Chaos in the Derby! 🟥 Did Alex Rufer See Red ? Wellington Phoenix vs Auckland FC Review
The first NZ Derby of the new A-League season did NOT disappoint, with plenty of action on and off the pitch when Auckland FC hosted Wellington Phoenix at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart! A point each in a goalless draw, with the Nix snapping a 6-game winless streak.
Goran & Iffy go through the main talking points, the biggest of which surrounds Alex Rufer... should the Nix skipper have been sent off for THAT CHALLENGE on AFC's Lachie Brook?
When the final whistle blew, the boys managed to grab one player from each team to review the performance, with Max Anderson and Lachie Bayliss joining The Unused Subs pitch-side at Mt Smart. If it wasn't the Rufer/Brook melee, which battle provided the most hits throughout the 90 minutes of play?
Away from the derby, Goran catches up with his old friend Abby Erceg who is back in NZ playing for the Phoenix Women. She talks about her Football Ferns exile, and whether she'd consider coming out of retirement for Brazil 2027... if indeed she IS retired from international football!
The 10 Ball Challenge sees Abby's teammate Manaia Elliott have a crack, and the boys discuss what should happen with Chris Wood in the next transfer window: stay at Forest on the pine, or leave!
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Kiwis talk football too!
#football #soccer #newzealand
3 Nov 2026
The 7th NZ Derby! Wellington Phoenix vs Auckland FC: Preview & Predictions!
It’s Derby Week! Auckland FC hosts Wellington Phoenix in the first all-kiwi clash of the new A-League season, their 7th meeting overall. We’re joined on the Subs bench by Nix central defender Bill Tuiloma to preview the occasion, while Francis De Vries of AFC steps up to the 10-Ball Challenge. Finally, The Unused Subs ask some burning questions ahead of kick-off in the highly anticipated match-up at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart.
Bill Tuiloma comes face-to-face with Paul Ifill for the first time since THAT post-match interview a few weeks ago… in that moment, Iffy seemingly accuses Bill of being overweight and too slow last season. Is it awkward? You be the judge!
Bill is relishing the chance to go up against the A-League’s top villain Sam Cosgrove on Saturday. How will Tuiloma and Lukas Kelly-Heald combat Auckland’s returning Number 9? Also, what is it like for an Aucklander to come back to the big smoke to play AGAINST Auckland, IN Auckland? That’s the reality facing Bill this weekend.
Francis De Vries is famed for his accuracy on-field, so you'd expect him to be a boss in the 10-Ball Challenge. His left foot is a magic wand, but what about his right peg? Will it let him down?!
And we assess the biggest match ups, the potential MVPs and difference makers, as well as pick our winners in the 7th Kiwi A-League Derby! Auckland FC versus Wellington Phoenix... who have you got?
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Kiwis talk football too!
#football #soccer #newzealand
27 Oct 2026
Who's the Next All Whites Coach? Henry Gray Goes VIRAL & Oli Sail in Woman's Day!
Auckland FC & All Whites keeper Oli Sail subs in for Jacob Spoonley this week and sits on the bench with Goran & Iffy… and there’s plenty to talk about!
The big news this week is Darren Bazeley parting company with the All Whites; New Zealand Football concluding that they need a new head coach for the next World Cup cycle. Is it the right call? Or had Baze done enough to retain his position?
The biggest question of the lot is: WHO’S NEXT? And who do we all want? Should we contact Pep Guardiola, or even Big Sam Allardyce?! Maybe the next head coach of the All Whites is actually on The Unused Subs bench - would Paul Ifill be interested in applying for the gig?
In the A-League, the reigning A-League Champions Auckland FC were thrashed 5-2 by Western Sydney Wanderers. Oli explains what went wrong, and Goran asks why the new system under Pedro Moreira isn’t unleashing Francis De Vries; after all, he was the focal point of chance creation for two successful seasons, and he’s barely delivered a cross from the left.
We review and fact check our most successful social clip EVER: Henry Gray and the Paul 'Goffy' Gothard Dare. Why did it take off like a rocket on Instagram, how old was Henry REALLY, and what was going on behind that closed door of Room 1405?? Oli was there in Chatswood on duty with the Phoenix, and he speaks to the qualities of Henry Gray and how the youngster even gave Alex Paulsen a little bit of a hurry up!
We give ‘Sailor’ a huge amount of grief over his long-awaited appearance in Woman’s Day magazine (his teammates are away in Australia and can’t do it themselves), and last but not least: Oli provides an update on his injured leg, detailing the crazy techniques and technologies that are aiding his recovery!
FOLLOW THE UNUSED SUBS!
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Kiwis talk football too!
#football #soccer #newzealand
Who has been a guest on The Unused Subs
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Sam Cosgrove
Milly Clegg
Paul Ifill
Callan Elliot
Lachie Brook
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
73,570
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
2.2 / 5
105 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
35
Social presence
0
YouTube
85
Engagement
32
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Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
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