Summary
There you have it, another A-League season done and dusted. Good luck figuring it all out when the team that finished fourth takes home the biggest prize, last year’s wooden spooners host the grand final and the most dominant side in the land contemplate an offseason of upheaval.
The grand final itself was testament to Melbourne Victory’s fortitude. It was never a vintage season for them but to come past Adelaide United, Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets in the manner they did was an extraordinary accomplishment.
I’m off to ice my fingers, rail against VAR and book Lawrence Thomas a ticket to Russia.
Until next season, bye for now.
Here’s Emma Kemp from Australian Associated Press’s take on a glorious night for Melbourne Victory.
Updated
Kevin Muscat speaking to Fox Sports:
The records are not something that motivates me. What motivates me is getting in each week and improving people. We had a massive challenge this season and this week it seemed the whole country wanted us to fall over.”
Asked if he had a response to the boos he received midseason from Victory supporters, Muscat pointed to the packed stands of delirious fans, remarking, “I reckon they’re pretty happy now.”
Ernie Merrick is understandably stony faced and furious. Unsurprisingly he takes aim at VAR. Expect more of the same in his official press conference.
Updated
We need to acknowledge the role of tapes of different kinds in the success of Melbourne Victory this year #aleague #aleagueGF #MVFC pic.twitter.com/qOm6ZwdXzZ
— Guido Tresoldi (@GuidoTresoldi) May 5, 2018
We’ve mugged off Adelaide with a Besart Berisha bicycle kick, Sydney with a 117th minute winner from a former player, and City by nicking their ACL spot. This is the sweetest one of all. #HeistInTheHunter #ALeagueGF #MVFC #NEWvMVC
— Rudi (@RudiEdsall) May 5, 2018
We Are The Champions reverberates around McDonald Jones Stadium as the Victory crew charge over to their pocket of supporters. Muscat is in the middle of everything, grinding his never-ending gum with a massive grin on his face, one he richly deserves.
Updated
The actual raising of the trophy is missed by the TV cameras in a pretty dismal snafu. Victory’s players don’t care, they’re all jumping up and down in customary fashion.
Updated
Melbourne Victory skipper Carl Valeri offers his commiserations to Newcastle, then thanks the sponsors, FFA, the state government, family and friends, supporters, coaching staff, office staff, and finally the players. “We stayed humble through the highs and ground it out in the lows.”
Victory fans wanted Kevin Muscat out after nine rounds. NOw he has a second championship under his belt and joins Merrick, Posetcoglou and Arnold as a two time winner as a coach. Muscat is a winner.
— Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) May 5, 2018
Victory’s players are now receiving their championship medals, which are cute little mini toilet seats.
Nigel Boogaard delivers a rousing speech as the defeated captain. After the congratulations to Victory the message is all about returning “bigger and better” next year. Excellent job.
Lawrence Thomas wins the Joe Marston medal
One of the easier decisions in the history of individual awards, Melbourne Victory’s keeper receives the Joe Marston medal. He looks practically mummified when he dips his head to accept the honour, bandages holding his jaw together and stemming bleeding on his forehead.
Updated
Presentation time now, led by Michael Zappone. FFA chairman Steven Lowy and chief executive David Gallop roundly booed on their introductions. The match officials receive even louder catcalls when they collect their momentos.
Melbourne Victory are A-League champions
They rode their luck in the first half but saw out the game superbly in the second. A record fourth championship for Victory, heartbreak for the Jets.
It was an occasion that delivered on the hype, especially in a pulsating first half, but Newcastle could not capitalise on their ascendancy. After the break Victory fought their way into the contest and were largely untroubled.
VAR will capture headlines for it’s non-use in Victory’s goal and Roy O’Donovan’s red card will join the list of all-time horror challenges but they are footnotes to an historic night for Kevin Muscat and his side.
Victory become the first team to win the A-League championship from outside the top-two, and they did so by snatching away wins over the two sides that finished first and second on the ladder. In so doing they rob third-placed Melbourne City a spot in the Asian Champions League. After a season that never found its rhythm and even included Victory fans booing Muscat at AAMI Park, it is a remarkable conclusion.
Updated
Red card - Roy O'Donovan (90+3)
Wow, that is one of the worst challenges you will ever see. That was assault by O’Donovan on Thomas. Free-kick from Petratos that Thomas came out to claim and he receives a late kung-fu kick to his jaw for his troubles. That was horrific. Gillett was on the spot in a flash to brandish the red card, no need for VAR with that one.
Updated
90+2 min: Sanchez booked for a professional foul on Petratos and he adds to the frustration of the home crowd by running off with the ball after the whistle blew.
Updated
90 min: Victory milking the clock now, finding fouls, keeping the ball away from their danger area.
Five minutes added time for the Jets to find an equaliser.
88 min: Another half-chance goes begging for Newcastle. The latest in a long line of dangerous Petratos crosses doesn’t hit a blue target and Victory’s massed ranks clear.
The City Football Group will not be happy with this scoreline at all.
The other play if the result stays as is will be Victory denying City an ACL spot. #NEWvMVC #ALeagueGF
— Les Street (Лес Стрит) (@official_lesdog) May 5, 2018
87 min: Victory appear to be growing while the Jets flag, late in the game. Barbarouses should do better with a cross down the right but he can’t find a white shirt and Newcastle clear.
86 min: Troisi comes within a whisker of a second, walloping a drive from an acute angle against the post. The interplay with Berisha leading to the chance was probably the neatest of the half from either side.
85 min: McGree turns the ball over in midfield and George takes the opportunity to shoot from 50m away with Moss off his line but the connection is poor and nothing comes of it. It allows Victory to reset their impressive defensive unit though and run more seconds off the clock.
82 min: Half-chance to the Jets and it’s the two subs who fashion it. Rodriguez beats his man down the right, he feeds Hoffman but his cross is clipped over the bar by Champness.
81 min: The crowd tonight is 29,410 and they have been excellent. Credit to the 4,000 or so that have made the trip up from Victoria.
Newcastle supporters shouting at me while I make announcements is producing some great comedy...
— Stefan Popović (@stefan_popovic) May 5, 2018
Female Newcastle supporter: I hate Melbournians! Go to hell Melbournians!
Me: Love, we’re already here. *Drops Mic*#ALeagueGF #football #Victory #NEWvMVC
Updated
79 min: A quarter of A-League grand final goals are scored in the final 15 minutes, apparently. The Jets don’t look like creating much at the moment though.
76 min: Let-off for Victory. Good deep cross from Petratos, Thomas flies out to punch but misses, the ball ricochets off O’Donovan and loops harmlessly over. Thomas picked up a cut to his noggin for his trouble. He now has the full Terry Butcher bandage situation going on. This will be an iconic look when he collects his Joe Marston medal.
Muscat makes his first change of the night and it’s Matias Sanchez for Stefan Nigro.
74 min: Donachie and Deng both deserve recognition for their performances tonight. They were under the pump early on but they did enough to keep the Jets out and now they’re towering in the centre of defence for their side.
Rodriguez for Georgiveski is Newcastle’s second substitution. The defender was looking a red card candidate and his replacement is far more attacking. Merrick going for it with 15-minutes to go.
72 min: Victory have the bit between their teeth now, contesting every challenge with intent. They have raised in the second half and the Jets have not matched them.
69 min: How did that stay out? Victory look certain to score a second after a George corner gets headed across the face of goal and almost across the line but O’Donovan does miraculously well to throw himself in front of Berisha and keep the ball out. He receives a massive whack to his cheek in the process as the Victory striker raised his arms to gain leverage for the header. The Irishman looks like a middleweight after ten rounds, a massive lump forming just under his left eye.
Body on the line. #ALeagueGF #NEWvMVC #WinAsOne pic.twitter.com/5OFbe1NtBG
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) May 5, 2018
Updated
67 min: Newcastle cannot get anything going this half. There have been no opportunities to turn defence into attack at pace, no moments of individual brilliance by their creative types, and time is ebbing away.
Updated
66 min: A brief stoppage in play while James Troisi is treated for a head injury after being collected by Georgievski in a heading contest. Already on a booking the full-blooded Jets defender has to watch his step.
65 min: Champness enters the fray, replacing Vargas, a man for whom the phrase flatters to deceive springs to mind.
64 min: A few corners in a row to the visitors are testament to how they’ve been the more productive of the two sides this second half. Kevin Muscat deserves great credit for his work at the interval resetting Victory’s tactics and refocussing his player’s mindsets.
62 min: Newcastle’s attacks down the left are much slower and less intricate than the first half. As a consequence George is able to defend more than he did in the early stages, helping out his overworked fullback.
Joey Champness is being readied.
59 min: Frustration starting to creep in now for Newcastle with a few innocuous decisions going against them. Victory have pushed noticeably higher up the field this half with Antonis and Troisi getting through a power of work closing down McGree and Ukarkovic, denying the simple release pass.
57 min: Victory fans in the crowd waving cheap dunny seats, causing Simon Hill on commentary to give one of those “to our overseas viewers” explanations. It will never stop being funny.
The game remains in neutral with Victory far more assured this half than the first.
55 min: The crowd noise has dipped in tandem with a decline in the standard of play. Ernie Merrick must be tempted to make an early substitution before the Jets lose their early momentum.
54 min: The second half has yet to settle into a pattern, which suits Victory. It’s all very scrappy in midfield with plenty of long balls headed back into the congestion.
Updated
51 min: First yellow card of the night goes to Georgievski for a late and clumsy challenge on Barbarouses.
50 min: Thomas asserts himself at the earliest opportunity, claiming a Petratos set piece like Peter Schmeichel bossing an under-12s.
48 min: The second term begins with the Jets on the front foot again looking to capitalise on their advantage down the left flank.
46 min: Second half is underway. No changes at the interval.
Remember beating MBV at NIB and Musky saying “teams have a responsibility to entertain” totally agree with him.....looks like MBV are in Central Coast they are that deep and compact. Quality shape must have changed since they play us 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Kenny Lowe (@kennylowe10) May 5, 2018
If Victory hang on the Joe Marston medal can only go to one man - the exceptional Lawrence Thomas. His first half was massive. Riley McGree and Dimitri Petratos have shone for the Jets and if they come back that pair will surely have had a hand in it.
Updated
All the half time analysis on TV and all the noise on social media is about VAR’s role in Victory’s goal. Replays appear to leave little doubt that Donachie and other white shirts were offside when George whipped in his free-kick but the goal was allowed to stand. Robbie Slater is apoplectic about it on TV.
Vision available shows Donachie to be clearly offside in the lead-up to a goal. Was VAR asleep? #ALeagueGF
— Ned Zelic (@NedZelic) May 5, 2018
Some half time stats:
- Newcastle have dominated the ball, enjoying 65% of possession.
- The Jets lead the shot count 11-3 but only three of those have been on target, where they’ve found Lawrence Thomas in inspired form.
- No yellow cards to report.
Phew! That was breathless helter-skelter stuff. Great fun.
Half time - Newcastle Jets 0-1 Melbourne Victory
One minute of added time at the end of the first-half. Most of it is taken up with Petratos lining up a deep crossfield free-kick that comes to nought. Somehow, despite an almighty battering, Melbourne Victory are one-nil to the good.
Updated
44 min: Vargas again collects the ball in a dangerous area but elects not to shoot on his left when space materialised, instead feeding the ball back inside and the chance fizzles out.
41 min: Vargas has been full of tricks and spins but his end product has been lacking. If he finds his range the Jets could be in business but a sloppy pass in midfield allows Victory to snuff out another attack at source.
39 min: Victory are so deep in defence when they do clear their lines all they can muster are isolated solo salvos. It helps that Leroy George is among their forwards and his strength keeps Newcastle’s defenders honest and then earns a free-kick in a dangerous position that earns a couple of minutes in more preferred territory.
36 min: I’m not sure I’ve seen a more one-sided contest where the scoreboard does not reflect the balance of play. McGree is running the midfield, Petratos has the bit between his teeth and the game is being played almost entirely in Victory’s defensive half. Still, they have the lead, and they have Lawrence Thomas.
#ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/tPdcjfBtuB
— Marissa Lordanic 🤷♀️ (@marissalordanic) May 5, 2018
33 min: McGree, Petratos and Koutroumbis have been at the heart of all that’s been good for the Jets tonight. Again they work space down the left but this time there’s no opportunity for a final ball. Victory need to rethink their right-hand side.
Lawrence Thomas is 50 lengths in front for the Marston Medal so far!!! Two wonder saves in seconds to go with the one earlier. First off McGree then the rebound off Hoffman
— Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) May 5, 2018
31 min: How are the Jets not level!? Thomas again with a superb save, low to his left after brilliant play from the increasingly effective McGree. The victory keeper then somehow manages to recover and smuggle Hoffman’s effort over the bar from point-blank range.
29 min: Victory have worked their way back into the contest, evening up the midfield duel and fashioning a couple of half-chances.
Updated
24 min: Scrappy couple of minutes with the ball pinging from one set of defenders to the other like an anti-rondo demonstration. Riley McGree does his best to settle things down, he’s growing into the game nicely in the centre of midfield. Ahead of him Petratos remains the most dangerous outlet and again he tricks his way beyond Nigro and dinks a cross over but there’s no finish to match the preparation.
21 min: Newcastle are prospering down the left where Nigro is again failing to cover himself in glory at right-back for Victory. Petratos, Koutroumbis and Vargas are making neat combinations at will but they still have nothing to show for it.
20 min: A goal-kick offers brief respite for Victory in the face of an onslaught from the Jets. This remains full-blooded and frenetic.
"Are we using VAR or not?" Seems a fair question. #ALeagueGF
— Mike Ticher (@mikewsc1) May 5, 2018
18 min: Brilliant save from Thomas! Reflex dive low to his left to keep out O’Donovan’s flick after great build-up down the left between Petratos and Koutroumbis. The Jets are all over Victory right now!.
16 min: Half-chance for the Jets courtesy of yet another wicked ball from Petratos. It’s a long free-kick this time that curls agonisingly away from Thomas who has to come out to try to punch but he doesn’t connect offering a glimmer to the leaping Hoffman behind him but he can’t put boot to ball.
From the solitary replay, it looks offside to me. #ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/U4q7OwlN32
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@Evan_M_G) May 5, 2018
14 min: It remains all Newcastle on-field but Victory have the crucial advantage on the scoreboard. Whenever the visitors take possession the Jets rob them of it in an instant but their rapid incursions forward have yet to catch Victory napping.
Hmmmm. Replays are starting to filter through of the build-up to Victory’s opener and there is a distinct hint of offside when Donachie heads the ball across goal. VAR studied it but gave it the all-clear. We’re unlikely to have heard the last of that.
11 min: Newcastle respond immediately fashioning two decent attacks that Victory do enough to scramble away. Petratos has been lively, finding space in the final third and whipping in trademark crosses.
KOSTA! #NEWvMVC 0-1 #ALeagueGF @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/oFodQ4JPbV
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) May 5, 2018
Updated
GOAL! Newcastle Jets 0-1 Melbourne Victory (Barbarouses 9)
The earliest goal in grand final history goes to Melbourne Victory. A long free-kick from Leroy George finds the towering Donachie at the far post, his centring header falls to Barbarouses who drills hard and low beyond Glen Moss via a deflection off Koutroumbis. VAR had a look for offside at the original header but it’s given the all-clear.
Updated
8 min: The Jets have started to settle and move the ball around. Victory, by contrast have yet to establish any rhythm. The TV cuts to Bert van Marwijk in the stands, he’s back in the country!
6 min: First proper attacking opportunity falls to the home side. O’Donovan is wrestled to the ground just to the right of the penalty area and Petratos’ teasing cross just evades three Novocastrian foreheads, skimming off one and away to safety.
4 min: This is yet to blossom into a celebration of the beautiful game. The pace is too hot for anyone to put their foot on the ball or connect with more than one pass in a sequence. James Donachie looks beautiful with his new bleached blonde crop though, like an 80s Bond villain in the mould of Dolph Lundgren or Brigitte Nielsen.
2 min: As expected it’s pinball during the opening stages with both sides sprinting out some nervous energy.
Peeeeeeeeppppppp!
The 2018 A-League grand final is underway!
Seconds away from kick-off.
Hannah Ringrow calmly nails the national anthem a capella while smoke drifts across McDonald Jones Stadium. The stage is set.
Out stride the two teams to deafening noise, fireworks, and a sea of flags. This is fizzing beautifully.
It’s cool, clear, dry and still in Newcastle. Perfect conditions for football. The pitch doesn’t seem half bad either, despite an NRL fixture taking place last night.
The two teams are making their way down the race. Newcastle are clad in their all-royal blue home strip, Victory in their all-white change uniform.
Some grand final stats for you, courtesy of Opta.
Head-to-head:
- Newcastle Jets have won two of their last three games against Melbourne Victory, this after having gone without a win in their previous five games against them.
- Melbourne Victory have won just one of their last 12 visits to McDonald Jones Stadium (D5, L6), posting a 1-0 win there in January 2016.
- Kosta Barbarouses has scored in two of his three appearances versus Newcastle Jets this season; he comes into this game having scored in the semi-final against Sydney.
Grand final history:
- Just once in the previous 12 seasons has the host of the Grand Final lost the competition decider played at their home ground (2009/10).
- Newcastle Jets won their only previous Grand Final appearance (2007/08), while Melbourne Victory have won three of their previous five with both losses in that time coming via penalties.
- Success in this game will mean that Melbourne Victory will have been A-League Champions on more occasions than any other side, they have currently done it three times alongside Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar.
- Besart Berisha has scored five goals in A-League Grand Finals, the joint-most of any player in competition history alongside Archie Thompson.
Other:
- This game will see the league’s two most prolific creators go head-to-head; Leroy George (75) and Dimitri Petratos (74) have created more scoring chances than any other player in the competition (next best, 55 -Andrew Hoole).
I don’t quite know what was going on but I definitely didn’t hate that pre-game show, and heck, it’s better than getting a has-been 50+ music act battling to stay in tune #aleaguegf
— Melanie Dinjaski (@MelanieDinjaski) May 5, 2018
Just because.
An A-League grand final build-up wouldn’t be worthy of the name without checking in with David Squires. If only Ernie had rocked up tonight in a leopard-print onesie...
The unexpected absence of Sydney FC makes this grand final an unpredictable affair tactically, as Ante Jukic explains.
Please please please lights come back on without any problems #planning #ALeague #lighting #LED #🙏🙏🙏
— Archibald Fraser (@ArchieFraser) May 5, 2018
The crowd in Newcastle is being ‘treated’ to some pregame entertainment courtesy of some LED-clad percussion and DJ noise while more LED-clad people jig about around them and a few kids juggle glow-in-the-dark footballs.
It’s fine, and has actually picked up the longer it’s gone on, but still.... yeah nah.
In case you didn’t know, the Jets owner’s wealth comes from LEDs.
Please LED this pre-match show end. #ALeagueGF
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@Evan_M_G) May 5, 2018
Kevin Muscat:
I don’t think I’ve worked with a more resilient group than the one I’ve got at the moment. It was unbelievable what they went through (against Sydney FC) and the performance they put on. I can only imagine how our members and fans felt watching that and the pride that they would have enjoyed and we made a lot of people happy on Saturday night and we certainly look to do that again on Saturday.”
Ernie Merrick:
They spend a lot of money on players, they won it in 2015, they lost it last year, so I think they’d be pretty keen to win and I think the pressure is on them.
I’ve tried to get the pressure off our boys by getting them to relax and enjoy themselves. When it comes, our boys will perform and we’ll see who the better team on the night is.
I was trying to avoid this aggressiveness that occurs in the Big Blue for example — it doesn’t make for a great spectacle. Certainly it was an exciting game (last week) especially in that match because of the goal in the dying seconds of normal time, but I think the crowd want to be entertained with much more free flowing, attacking football and that’s what we’ve been playing all year.”
Before we check in with the coaches, a reminder their history goes deep. That relationship is far less convivial nowadays and with so much on the line sparks could fly in the technical areas tonight.
Newcastle Jets have the opportunity tonight to vault from wooden spooners one season to premiers the next. Just reaching the grand final is a rarity in Australian sport, as AAP’s Vince Rugari details.
NSWRL/NRL
- Sydney Roosters: bottom in 2009, beaten in 2010 grand final by St George Illawarra
- Western Suburbs: bottom in 1933, won 1934 grand final against Eastern Suburbs
- Newtown: bottom in 1928, beaten in 1929 grand final by South Sydney
- St George: bottom in 1926, beaten in 1927 grand final by South Sydney
AFL/VFL
- Collingwood: bottom in 1976, beaten in 1977 grand final replay by North Melbourne
- Fitzroy: bottom in 1916, beaten in 1917 grand final by Collingwood (note: only six teams participated in 1917 and four in 1916 due to World War I. Fitzroy also won grand final as well as wooden spoon in 1916 after four-team finals series
SUPER RUGBY
- Sharks: bottom in 2000, beaten in 2001 grand final by Brumbies
- Highlanders: bottom in 1997, beaten in 1998 grand final by Blues
NSL/A-LEAGUE
- Newcastle Jets: bottom in 2016/17, face Melbourne Victory in 2017/18 grand final
- Brisbane City: bottom in 1978, beaten in 1979 post-series play-off final by Sydney City (note: Marconi recognised as champions)
The atmosphere at McDonald Jones stadium is already something special, half-an-hour away from kick-off!
Who knew an appropriately-sized rectangular stadium could facilitate such a spectacle?
Belting renditions of Stand By Me and Never Tear Us Apart. Real atmosphere here. How bloody good #aleaguegf pic.twitter.com/dX8CtVwwZ5
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) May 5, 2018
The best support! 💙 #ALeagueGF #MVFC pic.twitter.com/Lm0pklUBDH
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) May 5, 2018
Updated
Your officials for the big one:
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Cream
Assistant Referee 2: Paul Cetrangolo
Fourth Official: Kurt Ams
Fifth Official: Andrew Lindsay
Video Assistant Referee: Craig Zetter
Following the suspensions handed down to JP de Marigny and Dean Anastasiadis the role of Victory assistant coach tonight falls to fitness guru Anthony Crea. He will be joined on the bench by a familiar face, Victory football operations manager and living legend, Paul Trimboli.
More on the Jets, this time from Richard Parkin, looking at how a unity of purpose from the owner down has created such a high-functioning football club this season.
And the @gomvfc fans have just rolled into Newcastle ahead of #ALeagueGF - terrific passion, the stage is set! pic.twitter.com/wCrXXvuMb8
— Clint Stanaway (@cstanaway) May 5, 2018
.@NewcastleJetsFC fans stream into @MJStadium #AleagueGF #NEWvMVC pic.twitter.com/zRAEkqYe3r
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) May 5, 2018
Win or lose tonight Newcastle’s renaissance has been the feelgood story of the season. John Davidson reminds us how far the Jets have come in such a short space of time.
Melbourne Victory XI
Victory’s starting XI is as expected, and unchanged from their semi-final victory over Sydney FC. There’s movement on the bench though with Christian Theoharous collecting an injury at Allianz Stadium forcing the dangerous impact substitute to concede his place to Jai Ingham. The only other two members of the Victory squad not at Kevin Muscat’s disposal are long-term absentee Mitch Austin, and the horribly unlucky Rhys Williams.
Plenty of focus will fall on auxiliary defender Stefan Nigro. The youngster was a late inclusion last week and didn’t cover himself in glory in a performance containing a calamitous own-goal. He will have his hands full again against the free-scoring Jets.
In midfield Terry Antonis will be the centre of attention following his remarkable showing against Sydney FC. He is vital to knitting Victory’s defence and attack, and in a game likely to feature plenty of broken play his ability to hold everything together will be crucial.
Further forward despite turning in a far from vintage campaign Besart Berisha is finding touch at the business end. A finals specialist there’s nobody in Australian football you’d back more than the Albanian to step up on the big occasion.
Our 2018 #ALeagueGF team is in! #MVFC pic.twitter.com/RvZPcnasey
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) May 5, 2018
Updated
Newcastle XI
Just the one change to Newcastle’s XI with veteran Glen Moss replacing Jack Duncan following the regular keeper’s untimely injury during the semi final. Ivan Necevski has been press-ganged into a spot on the bench.
Moss will be under immense scrutiny tonight but the 35-year old has been around long enough to handle the pressure. He sat on the bench for Victory in the 2009-10 decider.
Ben Kantarovski remains a major absentee for Ernie Merrick and the club stalwart along with Wayne Brown would both be in the matchday squad had they been fit.
Your 2018 Hyundai A-League Grand Final lineup #NEWvMVC pic.twitter.com/NZKcNVW9EK
— NEWCASTLE JETS FC ✈️ (@NewcastleJetsFC) May 5, 2018
Updated
It's the big dance!
Good evening everybody and welcome to live coverage of the showpiece event in Australian club football, the A-League grand final between Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory. Kick off at a jam-packed McDonald Jones Stadium is 7.56pm AET, giving us plenty of time to ease ourselves into a grand final state of mind.
I can confirm well in advance that tonight’s going to be ace. How could it not be? We’ve got a full house in a regional centre, one steeped in football history, barracking for the Jets - a team riding one of the all-time most absurd waves of form.
In case you’re not up to speed, Newcastle were rubbish for a long time, failing to make the finals since 2010 and finishing dead last last season. Ignoring all that baggage, Ernie Merrick strode into town in the offseason, recruited smartly, and told his side to play without fear. They went on to finish second, scoring the goal of the season along the way, and then won through to the grand final, scoring one of the goals of all-time in the process. It has been a rip-roaring football story.
Not only will the Jets have a passionate home crowd behind them, pretty much the rest of the footballing community will be in their corner, in part because their opponents tonight are perennial grand finalists and serial winners Melbourne Victory. This has been a far from vintage season for one of the competition’s powerhouses but they’ve come good when it matters and Kevin Muscat is now just 90 minutes away from hoisting aloft the glittering toilet seat.
I cannot wait.
If you would like to join in during the evening feel free to do so by email (Jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk) or twitter @JPHowcroft. It would be lovely to have some correspondence.
Updated
