THE Newcastle Jets will return to this area later this year, building on the success of the 2017 visit.
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Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna confirmed this on Monday when he was in Taree to assist with a coaching clinic run by the club.
“We’ll definitely be coming back,’’ McKinna said between running training drills for the junior players.
“As a catchment this area is very important for our club.’’
McKinna said the details of the trip are still being organised. Last year the Jets ran coaching clinics in Taree and Port Macquarie before playing a trial game against northern and southern Football Mid North Coast Premier League sides. McKinna said there will again be a trial game involved.
“We could play another A-League club or we could play a select team again, I just don’t know yet,’’ he said.
He added the match at Port Macquarie was an overwhelming success, attracting a crowd of more than 4000.
“To get a crowd of that size to Port Macquarie on a Tuesday night was huge,’’ he said.
McKinna said the Harry Elliott Oval at Tuncurry would be in the mix to host the match. He revealed the Jets did consider using the complex for the 2017 encounter.
“We looked at Tuncurry, but then the new mayor of Port Macquarie got right on board and made it happen up there, which was good because it’s a nice stadium,’’ he said.
“The biggest problem we have is the floodlighting. We had to bring in extra lights last year, but it was a great trip.’’
Newcastle Jets W-League stars Hannah Brewer, Cassidy Davis and Sophie Nenadovic conducted the training session at Omaru Park with Football MNC under 11 and 12 girls while Jets’ youth coach Labini Haliti, academy technical director Michael Cooper and McKinna were involved with a session with the under 11/12 boys.
McKinna was pleased with the turnout.
“We probably could have picked a better week,’’ he said.
“But the response has still been fantastic.’’
The Jets have been the success story of the A-League and will meet Melbourne City on Friday night in the semi-final at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle. A berth in the grand final against either Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory will be the prize for the winner.
“When I came up here today at lunchtime (Monday) we had sold 12,500 tickets,’’ McKinna said of Friday night’s game.
“Hopefully we can get more than 24,000 there, because that would be a record for the Jets.’’
