They lost the A-League grand final in hugely controversial circumstances but Ernie Merrick made sure Newcastle knew they’d already won.
Saturday night’s 1-0 loss to Melbourne Victory cut the Jets’ romantic story short in the final chapter, when they could have made history as the first Australian side in any sporting code to go from wooden spooners to champions in one season.
It pained Merrick, a self-described video assistant referee fan, that the maligned technology had failed so spectacularly in the most important match of the season.
He was also irate at what he perceived as Melbourne Victory’s negative tactics, declaring “I would hope not to coach a team that plays like that” – a dig at former protege Kevin Muscat.
But amid all the hostility and heartbreak, Merrick was sure of one thing – his battle-hardened Jets were back in business.
“I told the boys they’ve won,” Merrick said.
“They’ve won this season from that perspective, they’re winners and they’ve done so well to come from bottom and go to the top.
“We’ve made enormous ground, we’ve really put ourselves on the A-League map.
“We’re not a team that’s easily beaten. We’ve won a lot of games, we’ve scored a lot of goals, and every team in the league we’ve beaten at least once.
“It’s a credit to the boys, to what they’ve achieved.
“I just think we can build on this team and we’ll be in the finals next year, especially given that we’ve got 18 players re-signed.”
Skipper Nigel Boogaard is among the majority who’ll remain in the Hunter next season, which the Jets will start as genuine title fancies for the first time since winning their only title in 2008.
But Merrick could well start the campaign without striker Roy O’Donovan, who could cop a long ban for his reckless studs-to-the-face challenge on Joe Marsden Medallist Lawrence Thomas.
The club could also lose its Scorpion King if on-loan midfielder Riley McGree is summoned back to Belgian parent side Club Brugge.
“It’s not something I really want to comment on at the moment, it’ll work itself out in the next few weeks,” McGree said.
“I’ve definitely grown on and off the field and it’s been great being around this bunch of lads.
“So many positives and I can definitely tell I’ve improved.”
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Wasn't sure where to put this, but for those interested, these are last night's ratings: GF STV - Fox: 210k GF FTA - One: 183k Total 393k Last season: Foxsports Game: 275k Penalties: 460k Average Rating Given: 367k SBS: 258K" Total (depends on how you want to calculate it): between 533k-718k
Griffo
Roar Guru
Stable ownership. Stable management. Stable coaching appointment. Stable team from a successful season. There is much to be excited about for next season with ‘stability’ the word on which to build on. Merrick with a few decisions to make over the next couple of weeks. Will both Vargas and Rodriguez stay? Can Nabbout be replaced. What will happen to O’Donovan - who is being scanned for a potential fractured cheek? I’d like to think the Jets are much more attractive to quality players than they were this time last season, even after the likes of Georgievski signed on. McGree on loan. Vargas and Rodriguez want to stay.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
One big positive is that Newcastle got to host the grand final, and did a pretty good job at it. The pre-game entertatinment looked pretty good on TV, and it was a decent crowd. The Fox commentators mentioned that the official attendance of 29,400 (going off my memory here) was the largest A-League crowd ever for that stadium, beating the previous mark by some 5,000.
j binnie
Guest
Emma - As a long time admirer of Merrick and his attempts to improve football wherever he has coached, I watched the game with what could be regarded as an extraordinary interest mainly to see how he would line his lads up for the biggest game in their careers. I have watched most of Jet's games this season and have been more than impressed by the way he had welded together a team consisting mostly of local talent. Having experienced some bad luck with injuries to a couple of his imported players he appeared to have come up with answers that involved the use of 3 "musclemen " playing across the middle,men who could fight for and win their fair share of ball and this had another ,more subtle benefit for it appeared to release Petratos into a role that suits his talents completely. Dimi does not fare well doing defensive work,it is just not part of his game,but the roving commission he appeared to be given just behind the front line attackers suited him just like a good fitting glove,and didn't the goals for stats register that the formation was working well. Then two things happened, and this successful formation came up for change the coming back to fitness of the Argentinian play-maker and the departure of the goal scoring winger to Japan saw necessary changes having to be made. Come Grand Final time my interest was again on how he would line up his players and to be honest his starting line up surprised me somewhat. In came the Argentinian as a central midfielder with Dimi pushed left leaving the youngster McGree to supply back up and "muscle" to the midfield ,again a role that doesn't really suit his talent. So that successful midfield from a few weeks ago went under dramatic change and didn't the function of the team change with it. Merrick could have been excused for thinking that by including two ball playing clever midfielders his overall football would improve but that was not to be in this case, and the goals dried up accordingly ,aided and abetted by an opposition goalkeeper who was once again proving to be almost impassable. All is not lost however,most of the same players will be around next season so it is going to be interesting to follow the "adventures" of Merrick and his Jets. Cheers jb.
kanga glitch/ malfunction
Guest
I think the season was just a glitch or some computer malfunction, never really happened.