The loss of Ulises Davila – one of the league's best players – left a seismic hole, while midfield dynamo Cameron Devlin had been highly influential.
Israeli striker Tomer Hemed, who was the top goalscorer last season, also moved on, before Steven Taylor's bombshell departure, a few days after being named captain in late September.
From the outside the portents weren't great. Aside from the loss of experience, the squad were also set for another nomadic season living out of suitcases in Sydney.
That bleak hypothesis seemed to be confirmed on the first day of 2022, with a 4-0 thumping in Adelaide, their fourth successive league defeat in a period where they had conceded 12 goals and scored only one.
The Phoenix were bottom of the table, with three points from their first six games.
But after a Covid-enforced three-week hiatus, the revival started with a 2-1 win over Western United and has never really stopped, with only four defeats from their last 15 games.
That's despite Covid withdrawals, untimely injuries and a gruelling fixture list, with Sunday's match against Central Coast Mariners in Wellington (3.05pm) their seventh in 23 days.
Coach Ufuk Talay has again excelled with his nous and man management, generally getting selection calls and tactics right, while showing faith in his young squad and academy recruits.
For defender Tim Payne, the January arrival of Gael Sandoval and Scott Wootton was crucial.
"Having two visa players come in, it adds a lot of quality to the squad, which has been fantastic," said Payne.
Sandoval has contributed five goals and four assists in 15 games, adding a new dimension to the team's ability in possession, while Wootton has been a defensive rock.
Payne also feels the team found their feet in late January after a difficult start, developing a tougher edge.
"There was a little bit of a shift in mindset, not that it wasn't there at the start," said Payne. "In a couple of games, where we had our backs against the wall for periods of time, we held on in the second half."
Crucially, this Phoenix squad are also a unified, resilient bunch off the field.
Other teams might have cracked in their situation, often playing in front of meagre crowds, living in each other's pockets and dealing with constant Covid precautions but the adversity has made them stronger.
"It can be difficult but living together can bring a team together and the staff have done a great job in signing good people," said Payne. "So you have good mates and [we] can develop that culture ourselves."
