A-League grand final: Newcastle Jets fortunes nosedived quickly after dizzying heights of 2008
WHEN the Jets won 2008 A-League grand final, a proud footballing community celebrated long and loud. Sadly the party didn’t last long and there’s been little sign of another one since. Until now!
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IT’S been a long time between drinks.
HAPPY PLACE: Newcastle on top of the world
UNFRIENDED: Merrick v Muscat
NO NEGATIVITY: Merrick just wants football in big dance
When Mark Bridge pounced on a Tony Vidmar error to score the only goal of the 2008 A-League grand final, a proud footballing community celebrated long and loud.
A first toilet seat - extra sweet as it came against F3 rivals Central Coast Mariners - came with the added bonus of Champions League football to enjoy the following season.
Sadly for Jets supporters, the party didn’t last long and there’s been little sign of another one since.
Title-winning joy rapidly turned to wooden spoon humiliation the following year.
The side of 2008 was rapidly broken up and many of the grand final heroes soon found themselves heading to pastures new.
Match-winner Bridge moved on to Sydney FC, so too midfielder Stuart Musialik. Defender Andrew Durante, the grand final Joe Marston Medal-winner, was soon Wellington Phoenix-bound. Striker Joel Griffiths claimed the Johnny Warren Medal and Golden Boot but he too was destined to exit.
Coach Gary van Egmond eventually swapped the Hunter for a gig at the AIS, before later returning for a second stint in charge. As financial worries mounted, then-owner Con Constantine saw his licence taken away by the FFA, Nathan Tinkler was heralded as a white knight but his tenure would also end in tears as the club reeked of crisis on and off the pitch.
However, for a brief spell in early 2008, Newcastle and its football side basked in success.
Constantine did not have pockets so deep that a title could simply be ‘bought’ (within the restraints of the salary cap), so this was no case of money talking.
So what made this triumph possible, why this group of players and why was it over so quickly?
Van Egmond said: “We had a group of players and support staff who worked incredibly hard. The young players, people like Mark Bridge and Stuart Musialik wanted to prove themselves. It all gelled together for us.
“As for the finals, we lost over two legs to Central Coast Mariners but once the second game (a 3-0 defeat after a 2-0 first leg win) was over I was desperate to have another go at them because I wanted to make the change that I thought would beat them. We got past Brisbane Roar in the preliminary final and this time we went out there with a back three and it worked. It was a punt, but a calculated punt.
“We were the underdogs and it was a wonderful feeling to win it, one of those great moments.”
Goalkeeper Ante Covic echoes his then coach’s thoughts on the ‘gelling’ factor.
The vastly experienced keeper said: “It was a very special year. We had experienced players in there and the young players coming through.
“Everything just gelled, especially in the second half of the season. We had a great balance in that side and a great spine. We had the experienced players and the youngsters coming through alongside them. You had Andrew Durante, Jade North - a fantastic defender, Stuart Musialik - someone with an abundance of talent, Jobe Wheelhouse, Noel Spencer and upfront, Mark Bridge and, of course, Joel Griffiths.
“There was a huge amount of belief in that side, we just found ourselves on a roll and we genuinely felt we could beat anyone.
“There is something about Newcastle and the fans. To deliver the trophy to them was wonderful and 10 years on, everyone is desperately wanting it to happen again, You walk round the town, the pubs and you get the sense of occasion. People know what’s happening and want to be part of it.”
Enjoyable and special a year as it was, Covic feels the Jets were victims of their own success to a point.
“Those players obviously attracted interest from elsewhere, the salary cap was lower in the A-League and people moved on. You can’t really blame players in that sense. There was definitely an uneasy feeling at the start of 2009 and, well, it’s now been 10 years (since the title).”
Covic, who also played for Melbourne Victory, attended the Jets club’s pre-season shirt presentation night and actually handed keeper Glen Moss his shirt. “I told him that was a squad to do Newcastle proud this season.”
While Covic was one of the senior figures in the side, the ‘kids’ in the team included defender Adam D’Apuzzo.
D’Apuzzo, now working in the financial sector, said another factor in the triumph of 2008 was recognition at international level.
“The young boys really found their straps,” he said.
“Everyone knew their role in the team and out on the pitch, more often than not, people were winning their individual battles. There was just a really good comaradarie.
“While the A-League form was good, quite a few of us were also in the Australian Under 23 set-up, going for the Olympics with the Olyroos. You come back from that environment buzzing, and that has a positive effect for your club. The adrenaline was really pumping.”
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