FOR SOME fans, the sound of Peter Green's final whistle in the preliminary final against Queensland Roar over a year ago didn't create cries of "we're in the grand final!", rather it resulted in roars of "we're going to Asia!"
To those fans who in the euphoria of that great victory had the presence to recognise the importance of that result to a club like ours, I implore you to enjoy tonight....your wait is over.
Tonight we, as a team and perhaps more importantly as a club or even a franchise enter the brave new world of Asian football.
A lot awaits - not least exposure to a massive, football mad audience, prize money of previously unfathomable proportions (A$62,446 for a group stage win, anyone?) and key sporting, political, educational and commercial opportunities.
It's the Promised Land the likes of Johnny Warren and others for so long advocated, but it's immediately Newcastle Jets need to make an impact.
Our opponents this evening are Chinese outfit Beijing Guoan, a club who secured their place in the Asian Champions League courtesy of their third placed finish in the 2008 Chinese Super League.
Although it's only match day one, results away from home in any group stage are pivotal, and take on extra significance for us with strong Japanese side Nagoya Grampus the outstanding candidate from group E to fill one of the two knock-out stage positions available.
A draw tonight equals job done, a win would surpass expectation.
Although many supporters would believe ex-Jet Joel Griffiths and brother Ryan pose the biggest threat to Newcastle's largely newly formed defence (we know they are dangerous, of course), it is perhaps in other areas of the pitch that the Novocastrians will struggle to contain, compete with or carve up the boys from Beijing.
Guoan is home to a host of Chinese National Team players, including goalkeeper Yang Zhi and defender Yang Pu. Huang Bowen, the Chinese Super League's youngest ever scorer at 16-years-old (he's also the current CSL Young Player of the Year) also wears the green of Guoan, and well travelled Croatian defensive midfielder Darko Matic is expected to be extremely competent.
Having warmed up with strong wins over quality opposition in South Korea recently, Guoan completed their preparations with a camp at their Xianghe base.
Few could blame Jets coach Gary van Egmond if he stacks his midfield and defence in an attempt to nullify Yulinjun ("The Imperial Guard"), but away from home the Jets need not necessarily strive to be sexy.
Described as "a freak" by fellow new-boy Ljubo Milicevic, Italian recruit Fabio Vignaroli may hold the key for Newcastle in the creative hole behind either Sasho Petrovski or Dutchman Donny de Groot upfront. Vignaroli scored with an audacious chip against Hamilton Olympic last week.
Defensively the Jets look sounder for the ACL campaign than they did in the A-League. The imposing Milicevic, experienced Angelo Costanzo and ex-Glory defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley have bolstered what was a leaky, stuttering backline.
For Newcastle, the match at the Beijing Workers Stadium is a large step up from trials against local part-timers and inter-club games. After 90 minutes we should somewhat be able to diagnose to what extent the regeneration of our playing staff has been successful, and will be able to assess our expectations for the competition.
With any luck, we'll be celebrating our first foray into Asia as a success, with hopefully at least a point alongside our name. Whatever the result though, tonight is a win for the people of Newcastle who for the first real time get to see a local side of any code competing on a truly grandiose stage. Lap it up!
Possible Lineups:
Beijing Guoan: Yang Zhi, Zhou Ting, Yang Pu, Lang Zheng, Silajdzic, Huang Bowen, Yan Xiangchuang, Tao Wei, Wang Ke, R. Griffiths, J. Griffiths
Newcastle Jets: A. Covic, T. Elrich, L. Milicevic, A. Costanzo, B. Kantarovski, A. Griffiths, J. Wheelhouse, M. Thompson, J.H. Song, F. Vignaroli, S. Petrovski
Kick Off: 11pm AEDST (8pm local), LIVE on Fox Sports 2
Prediction: Spoils shared
