Eli Adams is coming into his own at Newcastle Jets as he benefits from regular first-team football. aleagues.com.au looks at the numbers behind the talented attacker.
“I think players improve when they play,” Rob Stanton said at the start of the season.
It’s true, and the proof is in the numbers.
At the time, the Newcastle Jets head coach was speaking after an Eli Adams brace fuelled a 2-1 win over Macarthur Bulls in Round 2 back in October.
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Adams made the move to McDonald Jones Stadium at the start of 2023-24, having scored one goal in just 196 minutes of A-Leagues action across two seasons.
The 23-year-old has continued to repay Stanton’s faith amid a breakout campaign.
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Adams has scored a career-high seven goals in 19 games and 1,558 minutes of action this season. He is Newcastle’s leading goal scorer along with Lachie Rose.
“At the end of the day when you look at Eli, there’s talent there,” Stanton said earlier this season.
“I saw talent and I believe when he was at Victory, he had a lot of competition and some really good players ahead of him. Those players generally have a little bit extra in other areas of their game. I’ve just spoken about other areas, not his talent – if he can bring it out in his game, he will shine.
“I thought he did a terrific job defending from the front, I thought he was aggressive, he got into challenges. It’s not really part of his game and I said it will lay the foundations for the good stuff you’re capable of doing, but you have to do the hard work.
“I don’t think he completed 90 minutes. I’m not sure the last time he completed 90. It’s very hard to be a good player if you’re not consistent in playing. I just believe in him and gave him his shot. I’m not surprised because I see those actions in training.”
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Stanton has unlocked that talent in the Hunter region.
Adams is a player feeling the love and soaring to new heights with the Jets.
The young gun has outscored his expected goals (xg) significantly (3.28) in 2024-25 and is actually within four goals of the Golden Boot lead with a goal every 222 minutes.
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“I think it’s almost unparalleled in how you can grow as a player, and it’s the best way to learn. I think you can train as much as you want, but trying to replicate that feeling of competitive matches, it’s almost impossible,” Adams told aleagues.com.au at the start of the season.
“I’ve been in the league for a few years now, but never really got that opportunity to, I guess, flourish and play consecutively week after week, where I’m being a regular name in the starting line-up.”
Having previously trialled at global powerhouse Bayern Munich, he is one for a highlight moment too, especially if you look back at his stunning goal against Auckland FC recently – a “Premier League” moment in the eyes of his coach.
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Adams is a nightmare for defenders when moving forward with the ball at this feet. His movement and technical ability make him a creative threat, too.
Among forwards aged 23 or younger, he is first for passes played into the box (including crosses) with 57. He is also second for opposition box take-ons (10).
He ranks fourth for goals scored behind Western United sensation Noah Botic, Adelaide United young gun Archie Goodwin and Western Sydney Wanderers’ Nicolas Milanovic using the same criteria, Adams also sits in the top four for total carry distance (2,126), total carry progress (1,129.5), total carries (192), carry directness (78.5), chances created from open play (22) and big chances created (six).
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When it comes to forwards of any age this season, Adams is also in the top 10 for opposition box take-ons, dribbles completed, carry directness and total carry progress.
“Sometimes you just need to push him a bit and and he’s got that ability to do that,” Stanton said recently. “I think it always gets down to sometimes people would look at his personality or his body language and take it in the wrong way, and that’s why maybe hasn’t played.
“Whereas I’m more looking at the potential, and how do I get that potential on a consistent basis? What buttons do I push? What do I do to bring it out in them? And then the design on the training system puts together. “
