Western United ALM Team News: Round 4 vs Newcastle Jets

John Aloisi’s 20-man extended squad is in for Western United’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men home opener against Newcastle Jets on Saturday.

The boss has named 19 of the 20 players that he named ahead of matchday last week, with Jacob Tratt not yet fit enough to return from a minor hamstring injury.

That has allowed young striker Jake Najdovksi to be elevated into the extended squad for the first time this season following his senior debut in the Australia Cup in August.

The remainder of the 20-man list remains unchanged from last weekend with competition for places rife across the squad.

Fresh from his Western United debut last week, Nikita Rukavytsya is in line to feature in front of a home audience for the first time and will look to keep building his minutes on the pitch.

The striker very nearly capped his debut with a first goal in Green and Black, and he will undoubtedly have plenty of motivation to get off and running this weekend.

It will be a milestone day for Ben Garuccio, who is set to become the 11^th player to reach 50 Isuzu UTE A-League games for Western United.

The left-back has been instrumental across two full seasons at the Club, winning the Player of the Season medal in 2021/22 after an outstanding season that helped propel the side to the Championship.

Daniel Penha played the second half of last week’s defeat to Macarthur and will be eager to return to the starting XI this time around among a stacked list of attackers in the side.

Aloisi has no shortage of firepower at his disposal and with the Jets conceding the most goals through three weeks, he will be hoping for goals from his players in Ballarat on Saturday.

Full Western United extended squad

Western United squad: 1. Tom HEWARD-BELLE (gk), 6. Tomoki IMAI, 7. Ramy NAJJARINE, 8. Lachie WALES, 9. Michael RUHS, 10. Steven LUSTICA, 11. Daniel PENHA, 13. Nikita RUKAVYTSYA, 17. Ben GARUCCIO, 19. Josh RISDON, 21. Sebastian PASQUALI, 22. Kane VIDMAR, 24. Connor O’TOOLE, 32. Angus THURGATE, 33. Matt SUTTON (gk), 38. Noah BOTIC, 39. Matthew GRIMALDI, 42. Rhys BOZINOVSKI, 49. Jake NAJDOVSKI, 77. Riku DANZAKI

Ins: 42. Rhys BOZINOVSKI, 49. Jake NAJDOVSKI (promoted)

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 4. James DONACHIE (injured), 27. Jacob TRATT (injured)