Their three meetings this season — two in Victoria — have all been drawn, with the Phoenix only conceding late in a 3-3 thriller at AAMI Park in round 14. By contrast, Wellington lost twice to Adelaide this season and haven't won in South Australia since New Year's Eve 2014.
Adding weight to that theory, Rudan made six changes to his side for this game.
Andrew Durante and Alex Rufer were understandably omitted with a one-match ban looming if either earned a yellow card, but Golden Boot winner Roy Krishna, goalkeeper Filip Kurto and fellow Pole Michal Kopczynski were also benched, joined on the pine by the impressive Max Burgess.
Teenagers Ben Waine and Gianni Stensness were handed maiden A-League starts in the second-youngest Phoenix side ever, with 17-year-old Waine impressing on a difficult night with his pace and runs in behind Glory's defence.
By contrast, Perth coach Tony Popovic fielded a strong team and the Glory put on a footballing clinic.
Wellington goalkeeper Oli Sail was immediately busy, pulling off a fine double save to deny Chris Ikonomidis and Andy Keogh before Perth opened the scoring in the 24th minute.
Ikonomidis raided down the left and his cross was met by a diving header from Diego Castro which cannoned off the crossbar. Keogh was quickest to react to the rebound, nodding home his 14th goal of the season from close range.
That lead was doubled seven minutes later, Keogh this time heading in a Jason Davidson cross after fine build-up work from Castro.
The third goal arrived five minutes after the break, Castro sweeping an Ivan Franjic cross past Sail from the edge of the penalty area.
Ikonomidis blasted home the fourth after 65 minutes and substitute Brendan Santalab completed the rout from close range in the dying moments.
A Phoenix win on Friday would send them back to Western Australia to play the Glory again the following weekend.
Perth Glory 5 (Andy Keogh 24, 31, Diego Castro 51, Chris Ikonomidis 65, Brendon Santalab 83)
Wellington Phoenix 0
