THE NEWCASTLE Jets Squad will swap their regular mascots for puppies in need of a new home when they walk onto the field on Sunday.
The women hope to do their part as good sports, helping Dog Rescue Newcastle to have animals adopted and encouraging locals to sign up as foster carers.
With more than 100 dogs in care and new animals arriving every day, Dog Rescue Newcastle relies on a network of coordinators, foster carers and resources to find a forever home for pooches.
The Jets will face off against their closest rivals the Central Coast Mariners at No 2 Sportsground in the F3 Derby and there's more at stake than just the A-League Competition points.
Famously called the F3 Derby due to it being the original name of the motorway that joins Newcastle to the Central Coast, the rivalry has become one of the most recognised and famous in the A-League.
With the Central Coast Mariners now returning to the Liberty A-League Women's competition, it was the perfect time to create a trophy specifically for the A-League Women's F3 Derby.
There is currently no holder of the A-League Women's F3 Derby Trophy, with the winner of this season's best of two series to become the inaugural holder, so Sunday's game is the decider.
This season, if both teams win one match, it will be awarded to the team with the best goal difference.
If both have scored an equal number of goals, it will go to an away goals rule.
In the rare scenario that there is an equal aggregate of away goals and results at the end of the first two games the clubs will hold a penalty shootout that does not affect the A-League ladder.
The game kicks off at 5pm on Sunday and is an opportunity to cheer on the team and see some amazing dogs up for adoption.
For more information or to become a foster carer, contact Dog Rescue Newcastle.
