Fresh from an all-important win at home over the Central Coast Mariners, the Jets now face a much tougher assignment in the West.
A Sunday night encounter with Perth Glory beckons, and Ernie Merrick has made as few changes as possible for the trip.
After being handed a well-deserved rest on Wednesday night, Nigel Boogaard and Matt Ridenton are back in the squad.
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There’s a chance that the captain could slip right back into the centre of defence, with Johnny Koutroumbis out for the Round 16 match.
The defender will be remaining in Newcastle this weekend for medical treatment, to assist in tackling his thyroid cancer, which has been pencilled in for some months now.
After serving his one-match suspension for that red card against Sydney, Jason Hoffman also returns and is in the mix for Sunday.
With no injury concerns resulting from the F3 Derby clash, rotation could again be on the cards with the boys facing a pair of quick turnarounds.
Ronny Vargas and Jair are two players who have been starting XI mainstays this season, and could be back in this Sunday.
Newcastle Jets FC Squad: 1.Glen MOSS (gk), 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (c), 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Dimi PETRATOS, 8.Jair, 9.Roy O’DONOVAN, 10.Ronald VARGAS, 11.Mitch AUSTIN, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 14.Kaine SHEPPARD, 16.Nick COWBURN, 17.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 20.Lewis ITALIANO (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 23.Matthew RIDENTON, 24.Joe CHAMPNESS, 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 3.Jason HOFFMAN (return from suspension), 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (promoted), 23.Matt RIDENTON (promoted)
Outs: 18.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS (scheduled medical treatment – 1 week)
Unavailable: 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI (groin – 1 week)
