Newcastle Jets qualified for the Australia Cup Round of 32 after seeing off Western United in their play-off. This is what we learned from the clash.
There is an excitement in the air in the Hunter region, with new owners and the emergence of more homegrown talent.
On Wednesday night in Darwin, two academy graduates got among the action as Newcastle Jets crushed Western United 4-1 in their Australia Cup play-off showdown.
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Thomas Aquilina’s brace, a Nathan Grimaldi strike and a Ben Garuccio own goal helped set up a Round of 32 showdown with NPLM NSW outfit Rockdale Ilinden on July 31.
There were six Jets debutants at Darwin Football Stadium, including young guns Alex Nunes and Christian Bracco who have gone from the academy to the first team.
It is all part of the collaboration between Jets head coach Rob Stanton and youth team coach Damian Zane to “bridge the gap” in Newcastle, where the club’s youth side are in the midst of an historic unbeaten season in Football NSW League Two – the state’s third tier.
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“The thing with our youth team – it’s a 12-month process with Damian and myself just collaborating on what that program should look like. Damian is a terrific coach with great ideas. Obviously (he) knows Newcastle and the environment really well,” Stanton told aleagues.com.au.
“I like the way he’s really taken ownership and the way we’ve worked together to find the best way to build that program so we can develop players. I think he’s been spot on. He’s put together an even younger team than they’ve ever had in the past.
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“He’s exposed, not just 11 or 12, but 25 of them to that level at an average age of 18-and-a-half tops. He deserves a lot of credit.
“So when they come in to training, we bring a few in, we’re trying to see improvement and get them to see where they can end up and process to get there.
“He’s helped bridge the gap and that’s been the whole idea of the program, to try to create some homegrown talent.
“It started with a couple of players in the game. It was a great chance to put them in where it was a safe environment if they failed in moments in the game and were able to get away with it at times. But I thought both boys put themselves about.
“They were nervous but it was an opportunity to embrace the chance to improve and take away an idea of what’s required to be an A-League player.”
Newcastle finished 10th last season but the Jets did end the campaign with just one defeat in their final five games – their best run of the campaign, having beaten Sydney FC and drawn with Melbourne City and semi-finalists Wellington Phoenix.
Garuccio’s own goal set the tone in the 17th minute as Aquilina doubled the lead approaching the half-hour mark before Grimaldi struck in the 42nd minute.
Aquilina bagged his brace in the 66th minute, while Western pulled a goal back via Riku Danzaki in the final minute of regulation.
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“I liked the way we approached the game,” said Stanton. “I thought we pressed well and built up well when we needed to. I thought we managed our transitions well and our distances very well for a first game. In the end, we managed the game, most importantly, when we needed to.
“With new players coming in, that’s difficult as well. Quite pleased with that. Again, just setting the players small tasks for the game and that being the focus. I know the result is important but also for me, the little steps and achieving those steps was important.
“The players in the cup always want to win in a cup competition – it excites them. I just used it to set some standards on what we want to achieve on the pitch.”
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Stanton added: “It’s a young team. Can we start the season – the way we train and play, where we finished last season? With so many changes, it can be difficult. I thought the first-up game, I thought we started where we finished with our structure and organisation. Our game management was much better.
“Considering some of the changes and new faces, and there’s still more to come.
“Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, just keep refining the process of what we want to do and also what we might want to change or adjust as the season goes on.”
