The Newcastle Herald’s James Gardiner says he would be ‘absolutely stunned’ if the Jets played their home Asian Champions League fixtures anywhere but McDonald Jones Stadium next season.
In sealing their maiden A-League Men’s Premiership on Sunday as Auckland lost to Central Coast, Mark Milligan’s Newcastle also confirmed a return to Asia’s premier club competition for the first time since 2008/09.
That means not only the chance to earn money that will mean the world t the oft-cash strapped club – Melbourne City collecting $1.4million AUD this season – but a chance to promote the entire region internationally.
Privately, Jets officials are working to ensure the 2000 lux lighting required for 4K broadcasts can be accommodated, at their home ground, and avoid any potential discussion of seeing their biggest fixtures in years moved to Sydney, or worse, to Gosford.
‘You’d hope they’d see that [scenario] as an embarrassment. In the past, Venues NSW have done whatever they’ve had to to make sure quality events have come to Newcastle’, Gardiner told Box2Box.
‘They’ve hosted Women’s State of Origin, [rugby] Test matches, the Rugby World Cup is here next year for four games. So I’d be absolutely stunned if they didn’t come together, between Venues NSW, the State Government and local stakeholders, to say ‘we need to sort this out because it’s a chance to put Newcastle on the map.’
‘Newcastle does a lot of trade with Asia through coal and our other main industries here. Being on the world stage amongst real Asian heavyweights is a chance not just for the Jets, but for Newcastle to advertise itself.’
Before that becomes their primary concern the Jets have a return to the finals before them, and with it the chance to become the first side to win the Australian domestic treble since the reintroduction of the Australia Cup.
It’s not too often a middle-to-lower tier A-League club breaks from its class constraints and rises above its wealthier competitors, although the Mariners have shown it remains possible in the current climate in recent seasons.
In winning the Australia Cup and now the Premiership in their first season under Mark Milligan – their first trophies since 2008 – the Jets are making up for time lost to years in the wilderness. Saturday will see the plate presented before a celebratory F3 Derby, while they’ll have next week off as their semi-final opponents are decided.
Then comes the chance to make good on their last famous chapter, but one that remains bittersweet for all with the Jets at heart. Storming to the 2018 Grand Final under Ernie Merrick and enjoying hosting rights as Sydney FC fell over in the semis, the Jets had Grand Final week momentum. Riley McGree’s legendary goal had spent the week going around the world, and few if any neutrals wanted Melbourne Victory to win again.
But a VAR malfunction played a big hand in Victory’s opener on nine minutes, their ‘keeper Lawrence Thomas won the Joe Marston medal as the Jets sought to equalise, and that was full time. They haven’t played a final since.
‘We all remember 2018, when the VAR malfunctioned and 29,000 people walked out of the stadium with a tear in their eye. All being well, they’ll win the two-legged semi-final and host the Grand Final, and finally Newcastle can have the football party we deserve’ said Gardiner.
‘It’s been a long time since 2008. The whole town were behind the club: there was a street parade, they got the keys to the city, there were 10,000 people at Civic Park as they were presented on the Mayor’s balcony.
‘It wasn’t quite the 30,000 on the foreshore when the Knights won, but it’s getting there. Football really is taking a strong hold here, purely because of the grassroots numbers and how many players we have here. We have the most players in all of New South Wales and it’s growing every year. This is a real opportunity.’