After games against Chinese Super League sides Tianjin Teda (2-2) and Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals (a 3-2 loss) in China, Phoenix recorded a goalless draw in their final tour match against Central Coast Mariners in Dubbo on Saturday night.

With Phoenix kicking off their A-League campaign away to Newcastle Jets on August 9, the whirlwind international tour was an opportunity to test themselves against quality opposition and get a taste of the demanding travel schedule ahead.

Herbert said the Mariners presented a very different challenge to that offered by the Chinese sides.

"It was a good match for us to have," he said. "The Mariners are a very direct, physical side as opposed to the quick, technical nature of the Chinese clubs. The whole trip was a great chance for us to experience the best of both worlds, really."

While the poor condition of the Dubbo surface negated free-flowing football from both sides, Phoenix and the Mariners played out an entertaining match with good chances created by both sides.

Herbert, forced into making some late changes to his squad as a result of illness in the camp, was particularly pleased with his side's efforts in soaking up pressure and applying its own against the Mariners.

"From front to back I think it was a very good team effort," he said. "While getting a result wasn't necessarily what this match was all about, we created some good chances that on another day we might have converted. But most importantly we kept a clean sheet and the defensive effort was extremely solid."

Phoenix were lacking their creative maestros in midfield, with Brazilian playmakers Diego Walsh and Daniel, plus young tyro Marco Rojas, all ruled out of the Dubbo match with illness. Diego's illness was considered sufficiently serious enough for him to be sent home early from the tour.

"But most importantly we've come through the trip with no injuries and everyone has had a good amount of time on the pitch," Herbert said.

"Guys like Costa Barbarouses and Vinnie Lia probably haven't had as much game-time as we would have liked in recent times, but they got to see some decent action in Dubbo.

"From that perspective the trip has been an enormous success and exactly what we needed to get prepared for the season.

"Sure, we did a lot travelling and the guys were pretty tired towards the end of the trip particularly, but there's no substitute for competitive games against competitive opposition and I'm very pleased with how we are placed at this point of the season."

Phoenix will have a short break before getting back to training on Thursday ahead of the Newcastle match.

It is expected that the club's new signing, former English Premier League and Championship striker Paul Ifill will arrive in the New Zealand capital on Wednesday with a view to taking part at training this week.