A League Round 3 - Wellington vs Newcastle (Sun 9th Sep - 5pm)

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Wellington Phoenix v Newcastle Jets Date: Sunday September 9 Kick-off (local time): 5.00pm Venue: Westpac Stadium Radio coverage: The Radio Network 1035 AM (Wellington), ABC 1233 (Newcastle) Head-to-head First league meeting Previous meeting Wellington 0 Newcastle 0 (Westpac Stadium, Pre-Season Cup final round, August 2007) Past five results Wellington: Loss - Win - Draw - Draw - Loss Newcastle: Loss - Win - Draw - Draw - Draw Analysis Wellington Phoenix triumvirate Vaughan Coveny, Tim Brown and Steven Old have all been named in the squad to face former club Newcastle Jets while Kurri Kurri-born Richard Johnson, who played for the Jets in season one, is also included. If selected, Brown, who played seven times under Newcastle coach Gary van Egmond last season, will make his Phoenix debut after sitting out the season so far with hamstring and groin injuries. The tenacious Johnson has also had his Phoenix league debut delayed by an Achilles problem but has been an unused substitute in each of the club's past two league fixtures. Meanwhile, Wellington coach Ricki Herbert will be glad Old is available for selection, a piece of news which smoothes his immediate return to a backline which struggled at times to retain the rampant Mariners last Friday. After watching his side get repeatedly torn apart by the Central Coast in the first-half, Herbert has urged his players to be alert from the opening whistle and will be aided by the return of the former New Zealand young player-of-the-year from a bout of flu. Brazilian George is omitted while Vince Lia rests because of a thigh strain. Newcastle's preparation has been hindered by Qantas under-23s coach Graham Arnold calling up four Jets players for the training camp prior to Saturday's Olympic qualifier against North Korea at EnergyAustralia Stadium. Arnold has selected Mark Bridge, Stuart Musialik, Jobe Wheelhouse and Troy Hearfield for the Qantas under 23 camp but Wheelhouse and Hearfield will be available to Van Egmond for the trip to New Zealand after only being named in the train-on squad. That's vital to the Jets boss who is already without Andrew Durante (ankle) while marquee signing Mario Jardel has visa complications, although Argentine winger Jorge Drovandi does earn a reprieve along with Tarek Elrich. Van Egmond has said Drovandi needs to be allowed time to adapt to the pace of the Hyundai A-League but at least Joel Griffiths has rediscovered his goalscoring knack. Griffith's delightful free-kick against Queensland was his fourth goal in his past five competitive games.

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Re: A League Round 3 - Wellington vs Newcastle (Sun 9th Sep - 5pm) Wellington Phoenix squad: 20. Glen MOSS (gk) 2. Jeremy CHRISTIE 3. Tony LOCHHEAD 4. CLEBERSON 5. Karl DODD 6. Tim BROWN 7. Ross ALOISI (Captain) 8. Vaughan COVENY 9. Shane SMELTZ 10. Michael FERRANTE 11. DANIEL 12. Richard JOHNSON 13. Steven OLD 14. Steven O’DOR 21. Felipe CAMPOS 22. Royce BROWNLIE 30. Jacob SPOONLEY (gk) *two to be omitted In: Steven Old (return from illness), Tim Brown (promoted) Out: George Paladini (omitted) Others Unavailable: Vince Lia (thigh – 1 week), Mark Paston (gk) (concussion – 1 week) Newcastle Jets Squad: 1.Ante COVIC (gk) 2.Adam GRIFFITHS 3.Jade NORTH 4.Steve EAGLETON 8.Matt THOMPSON 9.Joel GRIFFITHS 10.DENNI 12.Paul KOHLER 13.Adam D’APUZZO 14.Jobe WHEELHOUSE 15.Scott TUNBRIDGE 17.Troy HEARFIELD 18 Noel SPENCER 19 Jorge Drovandi 20 Tarek Elrich 40.Ben MCNAMARA (GK) In: Jorge Drovandi (promoted), Tarek Elrich (promoted) Out: Stuart Musialik (National Team Duty – 1 week), Mark Bridge (National Team Duty -1 week) Others Unavailable: Andrew Durante (injured), Craig Deans (injured), Ben Kennedy (GK) (injured). Impending stats, facts and trivia Following the Hyundai A-League's first two anticipated half-century appearances in the Adelaide-Melbourne match, two other players are set to reach the 50 Hyundai A-League appearance milestone when the Phoenix take on the Jets, with Ross Aloisi (Wellington) and Matt Thompson (Newcastle) both set to play their 50th league match. Aloisi (then with Adelaide United) and Thompson squared off against each other in the historic first Hyundai A-League encounter in August 2005.