Both the A-League Men’s and Women’s games involving the Newcastle Jets this weekend are expected to go ahead despite three players at the club testing positive to COVID-19.
The women’s side, who last trained on Monday, face the Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday while the men take on Macarthur FC at Campbelltown on Sunday afternoon.
AAP understands after Angus Thurgate tested positive on Tuesday, reserve goalkeeper Noah James, a housemate of Thurgate’s, also returned a positive finding.
The club’s A-League Women’s team has also been impacted, with defender Kirsty Fenton understood to have tested positive.
The Jets have yet to confirm the identity of any of the COVID-positive players. However, it’s understood every player at the club is fully vaccinated.
“The A-League can confirm that a second member of the Newcastle Jets FC men’s team has tested positive to COVID-19,” the A-League club said in a statement.
“This individual is a household contact of the case that was reported as positive yesterday.
“At this stage, as the individuals are in self-isolation and all other staff and players have tested negative, the scheduled round-five match will proceed as planned.
“The Newcastle Jets FC women’s team also confirmed one positive case on Wednesday.
“This involves a fully-vaccinated individual who tested positive via a rapid antigen test and PCR test on December 15.
“This individual is currently self-isolating and all other players and staff are adhering to league protocols.
“At this time, the scheduled round-three match for the Newcastle Jets FC women’s team will proceed this weekend.”
It comes as the city’s NRL side, the Newcastle Knights, recorded a positive case on Wednesday with centre Chris Vae’lia sent into isolation.
The rest of the Knights squad have been given permission to return to training after returning negative readings.
On Wednesday, Hunter New England Health confirmed there were 827 active cases in the region.
