James McGarry

Following his move to Brisbane Roar, McGarry's current-season form is up 560% on last season (Season 5→33), while his Rating eased 35→15. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Brisbane Roar · 11th	24	1	3	6.92	15	32
2024/25	KallitheaLoan · 2nd	7	0	0	6.8	29	3
2024/25	Aberdeen · 5th	21	0	0	6.63	35	5
2023/24	Aberdeen · 3rd	20	0	0	6.71	39	6
2022/23	Central Coast Mariners	13	3	1	6.98	—	—
2022/23	Newcastle Jets	10	1	1	6.98	—	—
2021/22	Wellington Phoenix	16	0	1	6.79	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons and 6 youth-team spells in the full career.

New Zealand · international

Side	Apps	G
New Zealand	5	0
New Zealand U20	4	0
New Zealand U17	4	1

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerBall-winning Full-back

J. McGarry is a 28-year-old full-back at Wellington Phoenix, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 3 assists in 24 appearances, a Season grade of 33, top 26% of A-League full-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 15.4, ranking 86th of 143 in the A-League. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present (91.7% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.01 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on McGarry.

Judged on this season alone, McGarry graded 33 — a strong campaign that ranks top 26% of the 27 full-backs in the A-League, on 6 clean sheets and 4.012 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 5 → 33). Across the 3 seasons we hold, it's his best return yet.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 15, 16th of 27 of the 27 full-backs in the A-League. At 28 McGarry is in his prime years, and a market index of 0.6 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — McGarry is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2025/26

Current potential16th of 27 full-backs · A-League Current seasonTop 26% full-backs · A-League 7th-best full-back in the A-League 86th in the A-League · potential 16th-highest potential full-back in the A-League

15.4

Ratingi

16th of 27 full-backs

32.6

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

91.7%

Minutes

near ever-present

4.01

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Wellington Phoenix finished 8th of 12 · a mid-table side

Apps

4.01

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

4.01 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 24 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 3 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 91.7% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.18 goal involvements per 90, useful for a full-back.
Defensive volume. 4.01 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 15.4, McGarry carries the 16th-highest potential of the full-backs in the A-League of 27. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.01 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %91.7%

Available fixtures25 of 26

Goals / 900.044

Assists / 900.131

Goal contribution / 900.174

Defensive actions / 904.012

Player flow

Goal involvements4

Shot conversion %10

Shot accuracy %47.6

Pass accuracy %80

Dribble success %71.4

Cards / 900.218

Foul involvement / 902.311

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 22–27 (~1), then tapers with age. At 28, McGarry sits on 0.6, past its peak and easing. The blue line is McGarry's projected Rating — 15.4 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among full-backs in the A-League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target10

Shots21

Passing

Assists3

Pass accuracy80%

Possession

Successful dribbles20

Dribble success71.4%

Fouls won24

Defending

Tackles48

Interceptions33

Blocks11

Fouls committed29

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards5

Red cards0

Transfer history

Wellington PhoenixJun 2026 – nowFree

Brisbane RoarJul 2025 – Jun 2026Free Transfer

Aberdeen(back from loan)Jun 2025 – Jul 2025

KKallithea(on loan)Jan 2025 – Jun 2025

AberdeenAug 2023 – Jan 2025

Central Coast MarinersFeb 2023 – Aug 2023Free

Newcastle JetsJul 2022 – Feb 2023Free

Wellington PhoenixDec 2020 – Jul 2022

Willem IIJul 2018 – Dec 2020Free

Wellington Phoenixuntil Jul 2018

About J. McGarry

James Robert McGarry is a 28-year-old full-back who plays for Wellington Phoenix, born on April 9, 1998 in Mosgiel, standing 180 cm tall. He is from New Zealand. Wellington Phoenix currently sit 8th of 12 in the A-League.

This season

In the current season, J. McGarry has made 24 appearances with 1 goal and 3 assists across 2,064 minutes, averaging a 6.73 match rating over his last 3 rated games, with 5 yellow cards.

Recent matches

April 18, 2026: 2-3 loss at home vs Melbourne City (70 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 10, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Central Coast Mariners (90 minutes, 1 assist, 6.6 rating)
April 2, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs Sydney (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. McGarry at 15.4 with a Season form score of 32.6, ranking 86th of 143 full-backs in the A-League. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the A-League Men. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, J. McGarry has totalled 192 club appearances with 16 goals and 9 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 24 appearances for Brisbane Roar.

J. McGarry's career has also included time at Brisbane Roar, Aberdeen, KKallithea, Central Coast Mariners, Newcastle Jets and Willem II.

On the international stage, J. McGarry has represented New Zealand, New Zealand U20, New Zealand U17 — 13 caps and 1 goal in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Wellington Phoenix finished 8th of 12 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points