Watch A-Leagues All Access: Jason Cummings’ hilarious bet caught on camera

This week’s episode of A-Leagues All Access follows key figures from Melbourne City and the Central Coast Mariners as they prepare the 2023 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final. Watch the episode below.

In the opening scene of A-Leagues All Access: Episode 28 | Countdown, we follow the Central Coast Mariners on a golf day.

Naturally, Jason Cummings is front and centre of the action as he and goalkeeper Yaren Sozer make a cheeky bet for the holes that follow.

“What’s the wager?” Cummings asks.

Sozer responds: “The loser has a tee out of the a*** into the water.”

And so the contest is on. Watch the episode below to find out who comes out on top!

Montgomery reflects on missing 2013 Grand Final

More often than not, it seems as if there’s always a hard luck story when it comes to the winning team in an Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final.

A tale seems to emerge from the mire in the lead-up to the decider of a player who misses out for one reason or another, whether it’s injury, suspension or, in the cases of some during the COVIC-19 pandemic, quarantine.

In 2013, the A-Leagues hard luck story was Central Coast Mariners’ Nick Montgomery, who was suspended for the Grand Final against Western Sydney Wanderers.

The circumstances around his suspension? Well, it was an unforgettable first for the hard-nosed midfielder.

“We got to the Semi Final and played against Melbourne Victory at home,” he recalled on the latest A-Leagues All Access episode – Countdown.

“I picked up my second yellow in the 60th minute, just blocking a tackle from Mark Milligan, nothing in it. I got the first red card of my career in the 90+ minute.

“Beating Victory 1-0 at home to get to the Grand Final against Western Sydney Wanderers. It was sort of bittersweet for me. Devastating not to play. It was the only game I didn’t play that season.”

The Mariners went on to win 2-0, securing their first ever Isuzu UTE A-League Championship. Montgomery, however, was in the unfamiliar position of watching on from the stands.

In 529 career matches over 18 years, Montgomery was only sent off twice in total, with the other occasion coming in a 2-1 loss to the Western Sydney Wanderers in 2016.

At the time, Montgomery said: “I was proud that I’d never had a red, and to be honest I didn’t think the ref was going to book me (for the second time) on Sunday after I fouled Milligan.

“I think he was a bit influenced by the Victory bench and Milligan’s reaction, but it was a big shock to see the cards come out.”

At that point, he had played 374 career matches – before picking up his first red card at the worst possible time.

“To watch the boys, it was a bit surreal,” he said.

“But I always felt we’d win the game. I was delighted for the boys… to win the big prize at the end, it was a fantastic year.”

BUY TICKETS TO THE GRAND FINAL

BUY TICKETS TO THE GRAND FINAL

10 years on, Montgomery has a shot at redemption this weekend, when he leads the Mariners to battle as their senior coach in Saturday’s Grand Final against Melbourne City.

Before arriving at Central Coast as a player, he had experience playing in a number of crunch contests for Sheffield United during the mid 2000s, including promotion playoffs, Premier League relegation scraps and more.

Despite not being apart of the aforementioned decider, Montgomery still knows what to expect when kick-off rolls around on Saturday.

“Always a little bit nervous, very excited, knowing the occasion that’s coming in the Grand Final,” he said.

“I’ve been there as a player. I played in the Championship and Premier League most of my career in in England at Sheffield United, which was amazing. So many amazing memories of success and big games.”

KEEPUP’S FULL GRAND FINAL COVERAGE

MARINERS CEO: After eight years, a ‘living hell’, ‘black eyes’ and Bolt, why Mielekamp wants to ‘close chapter’ on the past
NABBOUT: Leap of faith that saved a Socceroo who turned down World No. 99 for the ultimate ‘long shot’
GRAND FINAL PARTY: Legends, 5-a-side, meet your heroes – key details
MELB CITY: Two incredible stories sum up their rise
JAMIESON’S RETIREMENT: The moments with his son that will stay with Scott Jamieson for a lifetime
MARINERS ASSISTANT: A-Leagues coach who shares a mentor with Mourinho has Aussie football view you need to hear
VIDOSIC: How ‘the world’s longest trip to Australia’ 35 years ago changed A-Leagues history
MONTY: The ‘biggest heart’ and ‘a manager’s dream’ who was always destined to coach 

Montgomery is one of the subjects of this weekend’s episode of A-Leagues All Access: Countdown, which details how both City and the Mariners are gearing up for the decider at CommBank Stadium.

Should the Mariners win, it will be their first Championship since that day in 2013 and the maiden piece of silverware in Montgomery’s coaching career.

Beyond the football field, Montgomery is a family man to in his words – his two families – where he hopes he can bestow some of the values passed down by his late mother.

“I love my girls, they mean everything to me,” he said.

“I lost my mum four years ago, and she was honestly, the most loving person ever and I think I get a lot of my personality from her.

“She looked after me all the time and now I’m always looking after the boys and when they’re sick, I’ll ring them and I’m always making sure the boys are ok because that’s the way that I was brought up.

“My family now is my immediate family, But my (other) family is the Mariners. We try to treat everybody like one big family.”

And Montgomery feels he will have his mother looking down on him when he enters the dugout on Saturday evening.

“It’s ironic, but today would have been her birthday,” he said last Saturday, speaking to A-Leagues All Access.

“My wife this morning just (said) that your mum would be really proud of you and she was really proud of what I did in my playing career, but she also saw me in probably the hardest times when I transitioned out of my playing career.

“I wish she could see me, and I know she’ll be with me next Saturday when we take on Melbourne City so I always go out every game knowing that she’s watching.”

Produced by KEEPUP Studios and JAMTV, each new episode of the docuseries will debut on Thursday at 7:30pm AEDT on 10 Play, KEEPUP.COM.AU, the KEEPUP app. It will be available on Australia’s fastest growing streaming service, Paramount+, and will then be broadcast on 10 Bold at 2:00pm AEDT on Sunday afternoons as an appetiser for the evening’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men game on the same channel. 

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