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Wellington Phoenix have been given the green light to enter Australia and play out the remainder of the A-League season.
Wellington Phoenix say they can relate to the trials and tribulations of NRL side the Warriors after finally getting exemption to enter Australia and play out the remainder of the revamped A-League season.
The club received verbal clearance on Friday morning that they have met all the criteria to travel, meaning 16 players and 17 staff will depart on a charter flight on Saturday afternoon.
They will join six Australia-based players upon arrival and be ushered into two weeks of quarantine, mirroring the process required of the Warriors two months ago to keep their place in the NRL.
The Warriors' journey is one Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison has followed keenly, fostering a close relationship with the NRL club's chief executive Cameron George.
Frustration built this week as Wellington awaited clearance from NSW Health, the state police and border force.
Morrison compared it with the stressful holding pattern the Warriors endured when they awaited clearance for their trailblazing exploits on Australian soil.
"They were really helpful, it was good to understand what they've been through," Morrison said.
"It was a constant 'when's the approval coming through?'. Deadlines not met, not met, not met. It was pretty frustrating for them too.
"It is what it is. We're there tomorrow and once you're out there and playing again, you forget about everything you've gone through.
"The really important thing is that collectively, as a club, we've got through a really tough period."
Two offshore-based stars - Gary Hooper and Ulises Davila - are scheduled to arrive from England and Mexico respectively over the weekend and will undergo individual isolation away from the team for 14 days.
Coach Ufuk Talay hopes the FFA will follow through with a pledge to have treadmills delivered to the pair's hotel rooms to keep them in shape.
They are scheduled to join their teammates about two weeks out from their first game back, against Sydney FC on July 17.
Phoenix general manager David Dome is delighted the players are all fully committed to finishing the season, having climbed to third place under Talay and pushing strongly for a maiden title.
"They feel they have unfinished business and they can't wait to go over there and rediscover that momentum we had back in March," Dome said.
"With a full-strength, committed squad and the backing of New Zealand behind us, there's no reason we can't secure a top-three finish - and potentially a home semi-final in Wellington for the fans. That's our goal and our supporters deserve nothing less."
It is the second attempt at a quarantine process for the Phoenix, who were five days into an aborted stint in the early stages of the lockdown before the season was suspended.
