Christian Montegan 
Newcastle Jets players celebrate against Macarthur in Round 2 of the 2024/25 A-League Men season. Photo: Texi Smith
Before the season, Auckland was a nightmare for those making table predictions based on zero sample size. Bottom four? Mid-table perhaps? It would have taken a brave person to tip them competing at the summit, but that is where they find themselves.
The new club has taken the league by storm, winning all four games and still yet to concede a goal, highlighting their defensive solidity.
If Auckland can keep another clean sheet this week, they will equal the record set by the 2007/08 Central Coast Mariners for five consecutive clean sheets to start a season in the A-League Men.
Standing in their way are the Newcastle Jets, currently coming to terms with another underwhelming start to a season that seems short of answers and a clear identity.
But the Jets are known for springing surprises, such as the three points they picked up over the Bulls in Round 2. Can they cause another major upset in Auckland?
The ‘sandwich’ game
Saturday afternoon’s fixture offers the perfect spot for the Jets to catch Auckland off guard and expose a potential banana skin situation.
Sandwiched between two massive match days, Steve Corica’s men have just come off their first interstate trip for Unite Round in Sydney against Macarthur, which undoubtedly has served as another morale booster.
In Round 7, Auckland will prepare to tackle rivals Wellington Phoenix in the second instalment of the ‘Kiwi Clasico’, this time at home.
With one eye firmly on the biggest fixture in the club’s season, this has all the makings of a dangerous encounter this weekend.
Newcastle’s respectable record in New Zealand
Last season, the Jets’ shock 3-0 win nearly 12 months ago ensured they were the only side to topple the Phoenix in New Zealand during the 2023/24 home and away campaign.
Since 2021, both sides have split their four head-to-head meetings with two victories each at Sky Stadium, proving that travel is not a major concern for the 2008 A-League Men champions.
The last time the Jets visited Auckland, they defeated the Phoenix 1-0 thanks to a Jason Hoffman strike in 2018.
For Auckland, they have had to fly back to New Zealand after playing away from home for the first time in their short history – a statistic that could alter the scales regarding tired legs.
Response expected after sensational Stanton comments
It was never sunshine and rainbows at the Jets despite a new ownership overhaul in the off-season, but coach Rob Stanton was left seething at the club after their narrow F3 derby loss.
“I’m suffering. How long I’ll get? I don’t know,” Stanton said.
“You can’t undervalue having good experienced players. I don’t have enough of those Alex ล uลกnjar’s in the team. We don’t have the money to spend big on players.”
It is clear that there is a disconnect between the manager and the board, but the players must also take accountability for the inconsistent performances and poor showings.
What better way to respond than against the competition leaders with a golden chance to make a statement that it is not all doom and gloom.