Mathematically Jets Women are still a slim chance of making the finals after two improved displays on the road against Adelaide United and Perth Glory. If they are to give themselves any hope of playing finals football a win this weekend is a must against an equally desperate Brisbane Roar side.
Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar
Round 12: 2.30pm Sunday 15 January at McDonald Jones Stadium
Media Coverage
TV: LIVE on Fox Sports 505 and ABC 1 from 2:00pm
Online: Listen LIVE from 2.15pm with Ben Homer and Helene O’Neill
Overall Head to Head
Played 12
Newcastle Jets 3
Draws 2
Brisbane Roar 7
Last Meeting
2015/16 – Round 14: Newcastle Jets 0 Brisbane Roar 0 at Magic Park
Where they sit on the Ladder
Newcastle Jets FC 7th (9pts)
Brisbane Roar 5th (13pts)
Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First)
Jets – Drew Glory 1-1 (a), Drew Adelaide 2-2 (a), Lost Wanderers 1-2 (h)
Brisbane – Won Wanderers 3-0 (h), Lost Victory 1-4 (h), Lost Sydney 0-1 (a)
Bottom Line
Mathematically Jets Women are still a slim chance of making the finals after two improved displays on the road against Adelaide United and Perth Glory. If they are to give themselves any hope of playing finals football a win this weekend is a must against an equally desperate Brisbane Roar side.
It’s been a long time between wins for the Jets – six matches in fact – and in their final match at McDonald Jones Stadium this season they would love nothing more than to take the three points away from the fifth-placed Roar.
While they haven’t won in six matches, Newcastle’s last display against Perth was one of their most impressive of the season. Minus star midfielders Arin Gilliland (cork) and Chloe Logarzo (ankle) and up against a Glory side featuring a red-hot Sam Kerr, the Jets led just after the break through Jenna Kingsley and were unlucky not to lead by more midway through the second half. In the story of their season so far the Jets didn’t take their chances and Sam Kerr equalised to share the points.
Jets Women have only won three of their 12 matches against the Roar over eight Westfield W-League seasons, however haven’t lost against Brisbane in their last three matches with two wins and a draw. Their last loss to the Roar was back in September 2014.
For the Roar, they hit a massive hole midway through the season, winning just one of five matches between rounds five and ten and conceding 14 goals in the process. But the Queensland-based club returned to form in style last weekend when they thumped Western Sydney Wanderers 3-0 in front of 2,503 at Suncorp Stadium.
Tameka Butt has been the star for Brisbane in front of goal this season scoring five times, including two in the opening six minutes against the Wanderers last Saturday. Butt has now scored 47 times in the Westfield W-League and is just three off reaching a half-century of goals. If she gets there she will be just the second player to reach the milestone along with fellow Matildas striker Michelle Heyman (57).
At the back another Matilda, Claire Polkinghorne, is another crucial player for the Roar. However, this season hasn’t gone totally as planned for the veteran centre-back. The Roar conceded five against Canberra in round seven and four against the Victory in round ten. Take out those two matches and Brisbane have conceded just seven in eight fixtures. Which Brisbane defence will turn up?
In a boost for the Jets midfielder Arin Gilliland is likely to return from a corked quad, as is Libby Copus Brown from a quad injury. Chloe Logarzo is still two weeks away.
Key
With a 12-day break between fixtures will the rest be beneficial for the Jets?
