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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

A-League Women: Newcastle Jets sweat on fitness of US weapons

American striker Sarah Griffith has been battling lower-back pain and has missed Newcastle's past two A-League Women's matches. Picture by Marina Neil

Jets women's coach Ash Wilson will welcome back keeper Georgina Worth but question marks remain over the fitness of American attacking weapons Murphy Agnew and Sarah Griffith as Newcastle prepare to take on Canberra away on Saturday.

All three were missing for the 4-2 loss to leaders Sydney FC on Saturday at No.2 Sportsground when the visitors scored three times in the opening seven minutes.

First-choice keeper Worth was forced out with illness but has returned to training, while Agnew (hip/back) and Griffith (back) are trying to recover from injury after missing the past two games.

"Georgia's back at training tonight and both the Americans were integrated yesterday into parts of the session and we're looking forward to getting them into a little bit more tonight and obviously Thursday," Wilson said before training on Tuesday at No.2 Sportsground.

"The signs are positive for some people to come back in. Definitely Georgia and then the minutes that will be available to players like Sarah and Murph will be determined probably by the end of Thursday, but they are coming back in and they seem to be progressing well.

"Sarah felt good at training last night. A lot of the symptoms have really subsided for her, which is positive.

"It's a bit of a pain thing in her lower back so once she's able to tolerate that and we can get a little bit more movement in there and she feels good doing certain aspects of training, she'll come back in."

Saturday's game at McKellar Park starts what could be a season-defining run for the Jets, who are eighth on seven points, six outside the top four. Canberra, who beat Adelaide 2-0 on Saturday, are seventh on eight points but with a game in hand on the Jets. Newcastle then play second-last Wanderers before a return clash with Canberra.

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