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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
David Lowe

The Lowedown: Get excited as Jets return promises plenty

A front three of Beka Mikeltadze, Olivier Boumal (pictured) and Valentino Yuel will ask plenty of questions of the Adelaide defence on Sunday. Picture: Simone De Peak

Keep your voices down, I think there might be an A-League game on Sunday at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Yes, involving the Jets.

In fact, to be more accurate, there is a scheduled double-header with the A-League Women set to open proceedings against Canberra United.

As Newcastle Jets chief executive Shane Mattiske noted earlier in the week, this feels almost like the first game of the season with a level of excitement and anticipation, and indeed relief, that things are about to restart.

It's almost impossible to predict the level the men's team will find after six weeks without football, whether their freshness and enthusiasm will stack up against a match-hardened Adelaide United, who have completed four games more.

It's almost impossible to predict the level the men's team will find after six weeks without football.

I have no doubt the Jets football will, if they are close to the level they reached before the enforced hibernation. But, despite all the diligent planning and training you can provide, it's difficult to replicate the standards required of you during competitive matches. I also have no doubt this will be a cracking match if the Jets are near top-game speed.

Adelaide are a good team; a good mix of energetic youth and cagey experience, and generally very proactive in their approach.

That said, they could very well be without their best player if Craig Goodwin was on the plane to Oman with the Socceroos as I wrote this plus captain Stefan Mauk is rumoured to be on the way to Japan to start the next chapter of his career. That would be two rather large holes for Adelaide coach Carl Veart to fill, and might just tip the scales ever so slightly in Newcastle's favour.

From a Jets perspective, the players are surely busting to get back on the pitch. Coach Arthur Papas should have a full deck of fit and healthy cards to choose from and will recognise that a battle-hardened Adelaide will provide a good test of where his team is at.

And as much as there are 21 games left to accumulate points, he will know that three points at home first up against a top-six rival would provide very valuable impetus for what will be a busy three months ahead.

It will be interesting to see who makes the first 11, whether it differs much from the team that started the season, and how aggressive his selection is.

I would imagine his main areas of decision would be who plays as fullbacks and at the base of his midfield.

If Daniel Penha operates as a midfielder, you would imagine he and a front three of Beka Mikeltadze, Olivier Boumal and Valentino Yuel will ask plenty of questions of the Adelaide defence.

Unsurprisingly, while we have been in a bit of limbo in these parts, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory have made their way towards the top of the table, but nobody has found the rhythm required to put a large gap between themselves and others. All of which leaves the competition very much alive. It makes the task of confronting teams like the Jets, who have games in hand, a little less daunting and keeps most fans optimistic.

And that's the feeling I will carry into McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. Get there early to watch the ladies and then hope to see the Jets playing with some of the expansive fluency they produced earlier in the season.

I hope you can join me. Two games and the prospect of some free-flowing football on a balmy Sunday evening before sending the kids back to school is a great way to end the summer holidays.

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