R20 vs Newcastle | Sat 20th Feb | 7:15pm | SS3

Agree. Tom Doyle is probably the best LB in the A- League right now.

shark we were paying $101 with 30 zeconds of the game left.

Lets face it, when Watson was sent off we had our backs against the wall.

I would of liked to be a fly in the wall when Ernie would of given him a damn good talking too, a very harsh lesson that I hope he will never forget!!

Lets look forward to the next season with hopefully a few new players especially goal scoring strikers.

Remember when Sydney were our bunnies?

There seemed to be a couple of Doyle crosses we could have knocked in, but no one at the back stick. When did Doyle become our top playmaker?? Brilliant. Roly looking a bit short of inspiration.

Have to agree with Ballane about Doyle good balls into the honey pot but average at defending a bit like another left back Riki had. Some average defenders in this league

Funny how short memories some have-- not long ago most were saying the Jets were the worst team in the league. They have beaten  us 3 out of 3 . What does that tell you?

Roly just loves to fall over these days. Could be an excellent player but like Mac have been poor lately. 

It's not short memories. When they were he worst team in the league we said they were the worst team in the league. Now they aren't the worst team in the league. Things change and they have strengthened their squad.

Was that in character for Watson, or just a very very silly thing to do?

They did not fix that in a week or so. Just happens that we are not that great.

Ernie has a bit of work to do he needs to do something about the back four Keep Doyle but move him to left side CB find a replacement for Dura hes to slow now and find a right back Fenton can't play there to weak In the tackle and Muscat keeps getting beaten on the inside, a lot of work to be done in the transfer market another three goals leaked in same old same old  

After the first loss to them I truly thought it was undeserved - they were negative and fouling at every opportunity. They deserved this win, however.

A combination of injuries, a new team/defensive set up every week because of those injuries and a lack of confidence has turned us into a worse team than Newcastle now though. Season over, which is really disappointing because I hoped with the licence news it would fire the boys up a bit for the remaining games.

Players like Appiah should be nowhere near the squad. Just not good enough. Watson did well, but just horribly stupid to get sent off when we absolutely needed to win the game. Should be slapped over the head.

Watson is young and excitable. Any number of players could have been carded twice. The Brazilian was dirty when tired and should have gone for the nova Castrians.

On a brighter note. Asb players not far behind the bottom 4 teams of the A league. Sign more locals and less punts on foreign players - better for nz football.

Awful. We only woke up when it was too late. 10 men, losing and we take off powell. Did he have a broken leg? Muscat wad diabolical second half.

Losing 3-2 and we take off a defender for another defender. Good call ?

Huh? We went to 3 at the back when Siggy came on.

So who was the attacking player?

Time to say it as it is
Muscat,Dura,are past it ,the latter has been a great Captain but he just doesn't have the pace for the A league in its present form,same for Manny ,great servant to the Phoenix  but his time is up ,both the goals they scored (not to mention the own goal ) were due to inexcusable lazy defending !

I just hope Morrison and the rest of the Wellnix have the balls and the dosh to sanction a clear out and put their money where their mouths are,Merrick knows whats required to win that League he's done it before but he does need the resources,the grass roots development will work in the long run but we desperately need more grunt in the side now especially at the back !
Watson ,Dura and Muscat cost us that game the former with his brain dead stupidity and the other two because they are so far behind the eight ball they weren't even in the pool hall and that was against the fekin Jets not Victory,not City not Brisbane the fekin Jests !

Appiah,Rodriguez ,Lia and even Moss might need to look for another career as well,Powell was great last week but one swallow doesn't make a summer,its time for a massive rebuild of the squad !

Kosta is a class signing but we will need to build a team around, him here's hoping !

Kiwi Jambo well said  that man but is Ernie brave enough

You don't need to change a defender for a defender to go 3 at the back..

No but you need three centrebacks who were Siggy, fox, dura. Fenton and Doyle had pushed on.

Not much combination between Roly and strikers this week, apart from the great pass for the 2nd goal, or Weemac and the strikers. Riera struggled tonight too.

the jets are and have been giant killers this year, we're not automatically shark because they bet us, the teams which are proactive just struggle against them. We need to strengthen but there is a good core waiting to be unleashed next year.

I don't blame him. I knew he was fouled a lot, but at the Nix game in Christchurch I was surprised at how well CCM hacked the shark out of him until he completely lost it at an assistant referee after one hack off the ball too many. This was after a game where he was cautioned for an innocuous challenge yet two much heavier fouls on him were mere free kicks when they were screaming "Yeller". Hard to see it as anything but bias/racism though I'd never accuse an Aussie of that, especially Delovski.

I hope the Phoenix proposed some metrics that the ffa have to adhere to as part of us gracing the competition with or presence like amount of fowls conceded against us.

Roly comes across as a player who didn't have the motivation he may of had at the start of the season. I can't blame him.

Anyone esle think that Moss was partly at fault for Dura's OG? He came off his line for the ball coming across but missed it and then Dura bundled it into the net. But because of the angle it wasn't coming off his line to close down a player. If the ball had got past Dura then the Jets player on the far post would have had a completely open goal to shoot at. If Moss had stayed on his line then he might have stopped Dura's touch going in, and he definitely would have been better positioned if the pass had found a Jets player.

Watto is looking really good for us.  2 good goals, holding up well, passing well etc etc.  I could have sworn he had his back turned and was retreating when mullen kicked it into him???

I guess you could argue that Watsons first yellow card was a nonsense call from the ref, and even the free kick given to Newcastle just before the red card was just as nonsensical. 

Such has promoting our games here as much as they promote their own games in Australia. Yes the Nix need to advertise but the FFA need to promote the A League better here. It is their competition after all.

Watson's expression on his face after being sent off shows that he has yet a lot to learn at that level of competition.

Had to record the game and just watched it now., so here's my two cents worth.

Thought Doyle was outstanding. Watson looks good, not difficult goals, but was in the right spot and put it in the back of the net, which is all you can ask for. His first yellow was pretty soft, and the second was stupid, I hope Ernie gave him an earful.

Commentary was painful, lots of shark chat about the licence. Although the pronunciation of Wairarapa was a highlight.

We've now given 9 points to the Jets, and 7 to the Mariners, who are the two worst teams in the league (apart from us). You can't expect to make the top 6 if you only get 1 point in 6 games against the bottom two clubs.

Looking Forwards to the run of home games now. Plus with the distance derby, there's still a chance to salvage some silverware this season........

Agree that Watson did what was needed, but boy he has to learn fast that it is not backyard footie anymore.

Distance derby will be a bit of a pain, seeing how Perf dealt to the Roar.

The exact same thing as Watson was sent for happened in the Sydney game. Just a talking to.