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Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna believes Newcastle’s tough run to the A-League grand final will be a factor in Sunday’s decider and that his well-rested side can finish over the top of their local rivals.
The Mariners will go into the match having played just one match in the past four weeks while Newcastle have played two extra-time thrillers in consecutive weeks.
After capitulating 3-0 to the Mariners in extra-time two weeks ago in Gosford, the Jets then took 120 minutes to outlast Queensland 3-2 in last Sunday’s controversial preliminary final.
Both matches were arduous, physical affairs but Jets coach Gary van Egmond feels that his team is better for the hit-outs, stating that the Mariners should be more worried about their sparse preparation.
But McKinna is backing his team to have a physical edge in the grand final.
“He’s (van Egmond) always going to have to put his spin on it but if we’re up a goal twenty minutes from the end, those boys will be feeling those two extra half-hours,” McKinna said.
“If we’re up, that’s when the tired legs will come into it. We were happy it went into extra-time (last week).
Mariners striker John Aloisi (knee), Mile Jedinak (groin), Alvin Ceccoli (bruised foot) and Nigel Boogard (groin) all failed to complete training yesterday but McKinna’s main worry is Tom Pondeljak who sat out the session with a lower hamstring strain.
McKinna wasn’t concerned with the injuries, and stated that all except Pondeljak could have completed the session.
Aloisi, whose knee injuries have required constant maintenance throughout the year, believes that the week off has been a huge boost for the minor premiers.
“We needed the break I think because we’re carrying a few boys with niggling injuries, a week off helped us recover from that,” said Aloisi, who has yet to make a decision about his playing future after the grand final.
“For me, I needed that week off to get my knee right and it feels a lot better.”
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