A tantalising F3 Derby on Saturday afternoon will see Central Coast Mariners welcome fierce local rivals Newcastle Jets to Gosford.
The Mariners exceeded expectations last season after qualifying for the finals having struck gold with new forwards Jason Cummings and Garang Kuol.
It wasn't such a successful season for the Jets under new coach Arthur Papas as they finished ninth and 10 points outside of the top six.
Both teams are still building with young squads and will be desperate to start the 2022/23 season in positive fashion.
MORE: Every new A-League Men kit | Kuol set for unmissable ALM farewell ahead of Premier League move
How to watch Central Coast Mariners vs. Newcastle Jets
| Australia | |
| Date | Saturday, October 8 |
| Time | 17:00 AEDT |
| TV channel | - |
| Streaming | Paramount+ |
Australia: The only way to watch the F3 Derby in Australia is via streaming service Paramount+. Subscriptions start from $8.99 a month with free seven-day trials available for new customers.
Be there for our opening game of the season against the Newcastle Jets! 😍⚽
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) October 4, 2022
Get your tickets here 👉🎟️ https://t.co/ZDARco3R7X#CCMFC #WontBackDown #OurParadise pic.twitter.com/gBdhvo20Oy
Central Coast Mariners vs. Newcastle Jets projected lineups and team news
While veteran striker Matt Simon confirmed his retirement this week, the Mariners have no shortage of attackers to choose from.
Jason Cummings will likely to lead the line as he chases a World Cup spot with the Socceroos.
Garang Kuol is in the same boat and hoping to start his first A-League Men's match after recently sealing a deal to join Newcastle United in January.
Defensively, Central Coast look a little vulnerable with a number of youngsters set to be tested this season.
Central Coast Mariners projected lineup (4-4-2): Vukovic (GK) - Aquilina, Triantis, Hall, Farrell - N'Kololo, Balard, Nisbet, Kuol - Ruhs, Cummings.
The off-season saw plenty of squad changes in Newcastle with a number of new faces set to feature against the Mariners.
New attacking trio Trent Buhagiar, Reno Piscopo and Jaushua Sotirio look set to give the Jets plenty of speed and a potential attacking edge.
In midfield, former Perth Glory duo Brandon O'Neill and Callum Timmins look poised to form a solid partnership in the Hunter.
Newcastle Jets projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Duncan (GK) - Ingham, Elsey, Jurman, Hoffman - O'Neill, Timmins - Buhagiar, Piscopo, Sotirio - Mikeltadze.
Derby week 😤
— NEWCASTLE JETS FC ✈️ (@NewcastleJetsFC) October 3, 2022
🎟️ https://t.co/PfTIrmb0kC#BondedByGold pic.twitter.com/a0daBWW17R
Central Coast Mariners vs. Newcastle Jets bettings odds and prediction
If form and recent history is anything to go by, it's hard to see anything other than a Mariners win on Saturday.
Central Coast have looked much sharper in pre-season and have won their past three matches against the Jets.
Newcastle have added some serious talent over the off-season though and will hopefully offer a sterner test throughout the season.
Round one in Gosford looks like too big of a challenge for the Jets, who might be lucky to only lose by a couple of goals.
Prediction: Mariners to win 3-1
| Market | Odds* |
|---|---|
| Mariners to win | 2.05 |
| Draw | 3.45 |
| Jets to win | 3.15 |
| Both teams to score Y/N | 1.50/2.40 |
| Over/Under 2.5 goals | 1.60/2.30 |
*Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct as of October 8.
Central Coast Mariners vs. Newcastle Jets head-to-head results
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2022 | Mariners 2-0 Jets | A-League Men |
| April 23, 2022 | Jets 2-4 Mariners | A-League Men |
| November 21, 2021 | Jets 1-2 Mariners | A-League Men |
| June 1, 2021 | Mariners 0-2 Jets | A-League Men |
| May 15, 2021 | Jets 0-1 Mariners | A-League Men |
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