Ernie Merrick has confirmed he will be including Roy O’Donovan and Wayne Brown in his squad to travel to Perth for the Jets’ Round 10 Hyundai A-League clash with the Glory.
O’Donovan has been unavailable since the Jets’ loss to Sydney FC in Round 7 due to a groin complaint, while Brown has been struggling with an ongoing calf issue over the last fortnight.
Jack Duncan and Daniel Georgievski will remain grounded as they recover from foot and knee injuries respectively, as the latter pushes for a recall when the Jets’ return to McDonald Jones Stadium in ten days time.
Merrick welcomed the addition of two of his senior players, but wouldn’t confirm what role they would play over the course of his team’s trip across the Nullarbor.
“It’s fantastic to be able to include Roy and Wayne in the squad this week, it’s important for our depth and adds invaluable experience on what is a tough trip to Perth,” said Merrick.
“Given we’re travelling on a Thursday, we’ll take both players to continue their treatment, with a further session for them to prove their fitness on Friday morning.”
Both O’Donovan and Brown trained strongly at Ray Watt Oval this morning and are both pushing for selection for Saturday’s fixture.
“We won’t be taking any risks with either (O’Donovan and Brown), and are taking an extended squad as cover,” added Merrick.
“There’s no guarantees on what role they will play during the trip, we may see them sit on the bench or play no part in the match whatsoever.
“Just to have their presence and personality around the group will be massive, both are seasoned campaigners who will no doubt support many of the younger players in our squad.”
The Jets will clash with Perth Glory at NIB Stadium on Saturday 9 December – kick-off 7pm (local), 10pm (AEDST).
