Football: Phoenix striker linked with Malaysian club

Jeremy Brockie scored just five goals for the Phoenix last season. Photo / Getty Images

Jeremy Brockie could be set to leave the Wellington Phoenix, possibly in the next few weeks.

Brockie has been strongly linked with Malaysian side Sarawak Crocs, with the club's website reporting late last night that the New Zealand forward was on the verge of signing for the team.

Sarawak, who won promotion from the second division last year, have recently released two of their import players.

They signed former Socceroo Ryan Griffiths in March this year. The well-travelled Griffiths is a former team-mate of Brockie at the Newcastle Jets.

Brockie has had a mixed career in Wellington. He enjoyed a fantastic first season with the Phoenix, with 16 goals in 25 appearances - many of them spectacular - putting him second on the A-League golden boot standings.

However, he scored only one goal from 15 games in a subsequent off-season loan spell at Toronto FC and struggled on his return to the Phoenix. Brockie openly stated that the adjustment to new coach Ernie Merrick's possession-based style had been difficult and he managed just five goals in 24 matches last season.

The departure of Carlos Hernandez and Stein Huysegems meant that Brockie was supposed to shoulder more of the goal-scoring burden this year but he hasn't featured in the last two matches against Melbourne Victory or Western Sydney. If the 27-year-old departs, it would continue his nomadic footballing existence; including Toronto, he has played for six professional clubs, as well as four ASB Premiership franchises. Brockie is due to leave for China tomorrow, along with the rest of the New Zealand-based All Whites.

Meanwhile, Melbourne City weren't immediately affected by the departure of Spanish superstar David Villa, as they took apart A-League champions Brisbane Roar last night.

Their 3-1 victory was their first win under the City brand, and the franchise's first in the Queensland capital since 2011.

In yesterday's other match, Melbourne Victory fought back from a two-goal deficit to grab a share of the points in a 2-2 draw in Newcastle.