STAND-IN skipper Ryan Griffiths hopes the Jets can take advantage of a potentially tired and distracted Adelaide tonight at Hunter Stadium as Newcastle look to get their campaign for the A-League finals back on course.
The Jets are seventh on the table, two points outside the top six, after last week’s 2-0 loss in Perth.
Tonight they take on ninth-placed Adelaide, who are desperate to keep their slim play-off hopes alive.
The Reds are coming off three games in a week after a 3-0 victory over Indonesian side Persipura Jayapura on Thursday night in an Asian Champions League qualifier at home was squashed in between a 2-1 win over Gold Coast and 2-1 loss to Sydney.
They face a legal battle over former coach Rini Coolen’s $1million-plus contract as well as being kicked out of the ACL if Cassio’s appearance against Persipura is deemed illegal.
He received a red card in the club previous ACL game, in 2010.
Griffiths, who is expected to again don the captain’s armband, because of Jobe Wheelhouse’s groin injury, said the Jets had to make the most of the Reds’ troubles.
‘‘Everyone’s confident going into this game and really wants to capitalise on the heavy schedule Adelaide have had and possibly what’s playing on their mind at the moment as far as the club is concerned,’’ he said.
‘‘Also for ourselves we want to get back into the top six again and continue from that and get as high as we can.’’
But the in-demand winger said the Jets could take nothing for granted.
‘‘They should be tired, but in saying that we beat Brisbane up there in one of our midweek games, so we can’t use that as any kind of excuse,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve got to really make sure we keep moving the ball so they get really tired and fed up and hopefully that helps break them down.’’
After three wins in a row revitalised their campaign, Newcastle were flat last week in Perth, where victory would have put them in the top six.
But Griffiths sensed a quick turnaround was coming for the Jets, who have four games remaining after tonight.
‘‘Sometimes you get a good feeling at training in the pre-game tactics and things like that,’’ he said. ‘‘In our last game against Perth it wasn’t as free-flowing as it was the previous few games. It’s important to train well as a team and it shows on the park.’’
The return of Ben Kantarovski is expected to bring the only change in the Jets squad.
Kantarovski is due to return this morning from the Olyroos’ failed campaign in the United Arab Emirates to qualify for the London Olympics, which begin in July.
But a bench spot appears to be most likely, as he played 65 minutes in the 1-0 loss to UAE yesterday morning.
Wheelhouse has returned to training but is not expected to rush his comeback from a groin muscle tear, leaving Taylor Regan to again fill the gap in midfield.
The Jets and Adelaide have played out 0-0 and 1-1 draws this season, and Griffiths feels a sense of unfinished business against the Reds.
‘‘I believe we played better than them in both the games but we didn’t get the result we deserved,’’ he said.
‘‘Last time we gave [Iain] Ramsay a little too much space and we need to stop crosses coming into the box with [Sergio] van Dijk in the middle. ‘‘He’s lethal in front of goals and we’ve got to stop the delivery and the service to [Dario] Vidosic and van Dijk.’’
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