3 minute read

Brisbane captain Tom Aldred is poised to make his return from a hamstring injury in Friday's A-League clash with Newcastle in a huge boost for the Roar.

Brisbane's push for the A-League finals has received a boost with captain Tom Aldred to return from a hamstring injury against Newcastle.

The sixth-placed Roar head to NSW to take on the last-placed Jets aiming to bounce back from last Sunday's loss to Adelaide and shore up their spot in the top six.

English defender Aldred has been sidelined since the April 16 clash with Western Sydney at Bankwest Stadium, missing the club's past six matches.

Head coach Warren Moon confirmed on Friday the 30-year-old will feature at some point against the Jets.

The 1-0 defeat to Adelaide ended a run of six games in three weeks for the Roar which Moon admitted had tested his squad's fitness levels but the Reds' 2-1 loss to Perth on Wednesday gives Brisbane a chance to close within a point of the teams above them.

"Disappointed we lost and we felt still we had moments in the match to get something out of it but now we've freshened up some key players going into a very important game against Newcastle tomorrow night," Moon said.

"I look at it with positivity that we can catch Adelaide who are in front of us now.

"We have to look at what's in front of us, not what's behind us."

The Roar won't risk Josh Brindell-South after he dislocated his shoulder in Sunday's loss to Adelaide but the injury isn't too severe and he is expected to return for Tuesday's home game against Melbourne City.

Newcastle will be hoping they can secure a positive result to haul themselves off the basement of the competition, with just a point between Craig Deans' team and Melbourne Victory.

The Jets haven't won in their past 13 matches with a 1-0 win over Victory on February 21 the last time they secured three points.

"They've had their struggles result-wise but I think if you look at every game they've played in, bar maybe a couple, they've been in every game," Moon said.

"They're a good team. They've got good players and we know that and we need to be aware of that. We're going to need to be at our best to get the result that's for sure."

KEY MATCH STATS

* Newcastle are winless in their past six matches at McDonald Jones Stadium, losing five of those games, their worst form at home since an eight-match run in 2016-17.

* Brisbane haven't lost to the Jets in the past four matches between the clubs.

* Veteran Roy O'Donovan is Newcastle's top scorer with six goals in 21 matches this season.