Wall's first season with Nix ‘really awesome'

Otago Daily Times

23-04-2025

Lara Wall has just wrapped up her first season with the Wellington Phoenix. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Lara Wall had a fairly handy sounding board to guide her through her first season with the Wellington Phoenix.
The defender has spent the past six months soaking up the knowledge of captain Annalie Longo on the field and in their living room as housemates in the capital city.
The pair have spent many a season playing for their Christchurch club, Cashmere Technical, and for Canterbury United Pride in the National League, but the past week has been more memorable than most.
Longo, affectionately known as "Flea", called time on her professional career when the 138-cap Football Fern hung up her boots after the Phoenix's 1-1 draw against Western United in the final round of the A-League on Sunday.
"It was really cool playing alongside Flea for her last season in a professional team" Wall told the Otago Daily Times.
"I actually flatted with her as well, so it was cool to have her pretty much alongside me with everything.
"Not only did I enjoy living with her, and the other girls in the team, but it also gave me insight into what life as a professional footballer is like.
"She's had numerous years of experience in different leagues, different teams that it has helped me probably ... open my eye to a new world of professional football.
"It's just been cool to have her beside me introducing me to that."
Wall, who grew up in Dunedin but has been based in Christchurch for the past five years, has just wrapped up her maiden season as a professional footballer and already feels all the better for it.
"I really, really enjoyed the whole season, the whole experience, the coaches, the players, the environment.
"Just everything about it was really awesome and it definitely exceeded my expectations of how it would all go."
The Phoenix finished slightly off the pace in ninth, three spots off the playoffs, producing seven wins, three draws and 13 losses.
But the 24-year-old proved her worth early on and caught the eye of astute football commentator Jason Pine, who posted on X in January calling Wall a "terrific addition" to the team.
After coming off the bench in the opening three games, Wall nabbed a starting spot in round four and held on to it for the rest of the season, playing all 22 games.
"To be honest, I started the season with no expectations other than to take all the learnings I can from those around me, the environment and the coaches.
"But coming away with any amount of game time I would've been happy, let alone even starting a game.
"But once I started to make the starting XI, I wanted to contribute more and more as the games went on."
Playing in the A-League was always going to be a step up, especially combating the travel and Australian conditions, but Wall credited the coaching staff and her team-mates for helping her make the transition.
That came to fruition in January, when Wall popped the ball through to Olivia Fergusson to bury a goal, and the Phoenix beat Perth Glory 2-0 in front of her friends and family.
"It was really cool," Wall said.
"That was definitely probably my favourite game in terms of having people supporting me there and also contributing to the outcome."
Wall had a whirlwind call up to the Phoenix. She was playing for Cashmere Technical in the South Island League late last year when she got the nod to trial for the A-League team and then inked a two-year contract in October.
Naturally she felt in a better spot now, having had access to the resources to train full-time at the Phoenix but said it would be interesting to compare herself when she returned home.
She planned to link up with Cashmere Technical again during the Phoenix off season and will also be back behind the desk as well.
Wall works as a structural engineer for Holmes, who had been a great support letting her work part time from their Wellington office during the football season.
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