Brisbane Roar are up against Newcastle Jets in a do-or-die Isuzu UTE A-League clash at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday evening.
Roar head into Saturday’s Round 24 clash five points outside of the competition’s top six with just three games remaining in the regular season.
Buoyed by a 2-1 win on the road over Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend, Roar look to build on a four-match unbeaten streak at Suncorp Stadium as they chase a return to finals football for the first time since 2021.
Newcastle start the weekend in tenth position but also come into Saturday’s match in positive spirits, having beaten Sydney FC 3-1 at home last weekend.
The Roar and Jets have already me twice this season with the sides taking a win each from their two encounters so far.
WHAT WAS SAID
“The way we get a result is really important to me, it’s really important to the group that we play our style of football and impose ourselves on the game and play an attacking brand of football that can really get our fans off their seats and that’s what we intend to do.” – Ruben Zadkovich
READ MORE: Zadkovich’s thoughts ahead of Jets clash
“This is why all the boys play, so hopefully we can get a big crowd and hopefully put on a performance and get three points.” – Henry Hore
READ MORE: Hore previews Jets clash
TEAM NEWS
Roar will be without Keegan Jelacic after the midfielder earned a call-up for the Olyroos squad for the AFC U23 Asian Cup in Qatar.
Jelacic has been replaced by Ryan Lethlean in the extended 20-man squad for Saturday’s match.
Jets duo Mark Natta and Lucas Mauragis are both on Olyroos duty as well and will miss Saturday’s match.
BRFC Squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 3. Corey BROWN, 5. Tom ALDRED (C), 7. Florin BERENGUER, 8. Jonas MARKOVSKI, 10. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 11. Jez LOFTHOUSE, 12. Taras GOMULKA, 13. Henry HORE, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM, 19. Jack HINGERT, 20. Marco ROJAS, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, , 26. Jay O’SHEA, 27. Kai TREWIN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 32. James NIKOLOVSKI, 35. Louis ZABALA, 44. Ryan LETHLEAN, 99. Ayom MAJOK
Ins: 44. Ryan LETHLEAN
Outs: 23. Keegan JELACIC (Olyroos duty)
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE, 6. Joe CALETTI, 23. Keegan JELACIC (Olyroos duty)
Newcastle Jets squad: 1. Ryan SCOTT, 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 6. Brandon O’NEILL, 7. Trent BUHAGIAR, 8. Apostolos STAMATELOPOULOS, 10. Reno PISCOPO, 13. Clayton TAYLOR, 14. Dane INGHAM, 17. Kosta GROZOS, 18. Daniel STYNES, 19. Callum TIMMINS, 20. Michael WEIER, 22. Phil CANCAR, 23. Daniel WILMERING, 25. Carl JENKINSON, 26. Archie GOODWIN, 27. Nathan GRIMALDI, 29. Mark NATTA, 37. Lachlan BAYLISS 39. Thomas AQULINA.
Ins: 27. Nathan GRIMALDI, 29. Justin VIDIC
Outs: 5. Lucas MAURAGIS (Olyroos duty), 33. MARK NATTA (Olyroos duty)
Unavailable: 5. Lucas MAURAGIS (Olyroos duty), 11. Jacob DOWSE, 15. Jason BERTHOMIER, 33. Mark NATTA (Olyroos duty), 66. Zac BOWLING.
LAST TIME WE MET
Newcastle Jets defeated Brisbane Roar 3-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium in the last match up between the two clubs.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos scored a brace while Lucas Mauragis was also on target for the hosts against a ten-man Roar side who had Jay O’Shea sent off in the first half.
Roar’s goal scorer was Ayom Majok , who came off the bench to score his first A-League goal.
Saturday’s clash at Suncorp will be the third meeting between the sides this season with Roar running out 3-2 winners when the sides met in Unite Round thanks to Jay O’Shea double and Jonas Markovski’s first A-League goal.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 55
Brisbane Roar wins: 21
Newcastle Jets wins: 22
Draws: 12
KEY STATS brought to you by Opta
● Brisbane Roar FC are unbeaten in their last four A-League Men games in Queensland against the Newcastle Jets (W3 D1) keeping a clean sheet in each of those four games; the last time they conceded a goal to the Jets at home in the competition was in a 1-6 loss in April 2019.
● Brisbane Roar FC will be looking to win back-to-back A-League Men games for the first time in 2024 after defeated Western Sydney Wanderers FC 2-1 in their most recent fixture; furthermore, they are unbeaten in their last four games at Suncorp Stadium in the competition (W2 D2).
● Newcastle Jets are winless in their last eight A-League Men games away from McDonald Jones Stadium (D4 L4), failing to score a goal in three of their last five such fixtures.
● Brisbane Roar FC’s first goal of the game has come at an average of the 47th minute this A-League Men season, the latest of any team, while only Sydney FC (26th minute) have scored their first goal earlier on average than the Newcastle Jets (35th minute).
● Newcastle Jets have been show 32 yellow cards throughout the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the fewest of any team in the competition and 13 fewer than Brisbane Roar FC (45), while the Jets 9.4 fouls conceded per game are the second fewest of any team.
● Thomas Waddingham (Brisbane Roar FC) has scored four goals across his last three A-League Men games at Suncorp Stadium.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 24: Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Saturday, 13 April (5:30pm KO)
TICKETS
