The first game on Saturday for A-League Round 26 is between Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory. The opening kick-off is set to commence at 5.30pm AEDT with the game to be played at Hunter Stadium. The favourite for the match is home team Newcastle Jets. View our preview and teams for the game between Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory.

Round: Round 26, Saturday April 5 at 5.30pm AEDT.
Stadium: Hunter Stadium
Head to head: Played: 30, Wins: Jets 13, Victory 11, Draws: 6
Previous encounter: Jets 1-1 Victory, January 10 2014

Newcastle Jets $2.20 vs Melbourne Victory $3.15 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Newcastle Jets $2.20 vs Melbourne Victory $3.05 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison:

Newcastle Jets	2.20	2.20	2.20	2.20	2.20	2.20
Draw	3.40	3.40	3.35	3.40	3.40	3.40
Melbourne Victory	3.15	3.15	3.05	3.15	3.15	3.00

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Teams:

Newcastle Jets squad:
1.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 4.Kew JALIENS, 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 7.Andrew HOOLE, 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (c), 9.Emile HESKEY, 11.Craig GOODWIN, 14.Josh MITCHELL, 15.Josh BRILLANTE, 16.Jacob PEPPER, 19.Michael BRIDGES, 21.Sam GALLAWAY, 20.Ben KENNEDY (gk), 22.Adam TAGGART, 23.David CARNEY, 24.Mitch OXBORROW, 27.Nick WARD, 29.Joel GRIFFITHS
**Two to be omitted**
Ins: 7.Andrew HOOLE (promoted), 16. Jacob PEPPER (promoted), 27.Nick WARD (promoted)
Outs: Zenon CARAVELLA (knee injury – four to six weeks)
Unavailable: 2.Scott NEVILLE (knee injury – long term) 25.Mitch COOPER (knee injury – long term)

Melbourne Victory squad:
1.Nathan COE (gk), 2.Pablo CONTRERAS, 3.Adama TRAORE, 4.Nick ANSELL, 5.Mark MILLIGAN (C), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Gui FINKLER, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 13.Andrew NABBOUT, 14.James TROISI, 17.James JEGGO, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Tom ROGIC, 22.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 23.Adrian LEIJER, 24.Scott GALLOWAY, 25.Jason GERIA
**Two to be omitted**
Ins: 4.Nick ANSELL (returns from injury), 6.Leigh BROXHAM (returns from suspension), 21.Tom ROGIC (returns from injury), Andrew NABBOUT (promoted)
Outs: 11.Connor PAIN, 16.Rashid MAHAZI
Unavailable: Nil

Preview:

The Game:

The Jets go into this game on the back of a painful – and potentially costly – loss away to Perth Glory last Sunday. The visitors led 1-0 heading down the home straight at nib Stadium, and looked set to end their long wait for a win out west. Kenny Lowe’s previously hapless side had other ideas however, scoring twice in the final five minutes of normal time to snatch the points. The defeat, coupled with Sydney FC’s 1-1 draw away to Melbourne Victory, left Clayton Zane’s side seventh on the table, one point outside the finals places.

After being held at home by the dogged Sky Blues, Victory jumped on a plane to Japan, but had to leave several first-team players behind, and a relatively inexperienced side lost 3-2 to Yokohama F Marinos on Wednesday night as a consequence.

Kevin Muscat’s team are fifth in the A-League standings, level on points with Adelaide United, one point behind third-placed Western Sydney and two back from Central Coast, the current incumbents of the prized second position. Anything is possible in the congested race for a top-two finish, but Victory must aim to take all three points at Hunter Stadium to give themselves the best chance of overtaking their rivals.

The big issue:

Jets – Newcastle must aim to win the midfield battle without Zenon Caravella, who is out for the rest of the season due injury. That leaves Ben Kantarovski and Ruben Zadkovich with the task of winning the ball and keeping possession long enough to offer the likes of Adam Taggart opportunities in attack.

Victory – The visitors are likely to get Tom Rogic, Mark Milligan, Adama Traore and Nick Ansell back for this game, while Guilherme Finkler, ineligible for the AFC Champions League, will be a certain starter in domestic competition. Leigh Broxham missed the Sydney game due to suspension but is available again, while Pablo Contreras and Kosta Barbouses – suspended for the Marinos defeat – will also be relatively fresh. All those important inclusions could spell trouble for the home side.

The game breaker:

Tom Rogic/Guilherme Finkler. Officially, Rogic was rested for the ‘Big Blue’ and Wednesday’s ACL game due to groin soreness, but the Socceroo playmaker, on loan at Victory from Celtic, looked likely to be dropped anyway due to some underwhelming performances in recent weeks. If he returns to the starting XI on Saturday the former Mariner will be expected to produce a far more convincing display at Hunter Stadium, with the 21-year-old’s work-rate and body language questioned in matches and training of late.

Regardless of whether Rogic starts or is named on the bench, he has only to look to Finkler for an example of how to influence proceedings in the final third. The Brazilian forward, out of contract at the end of the season, is in talks with Victory over a new deal, and his bravura efforts in the second half of the season will only strengthen his position at the negotiating table.

Source: www.footballaustralia.com.au