After successfully applying for the internship, he moved up to Wellington to start working whilst carrying on his studies.
For the next two years, he worked preparing game footage, producing data for half-time and post-match reports and videoing training sessions.
He was working about 30 hours a week, all for free under the internship.
"It was more than a part-time job. Of course, you need to do another job to get by so I was doing things in the late hours or first thing in the mornings.
"I would usually be with the team 'til 2pm or so then from 3pm onwards I would be stacking shelves or delivering pizzas."
At the start of the 2021/2022 season, the opportunity arose for him to apply for the recently opened head analyst role.
Once his application was successful, he joined the team in Wellington in October before they flew over to Sydney in November to begin preparing for the season.
"I just got it through hard work, working for free. It was worthwhile in the end, you just have to work for what you want."
His main role for the Phoenix is opposition analysis, breaking down footage and gameplay of their future opponents trying to gather data on how they play and where their strengths and weaknesses are.
"It is a lot of video watching and a lot of what we call video coding. Essentially what I am doing is watching all the games of our next opponents and bringing out the best part for the coaches to breakdown and talk about.
"I just do all the technical background and the bulk of the work beforehand just to make the process of analysis easier for Uffy (men's head coach Ufuk Talay) and the rest of the coaching staff."
Logan Hughes has been in Australia with the Wellington Phoenix since November. Photo / Supplied
He also does data breakdown for players as well as a little bit of scouting for potential signings and transfers from around the globe.
"We typically have a market in Mexico, South America, Europe, connections like that. We just try maintain those database and if any players stick out to me, I will suggest those to the coaching staff and we go from there."
Being around Talay and the other coaches of the Phoenix has helped Hughes' knowledge of the game grow exponentially.
"He has taught me to look at football differently. I might be at the pub with some mates watching some football chatting about one thing and I'm looking at something different on the other side of the field. You just develop a football eye.
"It has really helped me develop my football IQ and will definitely help with coaching in the future."
The Wellington Phoenix men have had three of their games postponed in the past few weeks as Covid-19 continues to disrupt various teams in the A-League.
Roughly three-quarters of the Phoenix squad has tested positive throughout the season, Hughes said.
"We were one of the last teams in the league to get a case. Our next scheduled game is the 23rd of January against Western United."
The team was hoping to return to New Zealand around Christmas for a week, but were unable to secure an exemption.
With only a week break between games, going through quarantine wasn't an option.
"We were told we were going to be back December 23 but that fell through. It just goes by on a month by month basis.
"It is a bit hard with Christmas and New Year, being away from friends and family. When it comes down to it, your family when you are away are the players and staff of the team. That is something we made really key.
"It's looking like we will be here for the rest of the season."
Hughes admitted he was a bit starstruck when he first began interning with the team, rubbing shoulders with players he grew up watching on TV.
"Sometimes it is hard to keep the professional cap on at my age. I've been watching the likes of Gary Hooper, David Ball, Steven Taylor when he was here when I was growing up.
"You are sitting next to them on the plane or presenting to them and you are talking to them about there stats, it is hard to be professional. I've gotten over that now."
