It followed a pretty familiar script, didn't it?
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The Jets fell behind to a Macarthur team who stretched the pitch and maintained comfortable possession without being particularly threatening, but who also found two quality finishes from their import pool to take control of Sunday's A-League clash at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Jets dug in and started to threaten in transition, having an equaliser overturned by VAR, before giving themselves a route back into the contest before halftime.
The second half was basically one-way traffic as the Jets searched for an equaliser and Macarthur hung on to collect three points. Newcastle took control - their superior 'legs' holding sway against a visiting team who tired noticeably through midfield as the heat took its toll.
It's always difficult to evaluate how much one team shift the flow of a match or how much is due to an opponent's physical frailties. My analysis suggests Macarthur are susceptible to a second-half fade, with a midfield very comfortable with the ball and perhaps not so effective without it.
The Jets are an athletic side with speed and power in transition and they're rarely out worked over 90 minutes. But they can be slow to adapt their press to the more skilful outfits, as happened in the first 30 minutes on Sunday, and sometimes I wonder if they would be better off staying more conservative and compact defensively early in hot conditions.
What they lack is a touch of class and composure in key areas. Ramy Najjarine shows signs he has the fundamentals to provide it, Valentino Yuel is a raw talent and Roy O'Donovan is predominantly a penalty-box striker. All three are probably light on confidence and none really give the impression they can be having a quiet game and suddenly produce something from nothing.
What you can't do is criticise the effort the team produce week in, week out, but even that facet will get a thorough testing in this busy period. They play Brisbane at home on Wednesday evening then a fluent Wellington side in Wollongong on Sunday. It's no easy assignment, particularly after Sunday's taxing conditions.
The schedule will test the Jets' depth, another area that is potentially an Achilles' heel. It means tough selection and rotation decisions will need due consideration.
It's hard to find a league table at the moment, never mind provide an overview of proceedings, but you'd be pretty confident that last year's grand finalists, Sydney and Melbourne City, will be there at the business end.
Adelaide have continued their renaissance of the final third of last season, with good results, positive signs and signings. Perth haven't played a game, but COVID and politics aside, they should be serious contenders. Wellington have shown enough to suggest that last season's lofty finishing position can be repeated.
I'm not sure there's a great deal between the rest. The Jets were more than competitive against the Mariners, Wanderers and Macarthur. I'm pretty sure they will be against Brisbane and Western United. Victory are in a rebuilding phase and not yet the force they once were.
So none from three is hardly ideal, but the Jets will win matches and be largely competitive this season.
What won't change is the frustration and confusion the changing handball rules bring to most football followers. Exhibit A was the penalty not awarded to the Jets on Sunday. It's a daft rule applied to the letter by the referee. If a striker botches a shot, it hits his arm and he then scores with his next touch, will that be a goal? Why are defenders afforded leniency for a bad touch or poor skill in a certain area and attackers are not?
Because we forgot about accidental handball and started giving ridiculous penalties for "silhouette" violations and unnatural positions that seem far more natural to me than the crash-test dummy poses the rules require. Can we please sort this out? It's a blight on the game.