The Solomon Islands star is understood to have impressed Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert at the recently-concluded OFC Nations Cup, during which he scored three times in two matches against Herbert’s All Whites.
The Phoenix – the sole New Zealand representative in Australia’s fully-professional A-League – are set to begin their pre-season and Totori is expected to join the training later this month.
“Benji is an exciting player and he will be good not only for us but the league as well,” Herbert says.
“He has real pace, good close control and a powerful shot in both feet. I am looking forward to working with him and he will give us a different dimension.”
Totori has agreed a one-year contract with the option of a further year and is delighted to be coming to the capital.
“When we were playing New Zealand I knew Ricki would be watching and I hoped I could play well enough for him to notice me,” he says.
“Thankfully I did okay and scored three goals in the two games. I know what a good coach Ricki is and am looking forward to learning from him. I want to score goals for the Phoenix and help them be successful.”
Totori is already familiar to New Zealand football fans due to his exploits with Manawatu and Waitakere United in the national league and will add some much-needed pace and skill to the Phoenix frontline.
As well as being well-versed in Kiwi culture, the 26-year-old is also no stranger to the professional game, having spent a short stint at second-tier level in the United States with the Portland Timbers. Injury cut short his time in America though and he returned to the Pacific to star for Waitakere once more before moving back to his homeland and joining Koloale.
Totori will become the first Pacific Islands player to sign with the Phoenix, going one better than Fijian striker Roy Krishna, who trained in Wellington under Herbert but did not put pen to paper.
He will also become just the second ever Pacific player to compete in the A-League – the flagship competition in this part of the world – by following in the footsteps of Solomon Islands captain Henry Fa’arodo, who was involved in the inaugural A-League season with Perth Glory.
Koloale are obviously going to miss the services of their star asset but the club’s officials are fully behind Totori’s move.
“The A-League is one of the highest football leagues in the Pacific,” vice-president Timothy Aruafu says.
“Even players from across the globe play there so we are happy for Totori to have the chance. We will miss him but the decision is best for him, the club and the nation.”

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