali Erhan, Beans & NEVILLE VS MUSCAT 13 PARTNERSHIP 23 LOVES THE WANDERERS 27 Mash Photography, Ben Coonan, Daniel Boud, Eric Berry, Getty Images, Parramatta FOX FOOTBALL FOCUS TAKE FIVE WITH Advertiser and Steve Christo. WITH ADAM PEACOCK 15 JAUSHUA SOTIRIO 25 OUR PARTNERS 30 STAY CONNECTED VISIT WANDERLAND.COM.AU 3 OpEN LETTER FROM THE FOUNDATION MEMBER WHY THIS IS A CLUB LIKE NO OTHER journey back there would be hundreds of cars joining me on the trip home, showing just how passionate Western Sydney was for football. Since becoming a Foundation Member I have shared in many great memories with my fellow Wanderers family including playing in two Grand Finals, winning the AFC Champions League and some of the Derbies. The Wanderers have made me proud of being from Western Sydney – the place that we all call home. Not only because of the achievements we have had on the domestic and world stage but also because we have players that have been born and bred in Western Sydney taking to the field WESTERN SYDNEY every week to represent their local club. THROUGH AND Like many Members I feel THROUGH connected to the club as they are our Dale has been a designated team and they have lived Wanderer from up to their name of being a community day one club connecting with people from all over Western Sydney. I genuinely believe that this is IVING ONLY FIVE minutes away life but I was always drawn back into why the Wanderers have been so from Wanderland and being a playing and supporting football. successful as they have captured the football lover I believed that it was So much so that, prior to community and emphasised all the Lonly right to become a member for my Wanderers, I would often drive to parts of Western Sydney which make it local team in their year of inception. Central Coast to watch Hyundai great and we’re lucky enough to have a It was that club, Western Sydney A-League matches – a much faster heavily football orientated community Wanderers, that I very quickly grew option than heading to Eastern Sydney. to support them. to love. It was on the drives back from As with many from Western Gosford that I knew that Western DALE BROMFIELD Sydney, I played rugby for parts of my Sydney needed a team: on the long FOUNDATION MEMBER #3828 C M Y CM MY CY CMY OFFERING WANDEROUS ODDS THAT K THE WANDERERS BEAT THE PHOENIX. WiLl ThE WaNdErErSjoin the club GO TO WWW.BETTING.CLUB FOR FURTHER DETAILS. Proud Partners of the BeAtGamble Responsibly 18+ WeLlInGtOn?Western Sydney Wanderers. STAY CONNECTED FOLLOW US @WSWANDERERSFC 5 WARM UP WHAT DOES THE FOXE SAY WITH HAYDEN FOXE EFLECTING BACK ON our match give my wife a kiss in the morning but I Ragainst Melbourne Victory last won’t be buying her any flowers or gifts week I can honestly say that the team’s as she gets the ultimate gift every morning performance was excellent as we when she wakes up next to me. controlled parts of the game despite But Valentine’s Day won’t take the ON THIS DAY conceding one early goal. On any other shine away from what today is really about COURTESY OF ANDREW HOWE night with that type of performance we – our Members. Our Members at the club @ANDYHOWE_STATTO would have taken all three points. are very important to us and they drive the Despite only walking away with one feelings of community and support. HE LAST WESTERN Sydney point we still sit at the top of the table Without Members you don’t have Tnational league derby took ahead of today’s match against Wellington a football club so they are super place on this day in 2004, Marconi Phoenix. At the moment they have had important when things are going well defeating Sydney United 3-0 in indifferent results throughout the season and when things aren’t. They’ve shown front of 2,579 at Marconi Stadium. with a mixture of both draws and losses. that they will stick not only with the The two sides went into the game When you look at the Phoenix’s squad team but the club as a whole over the equal sixth on points and with only they are a real threat as they have a very last few seasons with Members staying two further rounds of the 2003/04 strong front four that can open up any loyal and the numbers increasing. season to play the result was defence when they are on song so it will be I hope that today the team can give crucial leading to the NSL top six a difficult and testing game for the squad. back to our Members by playing some play-off series. A good spattering Even though it’s Valentine’s Day today great football and performing as well of future Hyundai A-League stars I won’t be doing anything romantic with as we did in Melbourne but this time were on show including Alex the squad or coaching staff. I will possibly finishing with a win. Brosque, Michael Thwaite and Nick Carle for the home team MATCH DAY PARTNER FIxtURes & ResULts while Sydney United lined up with the likes of Liam Reddy, Brendon Scan the QR code below for all score Santalab and Labinot Haliti. The updates across our Hyundai A-League, match was the last at national Westfield W-League and Foxtel league level between these two National Youth League matches. local rivals, an intense and closely- contested twenty-year history where ultimately Marconi had a slight edge winning 17 to Sydney United’s 14 (17 draws). Their 1988 grand final at Parramatta Stadium, eventually won by Marconi on penalties, was one of the all-time NSL grand final classics. 6 THE WANDERER ROUND 19 WARM UP #HASHTAG You can earn 20 points in the WSW Rewards app by using the official hashtag +20 +100 FIELD REPORTER #wsw - PLUS you could POINTS POINTS WITH CATHERINE CANNULI @CANNULI_13 appear in The Wanderer. IKE ALL WANDERERS fans across the loyalty of our thousands of Members LWestern Sydney who didn’t travel to at the club. I believe that the Members +500 the match last Saturday in Melbourne make the club so without the thousands POINTS + I tuned in to watch our clash against at that pledge their allegiance every 5000 the Victory on TV. It was a great season to the Red & Black we wouldn’t POINTS performance by the team and we really have such a special football club. + should have won and taken the three Our opponents, the Phoenix have 7000 POINTS points back home with us. really struggled this season to get the We created a lot of dangerous results and have been stuck at the other @BLAKELAZ opportunities and just struggled to finish end of the table. Like every game in the our chances. Statistically, there were 30 Hyundai A-League each team has an balls into the box during the second half even chance of winning so this should alone and we only got one goal out of all make for a great day of football. these chances which created some really As we are currently sitting at the top of stressful football to watch as a supporter. the ladder everyone is looking to knock us Luckily, Brendon Santalab was off the top and today will be no different. substituted onto the field late in the second Being a football lover and not the half and it was thanks to his individual biggest romantic I will be able to attend skill and desire to score a goal that we the game on Valentine’s Day as this is as @ROSEGHABACH were able to walk away with one point. romantic as I get. I hope the team today Today’s match against Wellington can share the love back to their Members Phoenix is a special match as we celebrate and gift us the three points. WSWREWARDS DOWNLOAD THE APP TODAY! Turn to page 28 now to see how you can earn @GARONJS3 7,000 points by being a Member Scout. PLUS YOU CAN EARN 100 BONUS POINTS* for entering the code 'WSWRND19' into the app! + + THERE ARE POINT BURSTS IN THE WANDERER 20 100 TO SHOW YOU HOW MANY POINTS YOU CAN POINTS POINTS EARN BY COMPLETING SIMPLE ACTIVITIES *The code is available for 24 hours between 3:45pm Sunday +500 14 February 2016 until 3:45pm Monday 15 February 2016 @GABRIELLAGIULIA93 POINTS + 5000 POINTS + 7000 POINTS STAY CONNECTED WATCH WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS TV 7 FEATURE STORY BY JACOB WINDON @JACOBWINDON WHY WE LOVE OUR MEMBERS A FOOTBALL CLUB IS NOTHING WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM THE STANDS.