The Newcastle Jets injury fears were confirmed this week with Qantas Young Socceroo Jason Hoffman out for the season and last season’s Golden Boot winner Joel Griffiths sidelined for four weeks.
In addition, key midfielder Adam Griffiths will miss one week with a hamstring strain while Danish import Jesper Hakansson is touch and go to play in Monday’s Round 7 Hyundai A-League match against the Wellington Phoenix at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
All four players were injured in Newcastle’s 2-0 loss to Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium last Saturday night, leaving the Jets with just 10 players for the majority of the second half.
Hoffman suffered a season-ending knee injury with scans on Monday afternoon confirming he had torn anterior cruciate ligament which will require a total knee reconstruction.
The youngster was yesterday named in the Australian squad to play in the ASEAN Football Federation Under-19 Youth Championships to be held in Thailand later this month, but will miss this tournament along with the AFC Under-19 Youth Championships later this year, and the remainder of the 2008/09 Hyundai A-League season.
Scans on Joel Griffiths, who hobbled off the field in the first half of his 50th Hyundai A-League appearance on Saturday, revealed he has a partial tear of his hamstring, meaning he will be looking at a month on the sidelines.
Adam Griffiths was diagnosed with a hamstring strain with the injury severe enough to rule him out of next week’s match while Hakansson has a badly corked thigh and will be racing the clock to be fit for Monday match.
The Jets will make a decision later this week whether they will look for short-term signings as injury replacements for Hoffman and Joel Griffiths.
