Ruben Zadkovich says the Jets are prepared for the heat wave temperatures expected for Friday’s clash with Melbourne Heart.
Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets captain Ruben Zadkovich does not expect the current heat wave temperatures in Victoria to have a too big a bearing on the Jets- clash with Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park tomorrow.
Temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees celsius in Melbourne each day this week, with a top of 42 degrees forecast for match day tomorrow.
Zadkovich said the potentially oppressive conditions would not alter the Jets- approach to the match.
“It-s the same for both teams, so if it-s a factor for us, it-s a factor for them,” Zadkovich said.
“We all know how unpredictable Melbourne-s weather is, so there-s no point focusing on that because it could easily change.
“If it-s hot, it-s hot. We-ve got a young fit side and we-re ready to cope with it if we have to.”
With the Heart no doubt desperate to notch their first win of the season on Friday night, Zadkovich said it was crucial that the Jets match their opponents- level of intensity.
“First and foremost you have to match and even better their commitment to the cause,” Zadkovich said.
“They-re going to come out firing and hungry to fight for everything.
“If we-re to stand a chance, we-ve got to fight from the first whistle and we-ve got a team that will definitely do that and we-ve shown that we could do that in the past.
“We-re really looking forward to the game and we know it-s going to be a tough one.”
With the middle of the Hyundai A-League ladder highly congested, Zadkovich said he felt the season was getting to the point where each game feels like a must-win.
“It-s a must-win game for us because of the way the Heart are travelling and where we are on the ladder,” Zadkovich said.
“But I think we-ve seen that they-re all crucial, every single game is crucial and this is no different.
“In this league you can see how hard it is to get three points. Everyone can beat everyone and we-re going to have to be at our best if we want to beat the Heart.
“The team spirit is good here and we know what we can do. We-ve shown already this year that we can beat the best sides, but it-s just a matter of consistency.
“We-re confident, composed and ready for the game, it-s just about putting it all together on match day, which is the big thing.”
