Even before last week's game, I was already writing the headlines because the opportunity for puns was just too high. But to hell with it, I'm going to ignore it for the rest of the blog.
First up this week we'll discuss haircuts, then we'll talk controversy for reader walnuts and last we'll manage to fit something in about football.
Will any more of the Jets squad go for the mohawk? Can we start placing bets who it will be? (Ben Kennedy? Is anyone good in Photoshop?) Should Jets management pursue Shane Smeltz purely based on his haircut? (At least we could be sure he wouldn't be putting his boot into our keepers' faces)? Can Branko come up with better one-liners than his last season quip that the Jets were just not quite as shit as everyone else?
Will Jobe be punching linesmen in the groin as another tribute to Joel? And what's with those outrageous odds against the Jets winning the title? What about our FourFourTwo masters rating the Jets end of season ladder position so lowly? Are they for real? There's so much to look forward to and discuss.
Divad suggests that A-League has connected with fans and this season might be the start of the longer term growth. It'll be interesting to see the crowds for Melbourne derbies. North Queensland, while building a nice supporter base, can't expect their numbers to grow too dramatically simply based on population.
I don't think this year we'll see a huge boost but steady as she goes and then we may see crowd sizes grow as the government & FFA get fired up if we win the rights to host the World Cup. The Jets have a lot of work to do in this area and currently I'm not seeing it.
Fortunately, the local press is very supportive and the community sense of a small city does help the club, but will it translate to bums on seats? What about some Memorandums of Understanding with some important local clubs and associations as Sydney have initiated?
And so down to the game.
In the first 25 minutes, I couldn't believe the Jets hadn't scored two or three goals, they were running riot and Heart were looking decidedly up against it. Once again I noticed a very strong pressing game which really disconcerted the opposition and I am looking forward to seeing how this style plays out against the last season's top two. The Jets made plenty of chances but really need to start converting those chances otherwise the confidence will drop away.
Jesic is providing a real menace both from free play and from very nicely positioned free kicks. Late in the game he was cursing himself for a shocker of a free kick and a lost opportunity but chin up lad, you've put in a good showing.
When a goal was finally scored I shouted Thank God! Finally! It seemed like the Jets were bashing down the door for a whole hour but just couldn't get through. And Brockie! Nice goal and welcome to the Jets, Jeremy - or should I say welcome "The Brockster" or "The Brocksmeister" or "Brocko"? That was a nice touch, he could have smashed at that ball but it was a well placed shot that put us one up.
I didn't really feel at any time during the game that Heart were much of a threat, despite some lovely touches from Alex Terra. There were some times when they were linking together reasonably nicely but those moves didn't really seem to go anywhere, or not at least anywhere threatening. They might have come away with a point but it was a point that was given to them.
And just as I was wondering how to get more comedy into the blog, along came that goal from Ben Kantarovski. Sorry Ben, but that really was a wonder strike, a lovely side-footed half-volley, curling past a totally stationary keeper and stretching the back of the net. It would have been a cracker at the other end.
The dumbfounded looks on the two Ben's faces as they realised what had just happened was priceless. If it hadn't been a professional game, I think they would have laughed as much as I did. But it was a shame really, because throughout the game, Kanta had looked composed and in control and it was too late at that stage to stage a comeback. You could see the heads go down after that little incident.
And not even Branko would colour the game with humour or controversy, saying to the Fox Sports heads that he was still trying to pay off the fine from last year's rash comments. That's not just a shame for the local game, it's shit!
So now what? A long wait to see if the lads can get back up and show this new form again and come away with a win. Please! It's been deserved over the last two matches.
I'm not going to preview the next game here because it's a few weeks off. Next week we will include a look at Branko's playing philosophy and whether or not we can see it yet or not.
Have a read and post your coments below.
