Win, and the Jets will not only claim their first title in a decade, but also become the first club in the competitions history to rise from wooden spooners to champions in a single season.
Cliche would define the clubs inexorable rise under Ernie Merrick as a fairytale – and theres hardly a more fitting way to describe it. Even after finishing second on the ladder to exceed pre-season expectations, so much still had to go right for them to enjoy playing for the title before their own fans amid a 33,000-strong capacity crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Not least the challenge of defeating in-form Melbourne City in their semi-final and hoping Victory could beat hoodoo side Sydney FC in enemy territory.
That on-loan Jet Riley McGree scored one of the worlds best goals in the process provided the kind of bonus the clubs superstitious chief executive Lawrie McKinna welcomed.
Dream run: Newcastle's Jason Hoffman celebrates with teammates in front of home fans after scoring in the semi-final against Melbourne City.
Photo: Max Mason-Hubers
What the Jets have done this year proves that dreams come true, McKinna said. The squad set themselves goals at the beginning of the season to get in that top four, and we finished top two.
They said we should get one boy in the national team and we got two.
And to have a grand final in Newcastle with a sell-out crowd will just be great for football and the A-League – and absolutely amazing for Newcastle.
AAP
