In the second edition of ‘On This Day’ we look back at the club’s first ever match in the Hyundai A-League, which also happened to be the inaugural match for the competition itself.
A crowd of 13,160 excited fans were in attendance at Energy Australia Stadium (now Hunter Stadium) for the meeting with Adelaide United, which welcomed home former Newcastle United players Daniel Beltrame and Travis Dodd, as well as former Newcastle Breakers coach John Kosmina.
The starting line-ups were:
| Newcastle Jets | Adelaide United |
| 1. Liam Reddy (Gk) | 1. Daniel Beltrame (Gk) |
| 3. Jade North | 2. Richard Alagich |
| 4. Craig Deans | 3. Kristian Rees |
| 5. Ned Zelic (C) | 5. Michael Valkanis |
| 12. Paul Kohler | 17. Adam Van Dommele |
| 22. Allan Picken | 4. Angelo Costanzo |
| 7. Richard Johnson | 6. Ross Aloisi (C) |
| 8. Matt Thompson | 7. Lucas Pantelis |
| 10. Nick Carle | 11. Louis Brain |
| 9. Ante Milicic | 13. Travis Dodd |
| 19. Mark Bridge | 8. Carl Veart |
| Coach: Richard Money | Coach: John Kosmina |
The game started with Adelaide’s Louis Brain becoming the first player to receive a booking in the new competition after only three minutes.
16 minutes later Reds striker Carl Veart headed home the opening goal, and the first of the new A-League competition in the 19th minute.
Throughout the match the Jets had their chances but it was Liam Reddy who was the busier of the two keepers — the now Central Coast Mariners custodian keeping the Jets in the match.
Newcastle made a substitution at half time with Steve Eagleton replacing Paul Kohler.
Despite pressing late in the game for a leveller, the Jets were unable to restore parity to the contest.
Craig Deans picked up the club’s first booking in the 89th minute from referee Peter O’Leary who eventually called time on a 1-0 win for Adelaide United.
Of the current Newcastle Jets squad, Labinot Haliti was the only player to feature in the game. Haliti, then 19, came on in the 66th minute for club legend Matt Thompson.
As he is now, Jean-Paul de Marigny was the Assistant Coach for Newcastle on the night.
Newcastle Jets would go on to make the semi-finals in the first year of the competition before being knocked out by eventual grand finalists and regional rivals Central Coast Mariners.
Adelaide would go on to comfortably win the Premiers Plate, before being knocked out in the finals also by Central Coast.
Newcastle Jets 0
Adelaide United 1 (Veart 19’)
Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle
