What looked like being a dynasty is now a title defence in ruins after A-League champions Melbourne Victory were tonight consigned to finals oblivion and the real prospect of finishing bottom of the league.

Newcastle Jets’ 3-1 whipping of the Victory at Telstra Dome ensures new A-League champions will be crowned this season, with Melbourne now effectively out of contention to make the top four.

The Victory, unstoppable the previous season, have now slumped to one point above bottom-placed Perth and the only momentum they have appears to be downward.

Melbourne have won just three games in 17 in 2007-08, have not won in their past eight, have struggled all season for goals and face the ignominy of going from champions to wooden spooners in the space of 12 months.

In a match they needed to win to have any hope of making the finals, the Victory tonight let an early 1-0 lead slip.

Two moments of Joel Griffiths magic – something sorely lacking in Melbourne’s season – killed off the Victory and also powered the Jets back into the race for a top two berth.

The Victory got the early goal they craved after just 11 minutes when Carlos Hernandez snuck in between two Jets defenders to turn in an Adrian Caceres cross.

But Newcastle’s Brazilian midfielder Denni made the Victory pay for being unable to turn first half dominance into goals with a sweetly struck volley in the 41st minute to equalise.

Enter Griffiths, who must surely be at the top of Socceroos’ coach Pim Verbeek’s notes from his first weekend of watching the A-League, to run a wrecking ball through the Victory.

First the Jets striker produced a free-kick David Beckham would have been proud of in the 54th minute – his 25-metre effort swerving and curving inside the right-hand upright to give the Jets a 2-1 lead.

Then he finished off the Victory on 76 minutes, collecting a ball and turning between two Melbourne defenders, then shooting low and wide of keeper Michael Theoklitos.

Melbourne coach Ernie Merrick admitted his side’s season had been a disappointing one, saying the Victory players were devastated after again failing to resurrect their year.

“You’ve got to get in the finals, you’ve got to stand up and be the team you were last year and we weren’t able to do that,” Merrick said.

“It’s about scoring goals and not conceding goals, and considering the amount of possession we had in the first half, going in at 1-1 was a bit hard to take.

“This year has been a tough year to take.”

Newcastle have now leapt into third place, two points behind second-placed Queensland and two above fourth-placed Adelaide United with four matches remaining.

While Central Coast kicked three points clear atop the table with their 2-1 win over Adelaide on Friday night, only fifth-placed Sydney FC appear a realistic chance of breaking into the current top four with four rounds remaining.

Despite their 4-2 upset by bottom side Perth on Saturday night, Sydney FC are two points behind Adelaide United with a game in hand.

Glory striker Billy Celeski’s hat-trick steered Perth home – capitalising on three horrible Sydney defensive errors – while Leo Bertos added a fourth.

In the other match on Friday night, Queensland managed a 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand.

© 2007 AAP

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