Our Liberty A-League side will compete in their first inter-state clash this Sunday afternoon when they travel to Brisbane to take on the Roar.
The Jets are currently enjoying a four-game unbeaten run – which includes two wins and two draws – but are coming up against a Brisbane team that have showcased a strong ability to score goals this season.
The Roar secured a brilliant second half comeback to defeat Wellington away from home last weekend, while our Jets also managed to come from behind to gain a point against Perth thanks to an Elizabeth Eddy cracker.
Both sides are currently on the precipice of the top four, and will understand the importance of this fixture in keeping in touch as we near the halfway point of the season.
BRISBANE ROAR V NEWCASTLE JETS
Date: Sunday 23 January 2022
Kick-off: 4:05pm
Venue: Moreton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe
How to Watch: Paramount+
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 18
Jets: 5
Draws: 3
Roar: 10
ENDING THE BRISBANE DROUGHT
It wasn’t long ago that our Jets enjoyed dominance over Brisbane having not lost to the Roar across five straight games from 2014 to 2017, but since then, it’s been all our opponents.
The last time we managed to secure a victory over our rivals from up north was back in 2017 as part of our finals-qualifying season. Brisbane have bested us three times since.
With that being said, there seems to be something about playing in Queensland for our side as the majority of our wins against the Roar have come whilst playing away from home.
The hosts have proven to be one of our ‘bogey’ sides to date, and a win across the border would go a long way to strengthening the team’s confidence as we look to make a run at finals football once more.
TOP FOUR RACE
As it looks so far, Sydney, Victory and City have all proven they are forces to be reckoned with and will once again be favourites in securing three of the top four spots.
However, given our start to the season, our Women will be confident they can land a spot amongst them and given that Roar are also featuring as part of the top four race, this fixture’s result could prove vital.
So far our Women have played the least amount of games out of all sides in the competition, yet still sit in fifth place and just one point behind Adelaide in fourth with a game in hand.
Perth and Brisbane are hot on our heels though, and a win for the Roar on Sunday would see them leapfrog us on the ladder, forcing us to play catch-up as we enter a busy part of the schedule.
If our Jets are to play semi-final football this season, it’ll be imperative that we continue collecting crucial points against the teams vying for top four places.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Claire Coelho (Newcastle Jets)
Making her return last weekend, goalkeeper Coelho proved how critical she is to our success after pulling off numerous amount of vital saves in key moments.
That included a leaping effort to stop a Deb de le Harpe free-kick on the weekend, and she’ll likely be called upon once again considering the Roar’s great strike-rate in front of goal.
Despite only playing two matches, the women from Port Macquarie has already made 12 saves and leads the league for most saves per match. She also has one of the best save percentages in the competition with 75%.
She’ll be hoping to continue her form this weekend, and secure her first clean sheet of the season.
Larissa Crummer (Brisbane Roar)
When you talk about attacking threats in the league, Larissa Crummer is always a name that is mentioned and this Sunday, we expect her to be a danger.
The former Newcastle Jet will welcome old teammates to her hometown and will be keen to extend her goalscoring form after nabbing three from her first seven games.
To go with that, she’s also managed an assist, and three additional big chances, and leads the competition with possessions won in the final third.
If our defenders aren’t switched on to locking her down, and her combination with Shea Connors, it could be a real problem.
STATS & FACTS
Our Jets enter this clash in Brisbane with the ambition of not only winning, but extending our unbeaten streak to five games which would equal the team record set back in 2017/18.
If we are to do that though, we’ll need to nullify Brisbane’s attack. They currently stand as one of the best attacking teams in the competition with 13 goals to their name, compared to our nine, however they’ve also conceded their fair share with 14, which large in contrast to our six.
Overall though, Brisbane have got the rub over us with 38 goals to our 24.
So far this season, the Roar are in the top three for shots on target, possession won in the final third, and in chances created, however they do also lead the league for chances missed.
While defensively our opponents have leaked more goals, they have been rather industrious as they lead the competition in tackles won.
Interestingly enough, both teams also share the exact same passing accuracy with 73%, however our side averages almost 20 more passes a game than the Roar.
