Wellington is due to play Central Coast Mariners in Canberra on Saturday 12 November, coinciding with New Zealand’s World Cup qualifiers.

The All Whites face New Caledonia in Albany on Saturday 12 November, before a reverse fixture in Noumea three days later.

New Zealand will announce the squad for those games this week, but Merrick revealed six Phoenix players have been called up.

“We’ve just discovered for the game in Canberra against the Mariners we’re going to lose six players,” Merrick said.

“Five of them are regular starters and the sixth is usually a starter as well.

“This just continues to happen. We can’t worry about it anymore, other than let the FFA know our stance won’t change.”

Marco Rojas will be unavailable for Melbourne Victory in Round Six

Phoenix was without several New Zealand internationals, as well as Fiji’s Roy Krishna, for its Round One match against Melbourne City when the All Whites played Mexico and the United States.

Wellington was also scheduled to travel to Perth Glory in Round Two on the back of the international window where the All Whites travelled to the United States.

“It would be ideal to start off without it being a FIFA international weekend,” Merrick said.

“The second game away to Perth is already hard enough, but to travel that distance made life fairly difficult.”

Wellington is regularly the hardest hit club during international fixtures given the number of New Zealand players in their squad.

Melbourne City and Victory could both lose two players each next month to the international break.

City’s Tim Cahill and Luke Brattan, along with Victory’s Jason Geria, Brisbane’s Tommy Oar and Perth Glory’s Josh Risdon were named in Ange Postecoglou’s extended squad for Australia qualifier in Thailand on Tuesday 15 November.

Victory is likely to also lose New Zealand international Marco Rojas for the All Whites qualifiers.

City plays Newcastle Jets on Thursday 10 November, while Victory hosts Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday 12 November.

There might be further challenges for City, who are away to Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday 18 November in Round Seven.

Melbourne City will lose Tim Cahill in Round Six