FOOTBALL
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A-League clubs Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets go head-to-head at Glen Willow Stadium on Saturday in their final trial match before the competition kicks off in October.
The Mariners and Jets - the F3 rivals - will be out to get the upper hand before they meet in round one on October 11.
Central Coast are coming off a win in the Football Federation Australia Cup while the Jets have been showing strong form in their pre-season games.
One of the players who would be out to impress tomorrow is Newcastle Jets back Sam Gallagher who is in his first season with the club and had previously had a stint with the opposition.
The Jets are coming off some good pre-season form including a 2-1 win over the Wellington Phoenix last weekend, which Gallagher said was an important bonding exercise for the team that’s getting used to playing together ahead of the season proper.
“It’s been a challenge but I think we’re coming together pretty well for quite a new group because they’re a lot of new players coming in and a new coach,” he said.
“So the win against Wellington was good and it was good for us to come together as a team and fight in a game that we needed to win.
“It was good for the confidence of the boys and the coaching staff.
“We’re pretty excited to get the style of we want to play heading into the season.
“We’ve really got the potential to do well this season and I’m hoping we can get all of the players onto the pitch in game one against the Mariners again and do well from there.”
Gallagher added that while tomorrow’s trial match is a “friendly” it’s still an instalment in the “F3 derby” and he was previously at the Mariners from 2010 to 2012.
“It’s always a good game when the Jets play the Mariners so even in a friendly match there’s still going to be bragging rights,” he said.
“We’re definitely going to want to go out there and win, prove ourselves and show that we’re quite strong.
“I’ve still got a lot of friends [at the Mariners] and I had a great time at the club, but when it comes to crossing the line and when the whistle goes I’ll be all in there for Newcastle and doing my best to win.”
He added that playing the game in Mudgee is a nice change of pace.
“It’s always good to get out to the regional communities and have a game out there and bring that kind of football to the people out that way,” he said.