Galaxy core spotted training with Vanuatu United as club shapes new-look squad for second OFC Pro League season

Vanuatu United appear to be preparing significant changes to their playing group ahead of the second season of the OFC Pro League, with a number of established Vanuatu internationals and recent Galaxy FC players now training with the country’s professional club in Port Vila.

No complete list of new signings has yet been announced by Vanuatu United, and the contractual status of several players remains unclear. However, recent training footage reviewed by Oceania Football Center shows a considerably different group from the one that contested the inaugural Pro League season.

Among the most significant names identified are Bong Kalo, Claude Aru, Joe Moses, Henry Namatak and Malakai Andrew, all of whom were part of the Galaxy FC squad that recently represented Vanuatu at the 2026 OFC Men’s Champions League.

Ryan Wanemut, Jack Wanemut and Waesale Iwai have also been identified among the players involved in Vanuatu United’s current preparations.

At this stage, OFCe cannot confirm whether all of those players have signed professional contracts, are undergoing trials or have been temporarily included in the group for the upcoming friendly matches against Central Coast Mariners.

What is clear is that they are training with Vanuatu United, while local reporting has also indicated that several new faces are preparing to make their first appearances for the club. Some of those players previously represented Galaxy at the recent OFC Champions League and have joined the Vanuatu United training group ahead of the upcoming international fixtures.

That makes the Galaxy connection particularly difficult to ignore.

The Port Vila side reached the semi-finals of the OFC Champions League in Fiji after winning all three of their group matches. Their experienced Ni-Vanuatu contingent included several of the players who are now appearing in Vanuatu United training.

Bong Kalo remains one of the best-known midfielders of his generation in Vanuatu. A long-time national-team player, Kalo has extensive continental experience with Galaxy and previously spent time overseas in Switzerland and Fiji. He was again part of Galaxy’s Champions League squad this year.

Joe Moses was another important member of Galaxy’s continental campaign. The Vanuatu international featured during their strong run in Fiji and scored in the 7-1 victory over Tupapa Maraerenga. He also carries overseas experience from his previous spell with Suva in Fiji.

Henry Namatak was also heavily involved with Galaxy. The defender was part of their Champions League group and had already produced one of the most remarkable performances of their domestic qualifying campaign, scoring a hat-trick in a 10-0 victory over Rocky FC.

Claude Aru, meanwhile, brings considerable experience from both Vanuatu and Fiji and was another member of Galaxy’s 2026 continental squad.

The player locally known as Malakai Andrew can also now be identified among the Vanuatu United training group. Registered internationally as Andrew Malakai, the midfielder made an impressive start to Galaxy’s Champions League campaign, scoring the opening goal of their 4-1 victory over Rewa in Lautoka.

Malakai has also broken into the Vanuatu senior national-team environment, adding another established international-level player to the group currently being assessed by Vanuatu United.

Together, their presence suggests Vanuatu United may be looking closely at a substantial section of the strongest local talent currently available in Port Vila.

The situation should still be treated carefully.

Training with the team does not necessarily mean every player will be contracted for the next Pro League campaign. The upcoming matches against Central Coast Mariners offer Vanuatu United an ideal opportunity to assess potential additions under considerably more demanding conditions than normal domestic training sessions.

The A-League club will visit Port Vila for matches at Freshwater Stadium on September 9 and September 12.

The series will be significant for Vanuatu United as the club continues its preparations for a second season in Oceania’s professional competition, while also providing an immediate test for the new faces currently involved with the squad.

There is also an important distinction between the potential newcomers and several familiar players now back with the group.

Jason Thomas, for example, should not be considered a new addition. The experienced Vanuatu international was already an important centre-back during Vanuatu United’s inaugural Pro League season and featured regularly throughout the campaign.

Similarly, Alex Saniel is back with the group after completing his short loan spell with Caroline Springs George Cross in Australia.

Saniel was Vanuatu United’s standout scorer during the inaugural OFC Pro League, finishing as the competition’s first Golden Boot winner with 11 goals. His return provides the club with an established attacking reference while the coaching staff assesses potential reinforcements around him.

Matthew Acton is also involved in the current training environment. The Australian-Vanuatu goalkeeper featured prominently during the inaugural campaign, although his current involvement appears to carry a significant coaching element as well.

Acton has increasingly moved into goalkeeper coaching and development work, and his presence around the squad may now reflect a dual role rather than simply competition for the starting goalkeeper position.

Another confirmed part of Vanuatu United’s recruitment strategy has already emerged at youth level.

The club signed Vanuatu U-16 captain Ala Leo Russell, making the highly rated youngster one of the most notable young additions to the professional setup.

The combination is significant.

Vanuatu United appear to be retaining important members of their inaugural squad, welcoming back players such as Saniel from overseas spells, investing in some of the country’s best young talent and simultaneously assessing established senior players from the domestic game.

It comes after an unusual first OFC Pro League campaign.

Vanuatu United finished seventh during the regular season but dramatically improved once the competition entered its second phase, topping the Challengers Group before defeating Bula FC 2-1 in the semi-final playoff.

Their run eventually ended against South Melbourne in the semi-finals, but the late-season improvement demonstrated what the club could achieve while also highlighting areas that could be strengthened for the second campaign.

The possible addition of a sizeable group of Galaxy players could significantly increase the experience available within the squad.

Kalo, Moses, Aru, Namatak and Malakai Andrew have all recently competed together at the highest level of Oceanian club football. Their familiarity with each other, combined with international experience accumulated with Vanuatu, would provide an established local core rather than forcing the club to build its chemistry from the beginning.

The presence of Ryan Wanemut, Jack Wanemut and Waesale Iwai adds further intrigue to the current training group, although their exact status with Vanuatu United also remains to be established.

For now, there has been no broad transfer announcement confirming these players as permanent additions.

But Vanuatu United’s preparations are already revealing plenty.

With Central Coast Mariners arriving in Port Vila and the club building towards its second professional campaign, the upcoming matches may provide the clearest indication yet of which familiar faces are simply being assessed — and which could become part of a significantly strengthened Vanuatu United squad for the next OFC Pro League season.