I've actually never heard that one :oops:

Did we sing it last year? I really dont remember.

Jets set off, eyes on prize
BY ROBERT DILLON
06 Aug, 2010 04:00 AM
IT was a case of boots and all for the Newcastle Jets players yesterday in their final training session before tonight's A-League season opener against Adelaide, as a bloodied Brodie Mooy can testify.

Mooy, the 20-year-old rookie who has played in three A-League games, copped an accidental boot in the forehead and later required 18 stitches.

"The ball was just there to be won," Mooy said yesterday.

"I went in for a slide tackle and just copped an accidental stud in the head, and the blood just started coming".

Mooy said he felt "fine" after he was patched up and hoped to be back in training next week.

It was an untimely setback after Jets coach Branko Culina said Mooy was "definitely in contention" to be part of Newcastle's squad tonight.Formerly used as a striker or winger, Mooy is being groomed as a right-back by Culina and was in line to deputise for Tarek Elrich, who had limited game time in the pre-season after groin surgery.

"It's just too risky," Culina said.

"He's needed stitches and, if you're a defender, you've got to be doing a lot of heading.
"So we've had to leave him out of the squad."

Newcastle flew out for Adelaide yesterday with a strong squad and full of confidence that they would open their campaign with a positive result.

First impressions count for Jets: Newcastle look to set standard
BY ROBERT DILLON
06 Aug, 2010 04:00 AM
NEWCASTLE Jets coach Branko Culina and skipper Michael Bridges are confident they can make a positive first impression in tonight's A-League season-opener against Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium.

After an encouraging pre-season campaign, the Jets plan to put their best feet forward tonight and set a standard they can maintain for the next seven months.

"The first game is always important, because hopefully it sets you up for the rest of the year," Culina said yesterday.

"It's not the end of the world, but it certainly does make you feel a lot better winning or doing well in the first game."

Bridges said his teammates were "well and truly up for it" after finalising their preparations with a high-intensity training session yesterday that left youngster Brodie Mooy with 18 stitches in a head wound.

"You've got to get off to a good start," Bridges said.

"Obviously it's an away game first and we would have preferred a home tie . . . the boys know what we've got to do.

"It's not a matter of getting a win. It's a matter of getting a result.

"If we can come away with a point, or three points, we'd be delighted to start the season off on that note."

Having finished last season in sixth place, then winning their opening play-off, the Jets are aiming to make further progress this season and establish themselves as title contenders.

Adelaide, meanwhile, will be equally motivated to start strongly after a disappointing season that left them with the wooden spoon and cost coach Aurelio Vidmar his job.

"They finished last but they had a great run in the Asian Champions League and it picked them up," Bridges said.

"Obviously they got the wooden spoon, so they've got a point to prove.

"We're going there knowing we've got a job on our hands."

Culina did not expect many tactical changes from Adelaide under their new coach, Dutchman Rini Coolen.

"Even though they have a new coach, the team is the same," Culina said.

"Sergio van Dijk joined them in the Asian Champions League, but we know what to expect.

"They won't catch us by surprise."

Culina said he had not bothered to analyse Adelaide on video, "other than what we saw of them in the Asian Champions League".

Culina is expected to field a predictable line-up tonight featuring new signings Kasey Wehrman, Ruben Zadkovich and Jeremy Brockie.

Wehrman will handle the role of midfield anchorman, Zadkovich is filling in for Tarek Elrich at right back and Brockie is expected to be deployed as an impact player off the bench.

Culina said the recent wet weather had affected Newcastle's build-up, in particular forcing trial matches to be cancelled.

For that reason, players like Elrich were not considered because he has played only one match since off-season groin surgery.

"We've had three practice games washed out, so we probably haven't had as many games as we would have liked," Culina said.

"That hasn't helped the players coming back from injury. Tarek only had 90 minutes of match time in the pre-season, and we felt that was not sufficient.

"It hasn't helped Jobe [Wheelhouse] or Ruben [Zadkovich] as well.

"It's played a bit of havoc with us but you can't do much about that."

Italian import Marcello Fiorentini was not considered for the trip to Adelaide after being troubled by a back injury.

Misfiring Jets unlucky
Saturday, 7 August 2010
by Lee Gagliardi, Sportal

Branko Culina
Branko Culina

Newcastle boss Branko Culina believes his side created enough chances to come away from Hindmarsh Stadium with a victory on Friday night despite sharing the points in a goalless draw with Adelaide United.

Culina said his side had come to Adelaide expecting to claim maximum points but admitted a lack of match practice ultimately cost the Jets, as Newcastle lacked the final polish required to find the back of the net.

Captain Michael Bridges squandered two clear chances by firing straight into the arms of United keeper Eugene Galekovic while Sean Rooney and Ali Abass were also guilty of wasting golden opportunities.

"We've prepared ourselves this year to go into ever game knowing we can win, not just hoping and we were fairly confident we'll get the three points," Culina said.

"I thought we had some really good chances. Bridgey had a couple, Rooney had a couple. It's probably we haven't played enough games and we're a little bit rusty in that part of the field."

"If you look at the two teams we're the only team that created chances, they didn't create. They just crossed the ball in. We had enough chances but we were probably just on the night, not quite ready for it."

Culina dismissed claims his strikers were selfish and that wasted chances may have been converted into goals if players had decided to lay off rather than pull the trigger.

He also praised Bridges' new 'libero' role playing in behind the strikers and said he hoped the Jets will be more clinical in Round 2 when they take on the new kids on the block Melbourne Heart.

"Michael has a lot more to offer us in that particular role once we decided the system we wanted to play," he said.

"We're a very structured team in defence and in midfield. Up front we like to give them a license and the freedom to express themselves and we'll continue to do that."

"Tonight it didn't quite work as well as we would have liked but hopefully it will for future games. Hopefully the players will benefit from having a game under the belt and will be a bit sharper and more accurate in front of goal next week."

The former Sydney FC boss said once the Jets' full quota of stars take to the pitch a very different Newcastle outfit could be expected.

"We're still a couple of players short. Once that's in place I'm sure you'll find quite a different Newcastle than what you've seen in the past and maybe tonight we showed that," he said.

So with Rooney gone and Topor potentially gone and Zhang unavailable, formation against Heart?

------------Brockie------------
Abbas-------Bridges--------Jesic
-----Wehrman--------Zadko-------
Puzz----Ljubo-----Kanta----Takka
-------------Kennedy------------

Just don't think Regan is up for it from what I saw against NBN.

Edited by Jets_Fan: 10/8/2010 05:38:07 PM

surely the chest would be up front? playing the fast man the way rooney did?

I really dont know who the chest is but Brockie is fast just like Rooney...

We lacked strength and real physicality up front against Adelaide, unfortunately for The Chest he doesn't have the same presence as Brockie does IMO. Against Heart however it will come down to our wingers to create space because Brockie I don't think is mobile enough to outplay Colosimo or Beauchamp

Marrone played at fullback for them last time, but by no means is he one. He showed how inexperinced he is against CCM by gifting them that goal so if we pressure him with the right player we might have a chance on that wing. Also it seems that Skoko might not play, and most likely that Thommo will slot into centre midfield. If so we need someone like Bridges who can match him in terms of technique and ball control - ie. Bridges.

Very worried about the prospects of Kanta/Wheelhouse against Sibon. They just don't match him in the air, unlike Ljubes

Will we see the return of shoes off if you love the jets tomorrow night?

i'm abandoning the squadron for corperate seats tomorrow

just wanted to bragg

Edited by Gunners_Shot_Stopper: 12/8/2010 08:00:23 PM

We need you: Culina pleads for massive Jets turnout
BY JOSH LEESON
13 Aug, 2010 04:00 AM
JETS coach Branko Culina appealed last night for Newcastle football fans to turn out in droves tonight for the club’s opening home game of the season against A-League newcomers Melbourne Heart.
Last season the Jets had an average crowd of 6340 at EnergyAustralia Stadium – the lowest in their five-year history – despite playing some quality football and finishing two wins from the grand final.

One of the complaints from fans was the spate of Sunday afternoon games.

Jets management obliged by asking the Football Federation Australia for more night matches, and tonight the fans have the chance to respond with their feet.

‘‘The message I’d like to send is, ‘We need you, and we desperately want to be able to show you what we can do,’’’ Culina said.

‘‘At some stages last year it was a little disappointing, but having said that, those that do come have been terrific and let’s hope they not only continue to come in numbers but support us the way they have.’’

The Jets have enjoyed their most positive off-season in years.

The build-up has been devoid of scandal or major injury and some quality new additions in former Socceroo Kasey Wehrman, All White Jeremy Brockie and Olyroo Ruben Zadkovich have been made.

Last Friday the Jets made a pleasing start to the season in their goalless draw against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium, but Culina knows more is needed in front of the EAS faithful.

‘‘You want to win your first home game without any doubt,’’ he said.

‘‘You win home games you get bums on seats, you set yourself up because it’s almost a guarantee that if you win all your home games you make the semi-finals.’’

Last night the Jets trained for the first time this season on EAS.

The pitch attracted plenty of criticism from the club last season after marquee man Fabio Vignaroli snapped the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee on the loose surface playing against the Gold Coast in round 18.

The Newcastle Knights played Canterbury on the ground last Sunday and wet weather has plagued the city in recent weeks. Despite this, Culina was impressed with the EAS pitch.

‘‘I think management has done the best they could considering rugby is still played on it, so it’s not easy when you have two different codes on it,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s not as bad as it was at some stages last year, in fact, the groundsman has done a top job.’’

The pitch could be a deciding factor as both sides like to play attractive football.

Heart coach John John van’t Schip has expressed his desire to play possession-based football, while the Jets have always been known for their passing game.

‘‘We were the top away team last year in terms of possession. We were the only team to have 52 per cent of possession,’’ Culina said. ‘‘Even though they [Heart] lost they had more possession [against Central Coast last week], so obviously both teams enjoy being on the ball and we’ll try to make sure they don’t have an enjoyable time when they are on the ball.’’

The only team change from last Friday’s draw is Kiwi World Cup member Brockie, who is poised to make his starting debut for the Jets in place of the injured Sean Rooney.

While traditionally a wide midfielder, Culina experimented with Brockie at the point in their final training session last night.

‘‘He’s not necessarily a wide player, I think he can play centrally,’’ Culina said.

‘‘In fact, I think he could be a very good striker because he has a bit of strength and a bit of speed so it’s an option for us because Rooney is not available.’’

Culina said other options for the lone striker role in the 4-2-3-1 formation were Labinot Haliti and Marko Jesic.

Central defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley appeared to be over his quadriceps injury and trained at full capacity last night, while crowd favourite Tarek Elrich is expected to return to play his first match of the season from the bench.

AAP reports: Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton admits it is crucial that the fledgling A-League club achieve quick results and he hopes it is as soon as tonight’s clash with Newcastle.

The Heart drew a respectable 11,000 and attracted plenty of attention for their debut last week, a loss to Central Coast in Melbourne.

But they travel out of Melbourne’s sporting glare for their next two matches and need something out of the games against the Jets and Adelaide United to ensure the same level of support for their return home later this month.

‘‘We’re a new team,’’ Bolton said. ‘‘Results are important. It’s a long season but if you start poorly, it’s hard to get back.’’

? Valentine Phoenix downed Toronto 5-0 in a catch-up game on Wednesday night and last night Edgeworth defeated Broadmeadow Magic 2-0 at Jack McLaughlan Oval.