Newcastle conjured the great escape in last week’s Grand Final replay, grabbing a point courtesy of a last-minute penalty.
Kick-off (local time): 9:00pm AEST (7:00pm local)
Venue: Members Equity Stadium
TV and Radio: Live & exclusive broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Sky Sports 3. Hyundai A-League club radio broadcast partner is 6PR (Perth).
Head-to-head
Nine Hyundai A-League meetings: Newcastle – 2 wins, Perth – 5 wins, 2 draws
Previous Hyundai A-League meeting
Newcastle Jets 2, Perth Glory 1, EnergyAustralia Stadium, Round 21, January 2008
Results so far
Perth:
Round 1: Adelaide United 1 Perth Glory 0, Hindmarsh Stadium
Newcastle:
Round 1: Newcastle Jets 1 Central Coast Mariners 1, EnergyAustralia Stadium
Analysis
Newcastle conjured the great escape in last week’s Grand Final replay, grabbing a point courtesy of a last-minute penalty. However, while it was fortunate, it was what they deserved for their enterprising play during the season-opener. It was a positive beginning for the defending champions, with many pundits tipping a fall from grace after the departure of several key players in the off-season.
However, Perth has been something of a bogey team for the Jets over the years, with Newcastle’s win in the final round last season only its second in nine meetings between the two. Perth’s strong central defence has always proven a tough task master, while the Glory has used space down the wings to hit them on the counter attack. Nikita Rukavytsya dominated them in one game last year.
Perth’s opening salvo wasn’t what David Mitchell would have hoped for, but the Glory were hardly played off the park. Scott Bulloch could have given them an early lead and that would have changed the complexion of the game completely.
Glory is without David Tarka for this match while James Robinson (illness), Josip Magdic (ankle) Hayden Foxe (foot) and Naum Sekulovski (hamstring) are also unavailable.
Jamie Harnwell returns, as do Nick Rizzo and Adrian Trinidad while the big bonus will be having Rukavytsya and Nikolai Topor-Stanley back for the entire 90 minutes. That pair are arguably the most influential players at the club and Amaral will have benefited greatly from his first serious hit out last week. Trinidad makes his A-League debut.
The Jets also get full use of their two Olympic representatives, Jade North and James Holland in a big boost at either end of the park. Kaz Patafta has also been included.
Danish striker Jesper Hakansson remains sidelined with a calf injury, while Jason Hoffman is away with the young Socceroos and Antun Kovacic has been omitted. Ecuadorian Edmundo Zura will be all the better for his 67 minutes last week.
Perth Glory Squad: 1.Jason PETKOVIC (gk), 2.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 4.Jamie COYNE (c), 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Nick RIZZO, 9.Adrian TRINIDAD, 10.AMARAL, 11.Scott BULLOCH, 13.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA, 14.Eugene DADI, 15.Hayden DOYLE, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17.James DOWNEY, 20.Frank JURIC (gk), 21.Mark LEE, 24.Anthony SKORICH
* two to be omitted
In. Jamie Harnwell (return from injury), Nick Rizzo (promoted), Adrian Trinidad (return from injury).
Out. David Tarka (Thigh – 1 week).
Unavailable. James Robinson (stomach – 1 week), Josip Magdic (ankle – 1 week), Hayden Foxe (foot – 2 weeks), Naum Sekulovski (hamstring – 2 weeks).
Newcastle Jets Squad 1 Ante COVIC, 2 Adam GRIFFITHS, 3 Jade NORTH, 5 James HOLLAND, 7 Kaz PATAFTA, 8 Matt THOMPSON, 9 Joel GRIFFITHS, 10 Jin-Hyung SONG, 11 Tarek ELRICH, 12 Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 13 Adam D-APUZZO, 16 Ben KANTAROVSKI, 18 Noel SPENCER, 20 Ben KENNEDY, 23 Edmundo ZURA.
In. 3 Jade North (returns from Olyroo duties), 7 Kaz Patafta (promoted).
Out. 15 Jason Hoffman (Qantas Young Socceroos duties), 17 Antun Kovacic (not selected)
Unavailable. 19 Jason Naidovski (Qantas Young Socceroos duties),14 Shaun Ontong (ankle – indefinite), 6 Jesper Hakansson (calf – 1 week).
