Saturday’s A-League Grand Final match is between Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:50 local time with the game to be played at McDonald Jones Stadium. The home team Newcastle Jets are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory.
When: 19:50 | Saturday 05/05/2018
Where: McDonald Jones Stadium
Preview:
It’s the A-League Grand Final nobody predicted but it’s also the Grand Final the A-League desperately needed.
After an indifferent season for the A-League both on and off the pitch, this weekend’s season finale pits the league’s fairy tale story in the Newcastle Jets up against giant killers Melbourne Victory who put reigning A-League champs Sydney FC to the sword in a dramatic second semi-final last week.
Cellar dwellers last season, the Jets have turned the tables in one season to reach just their second grand final since their one and only grand final triumph in 2008.
Victory have their own redemption story and Kevin Muscat’s men are looking to atone for last year’s grand final defeat to Sydney FC and capture their 4th grand final triumph and their first since 2015.
Jets fullback Daniel Georgievski, faces his former team after winning the Joe Marston Medal for Victory, as the best player in last year’s A-League Grand Final.
Victory leads the series 10-6-8 since 2010 but the Jets have won 2 and drawn 1 of the last 4 including the last two at home.
As a favourite, the Jets are 9-5-1 over the last two seasons while the Victory are 2-5-7 as the underdog over the same period.
Newcastle are 12-29 (29.3 percent) in night matches in the “W/W (Half-Time/Full-Time”) market in A-League matches since 2016/17.
Victory has a 2-3 (40.0 percent) O/U 2.5 record after a draw as an underdog since 2015/16.
Both sides have a couple of injury setbacks with Jack Duncan and Ben Kantarovski out for the Jets while Rhys Williams and Christian Theoharous are expected to miss for Victory.
Key Players
All eyes from a Newcastle standpoint will be on the Scorpion Kid, Riley McGree (pictured above).
The 19-year-old’s outrageous scorpion kick against Melbourne City captured attention from football fans across the world and Jets fans will be hoping to see more heroics from the talented teen.
Lawrence Thomas and Terry Antonis were the heroes for Victory last weekend, but Victory talisman Besart Berisha holds the key for last year’s finalists.
The enigmatic striker is capable of anything and no man in A-League football loves the limelight more than Berisha.
The Verdict
What an atmosphere it will be to have 30,000 Novocastrians including 3000 Victory supporters packing into McDonald Jones Stadium to cheer on the Jets.
Fans can expect an entertaining spectacle as well with Jets coach Ernie Merrick declaring his side will press forward and look to play a quick, up-tempo game.
While the fairy tale result would see the home side saluting, you can’t ignore Victory’s desperation to atone for last year’s grand final defeat.
With Antonis, Berisha, Leroy George, James Troisi and Kosta Barbarouses, Victory have a myriad of weapons and with gloveman Lawrence Thomas rock solid at the back, Victory’s redemption will be realised in Newcastle.
Unibet Odds:
Newcastle at $2.45
Draw at $3.55
Melbourne Victory at $2.85
Odds:
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Tip: Melbourne Victory at $2.65
Correct Score: Melbourne Victory 2-1 at $9.00
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Teams:
Newcastle Jets squad:
1.Jack DUNCAN (Gk), 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (c), 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Dimi PETRATOS, 8.Ronald VARGAS, 9.Roy O’DONOVAN, 11.Patricio RODRIGUEZ, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 16.Nick COWBURN, 17.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 18.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS, 19.Kosta PETRATOS, 20.Glen MOSS (Gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 24.Joseph CHAMPNESS, 27.Riley MCGREE, 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY
**two to be omitted**
Melbourne Victory squad:
1.Matt ACTON (Gk), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Kenny ATHIU, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.James TROISI, 14.Thomas DENG, 16.Josh HOPE, 17.James DONACHIE, 18.Matias SANCHEZ, 19. Pierce WARING, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (Gk), 21.Carl VALERI (c), 22. Stefan NIGRO, 23.Jai INGHAM, 24.Terry ANTONIS, 31.Christian THEOHAROUS, 41.Leroy GEORGE
**two to be omitted**
*Odds correct at time of posting. Subject to change
