Analysis: The Phoenix coach arrived under a cloud of controversy but could finish the season with an astonishing achievement, writes Luke Robinson.
The "Bevolution" is almost complete.
In July last year I sat in a room with a handful of other journalists for Bev Priestman's first press conference as Wellington Phoenix head coach and there was only one question line: "Drone-gate".
Priestman joined the Nix fresh from a 12-month ban by FIFA after Canada, the team she coached, were caught spying on the Football Ferns at the Olympics.
One thing from that press conference has stuck with me; her will to win and the suggestion that winning would heal all. She was as open as she could be given the case was still ongoing in Canada and she clearly wanted to do something special for the fans of football in Wellington and New Zealand.
From there she assembled the best team the Nix women have seen. She recruited well, bringing in Football Ferns CJ Bott, Victoria Esson and Macey Fraser who moved home from all corners of the globe.
But it wasn’t just Kiwis coming home – the presence of one of the best coaches in the world lured top international talent to Wellington.
Ellie Walker, Tessel Middag, Lucia Leon, Brooke Nunn and Sabitra Bhandari have gone from virtual unknowns here to household names.
Priestman brought in experienced international talent to lead a team sprinkled with youth and flair from the likes of Pia Vlok and Manaia Elliot. All of a sudden the recipe was there for success.
And this recipe had the perfect chef. As the season went on, player after player told me just how impressive Priestman had been and why she was the main reason they transferred to Wellington.
But then came the adversity.
Within three weeks, star Dutch signing Middag and young midfielder Alyssa Whinham were gone for the season with ACL ruptures.
A month or so later, it got far worse.Nepalese legend and top goal scorer "Samba" also did her ACL and was out for the season.
The most bittersweet moment came just two weeks later when captain and staunch midfielder CJ Bott announced she was pregnant and therefore out for the rest of the 2025/26 season. Within the space of a couple of months three marquee signings and one of their brightest young talents were gone for the rest of the campaign.
There was no panic from Priestman. Instead, she hit the market and secured the signature of Makala Woods from the USA, who came in and scored five goals in her first eight games.
There were other positional moves across the season which showcased Priestman’s prowess; Grace Jale’s shift to the midfield, showing faith in 17-year-old forward Vlok and Ellie Walker playing every minute of the season in defence.
Through all that, Priestman’s team scored the most goals and conceded the fewest across the 20-game regular season to finish second on the ladder, six spots higher than they have ever been before, and making the playoffs for the first time.
In her weekly dealings with the media, Priestman came across as a deep thinker about the game and she is clearly deeply invested in her players, her staff and the club.
All season, Priestman and her players talked about wanted to create a moment where football fans around the country stop and watch this team do something special, and that semifinal second leg at Porirua Park was certainly that.
In the A-League grand final against Melbourne City on Saturday, Priestman and her squad have a chance to do something spectacular.
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