Durante, lynchpin of the tough Jets defence this season, was awarded the Joe Marston Medal as best and fairest player in last Sunday’s 1-0 grand final win.

Former Socceroos defender/midfielder Jon McKain has also signed to bolster the Wellington club’s defensive stocks.

Both Durante and McKain join the Phoenix on two-year deals.

Durante, 25, was one of the standout players last season and was rewarded with a call-up to Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek’s training squad for Australia’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

The experienced centre/right back played 40 matches for the Jets since making his A-League debut in August 2006.

After the highs of winning the grand final with the Jets, Durante said he was looking forward to hooking up with his new Phoenix teammates.

“It’s good to be able to leave Newcastle on such a high and hopefully I can bring that positivity to Wellington and it will rub off on the players.”

McKain is a former Australian under-20, under-23 and senior representative with 12 caps for the Socceroos. The 25-year-old previously played with the Brisbane Strikers in the National Soccer League before heading to Romania, where he played for FC National Bucharest and FCU Politehnica Timisoara in the Liga 1 competition.

Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata was delighted to have secured the signatures of the dual defenders.

“Andrew Durante and Jon McKain are exceptional players and exactly what the club was looking for as we build toward season two in the A-League," he said.

"Both are experienced, proven performers at the highest level and will be integral to the continuing evolution of the club.

“And it’s not only on the park where we think these two players will have an impact – both are also exceptional leaders off it and will help mould the squad into a formidable unit.”

The signing of McKain proved the worth of a scouting mission to Europe undertaken by Pignata and Phoenix head coach Ricki Herbert.

“I don’t think we would have been able to secure the services of Jon without being on the ground in Europe,” Pignata said.

“The trip allowed us to touch base directly with players and agents to ensure deals were done promptly and properly. It was certainly a very worthwhile exercise and Jon’s signature is proof of that.”

Durante and McKain will significantly bolster the Phoenix’s defensive stocks, while the search continues for a strike partner for prolific season one scorer Shane Smeltz, as well as another attacking midfielder and a right back.

“We’re very close to putting players in those positions,” Pignata said. “I think we’ll have an extremely competitive squad for the 2008/09 season and we’ll really give the league a shake-up.”

The addition of Durante and McKain take to three the number of new signings for the Phoenix, with former Perth Glory and current All Whites wing Leo Bertos signing a two-year deal with the Wellington club in January.