Soccer: Griffiths back in the mix

Brent Griffiths. Photo / Getty Images

The Wellington Phoenix have been a largely settled side of late after a horror run earlier in the season with injuries but they will need to make at least one change against Brisbane in Dunedin tomorrow night.

Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert won't name his team until tomorrow morning but there is every chance Brent Griffiths, who is more accustomed to playing centre-back, will start at left-back in place of the injured Tony Lochhead.

With Herbert taking an extra player on the trip south, and on to Melbourne later in the week, Griffiths, Cameron Lindsay and Alex Smith have been added to the squad that beat Perth Glory 1-0 on Saturday. Lochhead and Mirjan Pavlovic (suspended) drop out.

"It is great to be back on the road with the boys, because it is tough staying motivated when they are away and you are in Wellington working with a couple of other players," Griffiths said.

"Should I get a chance at left-back, it will be exciting. I actually played in that position for Perth Glory last season against the Phoenix so I have some experience there.

"Playing there gives you a chance to get forward and, of course, every centre back thinks he should be a striker."

Griffiths got his first look at the roofed stadium when the Phoenix trained at the venue on Monday night and the team are to train there again tonight.

"It is a great venue and hopefully we will get a good crowd which would make for a fantastic atmosphere," he said.

"The team did well to draw with the Roar in Brisbane [earlier in the season] and we want to go one better at what has to be considered a home game for us. They've had back-to-back losses after a great run. I'm sure they will come out fighting after that, but it is up to us to take the sting out of them.

"It probably helps that they have a couple of players out (Thomas Broich and Matt Smith) but we've had up to five players out for some games.

"Hopefully we are through the worst now and will get a better run."

Wellington squad, Tony Warner, Mark Paston, Manny Muscat, Ben Sigmund, Andrew Durante (captain), Brent Griffiths, Leo Bertos, Nicky Ward, Vince Lia, Tim Brown, Cameron Lindsay, Daniel, Dani Sanchez, Paul Ifill, Chris Greenacre, Alex Smith.