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Wellington Phoenix midfielder Grace Wisnewski takes comfort after a recent loss to the Brisbane Roar.
Wellington Phoenix manager Gemma Lewis says Grace Wisnewski has her full support after the midfielder withdrew from Friday’s match against reigning A-League Women champions Melbourne Victory due to mental health issues.
Lewis said the New Zealand age group international had been battling anxiety for the last 18 months and had asked to sit out his next game due to the short time between matches.
“We’ve supported her and we think she’s an amazing player and an amazing person, but obviously this has been big for her and even before she came here. [to Australia] she was working in mental health and dealing with some anxiety, and we have supported her throughout this program, both at home and here,” Lewis said.
WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Wellington Phoenix coach Gemma Lewis discusses Grace Wisnewski’s absence.
“With the short changeup, she doesn’t get good recovery space and settles in with enough time to be ready again, and she doesn’t want to put the team in any necessary damage by not playing as well as she would have liked. to.”
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Lewis said Wisnewski has been receiving professional support throughout the season.
“She talks to someone and we’ve worked with her through this whole show, but it’s important that she feels safe enough for us to be honest about it, and that’s amazing for her because we see it more and more in professionals. sport that mental health exists and it is a struggle, but also to see that people can still be professional athletes and be successful.”
A key member of the New Zealand team that won a bronze medal at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2018, Wisnewski has been an ever-present figure in Phoenix’s midfield.
She is one of only three players to have played every minute of her inaugural season in A-League Women.
Lewis said he had had a similar conversation with Wisnewski before their 5-0 loss to Sydney, which came three days after losing 1-0 to the Newcastle Jets.
“She wasn’t comfortable and found everything much more enhanced, so reflecting on how she feels right now, she thinks it’s too short a change for her to be at her best for the team.
“We’re hugely supportive of that and we also think that’s probably the right call for the team right now, and as much as she’s a huge loss for us because she’s played 90 minutes of every game and she’s a workhorse for us, so are we.” respect where you are and how much you’ve been pushing.”
Phoenix have had to bounce back after suffering another heartbreaking loss, conceding two goals in the last 10 minutes to lose 3-2 to Perth Glory on Monday and remain winless.
Lewis said he hopes to see a “recovery” performance at WIN Stadium against fifth-placed Victory, who have played just one game over the past month due to Covid-19 cases within their team.
“We take responsibility and now we don’t accept that as ‘it was so close and it’s great to be so close’ because it was our own downfall that stopped us from getting those points, not Perth,” he said.
As a precaution, Lewis said center back Mackenzie Barry is unlikely to start his second game in five days as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, while Kelli Brown is unavailable with a concussion.
Isabel Gomes and Te Reremoana Walker, who were fired for disciplinary reasons after violating Covid-19 protocols along with Jordan Jasnos, are the likely candidates to replace Wisnewski and Barry.
Women’s League A matchday 10
Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne Victoria
WIN Stadium, Wollongong; Friday, 8:35 p.m.
