Jets coach Gary van Egmond had the luxury of naming an unchanged line-up for his side this week, despite its 1-0 to the Mariners in the F3 Derby, and he’ll be hoping the extra stability will give his misfiring outfit the edge against a Queensland side that’s also failed to achieve consistent results.
Date: Sunday November 2
Kick-off: 5:00pm local (5:00pm AEDT)
Venue: EnergyAustralia Stadium
TV and Radio: Live and exclusive broadcast on FOX Sports 1 and Sky Sport 2. Hyundai A-League club radio broadcast partner is 1233 ABC Newcastle. To purchase tickets visit www.proticket.com.au
Head-to-head
11 Hyundai A-League meetings: Newcastle – 6 wins, Queensland – 3 wins, Draws – 2
Previous Hyundai A-League meeting
Queensland Roar 0, Newcastle Jets 1, Suncorp Stadium, round five
Past Five Games
Newcastle:
Round 5: Queensland Roar 0, Newcastle Jets 1, Suncorp Stadium
Round 6: Adelaide United 2, Newcastle Jets 0, Hindmarsh Stadium
Round 7: Newcastle Jets 2, Wellington Phoenix 2, EnergyAustralia Stadium
Round 8: Newcastle Jets 1, Melbourne Victory 0, EnergyAustralia Stadium
Round 9: Central Coast Mariners 1, Newcastle 0, Bluetongue Stadium
Queensland Roar:
Round 5: Queensland Roar 0, Newcastle Jets 1, Suncorp Stadium
Round 6: Melbourne Victory 0, Queensland Roar 2, Telstra Dome
Round 7: Sydney FC 1, Queensland Roar 1, Sydney Football Stadium
Round 8: Queensland Roar 0, Adelaide United 1, Suncorp Stadium
Round 9: Wellington Phoenix 0, Queensland Roar 1, Westpac Stadium
Analysis
Jets coach Gary van Egmond had the luxury of naming an unchanged line-up for his side this week, despite its 1-0 to the Mariners in the F3 Derby, and he’ll be hoping the extra stability will give his misfiring outfit the edge against a Queensland side that’s also failed to achieve consistent results.
Van Egmond feels injuries and national call-ups to key players have affected his team’s balance over recent weeks, but he feels the 2007-08 premier now has the ability to step up and consolidate its position in the top four over the next few rounds before Christmas in much the same manner as his side did last year.
The key to this will be striker Joel Griffiths, who hasn’t really fired in a season where he’s been hampered by a three-week hamstring injury lay-off. But Griffiths has a sensational record against the Roar, having scored six times in eight previous meetings and he’ll be keen to add to that record this time around, while the newly-arrived Mark Milligan has shown his class already in a defensive midfield role, where his brief for this match will probably involve blocking Scotsman Charlie Miller’s intelligent runs through the middle.
Milligan’s distribution will also be needed to supply Newcastle’s forward line, which was particularly impotent last weekend. In this role, he’ll come up against Roar hard man Danny Tiatto, who will need to be at the top of his game blocking this supply as Queensland’s defence doesn’t quite have the same effectiveness without Luke Devere, who is on Young Socceroos’ duty, partnering experienced campaigner Craig Moore in the centres.
Despite Devere’s absence, Queensland still seems to have the class and experience to get the better of Newcastle but the Jets defence, ably led by skipper Jade North, is one of the meanest going around, so expect a low-scoring slugfest at EnergyAustralia this Sunday afternoon. And, if the Jets can find the spark up forward they’ve been lacking for most of this season, then an upset could be on the cards.
Newcastle Jets Squad. 1. Ante COVIC (gk), 2. Adam GRIFFITHS, 3. Jade NORTH (c), 6. Jesper HAKANSSON, 7. Kaz PATAFTA, 8. Matt THOMPSON, 9. Joel GRIFFITHS, 10. Jin-Hyung SONG, 11. Tarek ELRICH, 12. Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 13. Adam D’APUZZO, 20. Ben KENNEDY (gk), 23. Edmundo ZURA, 25. Daniel PIORKOWSKI, 26. Mark MILLIGAN.
In. Nil.
Out. Nil.
Unavailable. 14. Shaun Ontong (ankle – indefinite), 15. Jason Hoffman (knee – season), 19. Jason Naidovski (Qantas Young Socceroos duties), 5. James Holland (Qantas Young Socceroos duties), 16. Ben Kantarovski (Qantas Young Socceroos duties), 24. Marko Jesic (Qantas Young Socceroos duties).
Queensland Roar Squad. 1. Liam REDDY (gk), 2. Andrew PACKER, 3. Josh McCLOUGHAN, 4.Craig MOORE, 6. David DODD, 7.Michael ZULLO, 8. Massimo MURDOCCA, 9. Sergio VAN DIJK, 10. Charlie MILLER, 13. Chris GROSSMAN, 15. Matt McKAY, 18. Danny TIATTO, 20. Griffin McMASTER (gk), 23. Tim SMITS, 24. Matt MUNDY , 25. Adam SAROTA.
In. 13. Chris GROSSMAN (promoted), 25. Adam SAROTA (short-term contract).
Out. 11. REINALDO (injured).
Unavailable. 3. Luke DEVERE (international duty), 9. REINALDO (injured), 12. Tahj MINNIECON (international duty), 14. Ben GRIFFIN (injured), 16. Hyuk-Su SEO (injured), 17. Mitch NICHOLS (international duty), 19. Isaka CERNAK (international duty), 21. Tommy OAR (international duty), 22. Robbie KRUSE (injured).
