In amongst the ecstasy of reaching the Hyundai A-League Grand Final, there’s been agony – literally – for one of the Newcastle Jets’ most consistent performers.
Goalkeeper Jack Duncan left the field with injury after less than half an hour of Friday night’s thrilling semi-final win over Melbourne City.
And scans over the weekend have confirmed the worst – the Jets custodian has suffered a grade-two quad tear and will miss Saturday’s Grand Final.
Tragic as it is for the man who has started the last 12 games (and 19 in all across the season), coach Ernie Merrick has an exceptionally able deputy to call on in veteran Glen Moss.
The former New Zealand international is a vastly experienced campaigner, having played 214 Hyundai A-League matches across a dozen seasons in the competition.
While he has played second fiddle to Duncan for much of the current season, it’s debatable whether the Jets lose much at all with him taking the gloves in the Grand Final.
In fact, there probably isn’t a better “number two” goalkeeper across the entire Hyundai A-League than Moss, with the possible exceptions of Eugene Galekovic at Melbourne City and Michael Theo at Brisbane.
Jets team-mate – and scorer of the goal which took them to the Grand Final – Jason Hoffman feels for Duncan, but is confident Moss will step up.
“Jack has been fantastic for us, and I can’t put into words how distraught I am for him,” Hoffman told the Newcastle Herald.
“Jack has stood up in big moments and to have this happen in such a big game, but the good thing about the team this year is that whoever has come in has stepped up.
“What an opportunity this is for Glen Moss,” Hoffman said.
