October 31, 2025 • 10 mins
The Wellington Phoenix are unbeaten two rounds into the new A-League football season, and meet the Central Coast Mariners away on Sunday night.
Adam Cooper previewed the match with recent All White debutant, and Phoenix defender, Lukas Kelly-Heald.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's the perfect start to your Saturday, the All Sport
Breakfast with Rutherford and Bond, Toyota and King Toyota, your
home of hybrid U's Talks. It'd be sixteen to night
here on the Allsport Breakfast. Well start of the New
A League mens A season and the Wellington Phoenix are unbeaten,
two games in a draw and a win so far.
They're away to Central Coast Mariners tomorrow night. Let's head
(00:22):
into the camp now, young defender Lucas Kelly Helders with us.
Morning to you, Lucas well first, who make What a
busy couple of months it's been for you, especially in
the international space. Your recent All Whites debut. How's that
all been to process ahead of another Phoenix campaign.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, no, it's been very full on. I've done a
lot of travel recently and I'm very grateful for the
opportunities that I've been given. All the games with the
Twenties and then with the All Whites, was just some
great experiences and tried to learn as much as they could,
especially been up with the All Whites, you know, with
(00:59):
the likes of of Chris Wood and other great international players.
So I just tried to take as much as they
could from those, and and then once I've come back
into the group here, I've just tried to do my
best to share those and try and try and live
my best self day in and day out.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah great, is there was sort of one thing that
you took away from that that that you think will
immediately benefit you. I guess as you get set for
a bigay League season.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Now, yeah, I think I think just just being around
around the team full of full of some great internationals.
You you see the standards overseas, it's not it's not
too far different from here in Australia and New Zealand,
but there's a there's definitely a higher standard that that
US players always especially here, we always hold ourselves to
(01:46):
the highest standards. So it's just something we need to
continue to do.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Yeah great, we'll get to the Phoenix in just a moment.
But obviously there's a there's an All Whites Cup squad
being named soon for another couple of games. There's a
World Cup at the end of the club says, and
how after getting a taste of it, like is, how
how eager are you to sort of you know, wanting
to stay stay in the mix with the team.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, I mean, I mean it's every every footballer's dream
to represent their country. So to have had another another
tour with the team and another few caps under my name,
it's it's something that really motivates you as a player,
and to be going to a World Cup or something
would be any player's dream. So it's something I'm definitely
(02:28):
trying to trying to do and trying to achieve.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
All right, Well, two games into the new Phoenix season
now a draw, I come from behind draw and then
to come from behind win. Camp pretty happy. This past
week is on the back of what happened last week
in at Sky Stadium.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah, definitely. I think the boys showed a lot of
resilience in that game. It's it's not easy going down
one nill, so to not only come back for a draw,
but to come back for a win, it's it really
showed some character and and hopefully as the as the
season progresses, we can we can start scoring first and
(03:05):
start getting getting more wins.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
I guess having looked at the games, there appears to
be moments and games that was sort of you know,
midway through the first half in that Perth game, then
sort of maybe in the last sort of twenty to
thirty in the game against Brisbane where things kind of change,
a switch looked like to be flicked and the phoenix
were all on. Is there a reason that maybe, you know,
things things were slight at the start or what actually
happened to sort of maybe transfer the energy a bit.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, there's I think you can you can say it's
many things. But for us, we know the quality we
have within the group, and so when you know, when
it gets tough in games, I think that's when we
show our real character, and that's when we push through
tough moments and games and start really putting putting more
energy and trying to force it onto the opposition and.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
For yourself in the defensive lineup. Obviously, it looks as
though check if he's you know, got some new ideas
for for the way of defense this year, that the
high line kind of formation and in way about defending.
How's that fitted in with with you, Lucas And how's
the sort of adapting been to that.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, No, it's been good. It's it's different to what
we've previously done, so there's there's a bit of a
learning curve, but we've been training at it all season
preseason and it's and it's coming along nicely. It's it's
quite it's as a player, you know, you want to
try and get on the front feet as much as
possible and put the pressure on. So for us, that's
(04:34):
that's what we want to do and try and put
it put pressure onto the opposition.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Has it changed much for you in terms of workload
or fitness or anything like that. You sort of notice
anything during a game on the back of it.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Well, the last last season I played a fair bit
in the midfield and out wide as well, so so
in terms of fitness and stuff, it's pretty similar. It is.
It is a bit more work, but that you can
definitely see there are rewards. We keep the we keep
the ball a lot more and have more position from
these last two games, so it's definitely worth it.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
And your own individual game on the back of a
nice home win, but a couple of games to start
the season, you're happy with where you're ad and I
guess what are you looking at achieving individually this season?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah? Yeah, I'm happy with the first two games. Obviously,
there's there's some work ons and some things I do well.
So for me, it's taking every game as it comes,
trying to every day when I come into training, just
get better and better, and then hopefully my performances help
aid the teams and vice versa, where the team's help mine.
(05:43):
So it's kind of a flow on effect from just
hopefully playing well.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Obviously a couple of the new guys, the likes of
Carlo from a couple of goals, have stood out. But
what with the new players, the ones that have arrived,
but also obviously the ones from last year that has left.
What is the biggest difference with the Phoenix this season
do you feel?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I think that's a good question. The integration I've noticed
since coming back from my international duty. I think the
integration has been really great and the boys are jelling
really well. Not that that wasn't the case last season,
but it's something I've definitely noticed this season. And I
think all the foreigners feel very welcome, and we've all
(06:27):
kind of bonded really well as a team.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
And who kind of leads that. Has that been the coach,
Has that been sort of senior players or any players
in the team.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
I think it comes from a collective. I think that's
what makes really good integration is it's not been led
by one person or one group. I think having confidence
within the whole team to kind of lead those things
from all the way from the young lads up to
the senior boys and the staff. I think that's where
real positive integration thrives.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Corbyn Piper, obviously he's getting a lot of praise for
the energy he brought, you know late on in the
game that led to a couple of those goals to
assist to his name, I think, can one player, you know,
come off your bench and transform the team? Is that
how it felt for you?
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, I mean Corbyn did do amazing when he came on,
you know, was a real important part of the team.
Having i think subs rare into go and having players
ready to come on and make an impact does make
a huge difference in a game and could be the
difference in a game. So so in the lights of
Corbyn on the weekend, it was it was vital that
he played his role that he did and got to assist.
(07:34):
So we just need to always be ready, you know,
everyone from starters to the bench, so those not playing,
it's just important that we all give our best.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah. Obviously tough watching Tim Payne leave the field so
early on in the game, so early on in the
season as well, and hoping, you know, he'll be back
as soon as possible. Tell us about how the team
has kind of had to regroup this week to gear
up for Mariners without one of your most experienced players.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, it's a it's a real bummer not to have
not to have Tim for the next next while. But
luckily we've we've trained really hard as a team and
so so the roles within the team are really well
known by all the players, so hopefully that transition is
pretty seamless. We're going to miss Tim's expertise and his experience,
(08:22):
but hopefully that is outshone by our hard work and
hopefully that seams transition.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I was talking about, all right, Maren is away Sunday
nights outside here in New Zealand, but earlier in the
day for for you guys over there. I guess given
the results so far, you'd be looking at at this
as a game that that's definitely a winnable one for
you on the road.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, definitely. You know, there's no there's no easy game
than professional football. But we like to take confidence and
that when that we just got on the weekend and
hopefully we build on that and then when we go
to Mariners, we we we give them a real good
game and hopefully come away off the win.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
And I'm sure in the back of your mind there's
a little bit of excitement for the week after that
sky Stadium, your first chance to have a real goal
a awklandc for the year.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, it's hard to look past the Derby. Those are
the games that you kind of enjoy a lot as
a as a professional footballer. So so I'm hoping that
we come off a good game this weekend and then
go in with a strong week of training and then
give it, give it our best going into the game.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Exactly. Do you feel there is a bit more confidence there.
I guess on the back of the pretty pleasing last
couple of weeks there's there's a fair bit of confidence
there to be competitive with Awkland this year.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Yeah, definitely, you know, the boys, the boys feel that,
the staff feel it. We we really take confidence in
the work that we do, just even from training and
from the game's gone, so we can only build from
from now and hopefully just gets better and better.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
And before you go looks how's your brother tracking with
us injury.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, he's going well. He's back full training now and
he's he's been getting some minutes for the reserves, just
to get those minutes in as crucial for players coming
back from injury. So he's tracking really well, he's training
really well and hopefully he gets as gets his time soon.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Indeed, brilliant Lucas say great to chat mate and congrats
on the start of the season and hopefully it continues
over these these next couple of weeks with a few
big games. So thanks for chatting here on News Talks
AB and go well.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Mate, Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
For more from News Talks ed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iart Radio.
It's the perfect start to your Saturday, the All Sport
Breakfast with Rutherford and Bond, Toyota and King Toyota, your
home of hybrid U's Talks. It'd be sixteen to night
here on the Allsport Breakfast. Well start of the New
A League mens A season and the Wellington Phoenix are unbeaten,
two games in a draw and a win so far.
They're away to Central Coast Mariners tomorrow night. Let's head
(00:22):
into the camp now, young defender Lucas Kelly Helders with us.
Morning to you, Lucas well first, who make What a
busy couple of months it's been for you, especially in
the international space. Your recent All Whites debut. How's that
all been to process ahead of another Phoenix campaign.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, no, it's been very full on. I've done a
lot of travel recently and I'm very grateful for the
opportunities that I've been given. All the games with the
Twenties and then with the All Whites, was just some
great experiences and tried to learn as much as they could,
especially been up with the All Whites, you know, with
(00:59):
the likes of of Chris Wood and other great international players.
So I just tried to take as much as they
could from those, and and then once I've come back
into the group here, I've just tried to do my
best to share those and try and try and live
my best self day in and day out.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah great, is there was sort of one thing that
you took away from that that that you think will
immediately benefit you. I guess as you get set for
a bigay League season.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Now, yeah, I think I think just just being around
around the team full of full of some great internationals.
You you see the standards overseas, it's not it's not
too far different from here in Australia and New Zealand,
but there's a there's definitely a higher standard that that
US players always especially here, we always hold ourselves to
(01:46):
the highest standards. So it's just something we need to
continue to do.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Yeah great, we'll get to the Phoenix in just a moment.
But obviously there's a there's an All Whites Cup squad
being named soon for another couple of games. There's a
World Cup at the end of the club says, and
how after getting a taste of it, like is, how
how eager are you to sort of you know, wanting
to stay stay in the mix with the team.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, I mean, I mean it's every every footballer's dream
to represent their country. So to have had another another
tour with the team and another few caps under my name,
it's it's something that really motivates you as a player,
and to be going to a World Cup or something
would be any player's dream. So it's something I'm definitely
(02:28):
trying to trying to do and trying to achieve.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
All right, Well, two games into the new Phoenix season
now a draw, I come from behind draw and then
to come from behind win. Camp pretty happy. This past
week is on the back of what happened last week
in at Sky Stadium.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah, definitely. I think the boys showed a lot of
resilience in that game. It's it's not easy going down
one nill, so to not only come back for a draw,
but to come back for a win, it's it really
showed some character and and hopefully as the as the
season progresses, we can we can start scoring first and
(03:05):
start getting getting more wins.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
I guess having looked at the games, there appears to
be moments and games that was sort of you know,
midway through the first half in that Perth game, then
sort of maybe in the last sort of twenty to
thirty in the game against Brisbane where things kind of change,
a switch looked like to be flicked and the phoenix
were all on. Is there a reason that maybe, you know,
things things were slight at the start or what actually
happened to sort of maybe transfer the energy a bit.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, there's I think you can you can say it's
many things. But for us, we know the quality we
have within the group, and so when you know, when
it gets tough in games, I think that's when we
show our real character, and that's when we push through
tough moments and games and start really putting putting more
energy and trying to force it onto the opposition and.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
For yourself in the defensive lineup. Obviously, it looks as
though check if he's you know, got some new ideas
for for the way of defense this year, that the
high line kind of formation and in way about defending.
How's that fitted in with with you, Lucas And how's
the sort of adapting been to that.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, No, it's been good. It's it's different to what
we've previously done, so there's there's a bit of a
learning curve, but we've been training at it all season
preseason and it's and it's coming along nicely. It's it's
quite it's as a player, you know, you want to
try and get on the front feet as much as
possible and put the pressure on. So for us, that's
(04:34):
that's what we want to do and try and put
it put pressure onto the opposition.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Has it changed much for you in terms of workload
or fitness or anything like that. You sort of notice
anything during a game on the back of it.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Well, the last last season I played a fair bit
in the midfield and out wide as well, so so
in terms of fitness and stuff, it's pretty similar. It is.
It is a bit more work, but that you can
definitely see there are rewards. We keep the we keep
the ball a lot more and have more position from
these last two games, so it's definitely worth it.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
And your own individual game on the back of a
nice home win, but a couple of games to start
the season, you're happy with where you're ad and I
guess what are you looking at achieving individually this season?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah? Yeah, I'm happy with the first two games. Obviously,
there's there's some work ons and some things I do well.
So for me, it's taking every game as it comes,
trying to every day when I come into training, just
get better and better, and then hopefully my performances help
aid the teams and vice versa, where the team's help mine.
(05:43):
So it's kind of a flow on effect from just
hopefully playing well.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Obviously a couple of the new guys, the likes of
Carlo from a couple of goals, have stood out. But
what with the new players, the ones that have arrived,
but also obviously the ones from last year that has left.
What is the biggest difference with the Phoenix this season
do you feel?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I think that's a good question. The integration I've noticed
since coming back from my international duty. I think the
integration has been really great and the boys are jelling
really well. Not that that wasn't the case last season,
but it's something I've definitely noticed this season. And I
think all the foreigners feel very welcome, and we've all
(06:27):
kind of bonded really well as a team.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
And who kind of leads that. Has that been the coach,
Has that been sort of senior players or any players
in the team.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
I think it comes from a collective. I think that's
what makes really good integration is it's not been led
by one person or one group. I think having confidence
within the whole team to kind of lead those things
from all the way from the young lads up to
the senior boys and the staff. I think that's where
real positive integration thrives.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Corbyn Piper, obviously he's getting a lot of praise for
the energy he brought, you know late on in the
game that led to a couple of those goals to
assist to his name, I think, can one player, you know,
come off your bench and transform the team? Is that
how it felt for you?
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, I mean Corbyn did do amazing when he came on,
you know, was a real important part of the team.
Having i think subs rare into go and having players
ready to come on and make an impact does make
a huge difference in a game and could be the
difference in a game. So so in the lights of
Corbyn on the weekend, it was it was vital that
he played his role that he did and got to assist.
(07:34):
So we just need to always be ready, you know,
everyone from starters to the bench, so those not playing,
it's just important that we all give our best.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah. Obviously tough watching Tim Payne leave the field so
early on in the game, so early on in the
season as well, and hoping, you know, he'll be back
as soon as possible. Tell us about how the team
has kind of had to regroup this week to gear
up for Mariners without one of your most experienced players.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, it's a it's a real bummer not to have
not to have Tim for the next next while. But
luckily we've we've trained really hard as a team and
so so the roles within the team are really well
known by all the players, so hopefully that transition is
pretty seamless. We're going to miss Tim's expertise and his experience,
(08:22):
but hopefully that is outshone by our hard work and
hopefully that seams transition.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I was talking about, all right, Maren is away Sunday
nights outside here in New Zealand, but earlier in the
day for for you guys over there. I guess given
the results so far, you'd be looking at at this
as a game that that's definitely a winnable one for
you on the road.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, definitely. You know, there's no there's no easy game
than professional football. But we like to take confidence and
that when that we just got on the weekend and
hopefully we build on that and then when we go
to Mariners, we we we give them a real good
game and hopefully come away off the win.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
And I'm sure in the back of your mind there's
a little bit of excitement for the week after that
sky Stadium, your first chance to have a real goal
a awklandc for the year.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, it's hard to look past the Derby. Those are
the games that you kind of enjoy a lot as
a as a professional footballer. So so I'm hoping that
we come off a good game this weekend and then
go in with a strong week of training and then
give it, give it our best going into the game.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Exactly. Do you feel there is a bit more confidence there.
I guess on the back of the pretty pleasing last
couple of weeks there's there's a fair bit of confidence
there to be competitive with Awkland this year.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Yeah, definitely, you know, the boys, the boys feel that,
the staff feel it. We we really take confidence in
the work that we do, just even from training and
from the game's gone, so we can only build from
from now and hopefully just gets better and better.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
And before you go looks how's your brother tracking with
us injury.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, he's going well. He's back full training now and
he's he's been getting some minutes for the reserves, just
to get those minutes in as crucial for players coming
back from injury. So he's tracking really well, he's training
really well and hopefully he gets as gets his time soon.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Indeed, brilliant Lucas say great to chat mate and congrats
on the start of the season and hopefully it continues
over these these next couple of weeks with a few
big games. So thanks for chatting here on News Talks
AB and go well.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Mate, Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
For more from News Talks ed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iart Radio.
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