Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Renee Valentine

Gema Simon closes in on return as Jets eye Reds in crucial clash

BACK: Jets captain Gema Simon has not played this season but has travelled to Adelaide with Newcastle for their A-League Women's clash with the Reds on Friday. Picture: Marina Neil

The Newcastle Jets have been boosted by the inclusion of the club's most experienced player with former Matildas left-back Gema Simon named for their crucial clash against Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on Friday.

How the the Jets co-captain will be used is still to be determined.

The 31-year-old is playing her 13th season in A-League Women but has been managing a calf complaint and is yet to take the field this campaign.

But Jets coach Ash Wilson has given the strongest indication so far that Simon would play some part in the game.

"She managed to get through about 45-50 minutes when we had the weekend off and played an intra-club trial game, then we were able to continue to up her training load," Wilson said.

"We'll have a look at how she's pulled up after training this week and make those final assessments but, whether she comes in off the bench or whether she starts, she's still going to be a valuable addition just in terms of that experience and those leadership qualities."

Midfielder Lucy Johnson, who missed Newcastle's 3-3 draw with Canberra at McDonald Jones Stadium last Sunday due to a quadriceps injury, also returns to the squad while strike weapons Lauren Allan and Sunny Franco are out injured.

Both sustained ankle injuries in the Canberra clash. Allan was expected to be out for one to two weeks while initial assessments show Franco could be sidelined longer.

The match in Adelaide is the first of three in 10 days for Newcastle, who must start winning if they want to push for a top-four finish.

They have only beaten last-placed Wellington but can clearly state their finals credentials with a strong showing against the in-form Reds.

Newcastle go into the match in sixth place with nine points. Adelaide, who have played two more games than the Jets, are third on 15 and have won four of their past five appearances.

"They've got girls who are really passionate about playing for Adelaide and are really driven to be successful with that team in this league," Wilson said.

"They've got speed up front. They're a very well-rounded team with great attitudes.

"No game in this league is easy and Adelaide are going to bring a lot of energy to what they do and a lot of good combinations and support for each other because most of them have played together for a number of years."

The next three matches could prove season-defining for the Jets, who back up against fifth-placed Melbourne Victory (12 points) at No.2 Sportsground on Tuesday night then host unbeaten league leaders Sydney (25) at the same venue on Sunday week.

"We're still connected and we've still got games in hand but we need to be getting those three points every week," Wilson said.

"We are still definitely in the hunt to even finish higher than just fourth. We don't want to just scrape in, so we want to make sure that we're continuing to win all of our games coming up.

"We know that they're sitting above us on the ladder and that's a really good motivation for us."

The match kicks off at 5.05pm.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed the Jets men will take on Perth at WIN Stadium in Wollongong next Wednesday night. They then play Melbourne Victory (February 12) and Melbourne City (February 18) at AAMI Park before rounding out a tough month with home games at McDonald Jones Stadium against Western Sydney (February 23) and Macarthur (February 26).

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.