JETS coach Ash Wilson is resigned to the fact Emily van Egmond's early-season stint at Newcastle has now come to an end, but the club won't necessarily look to replace her in the A-League Women's squad.
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The experienced Matildas midfielder is poised to join her national teammates, as early as this weekend, ahead of Australia's Asian Cup campaign in India (January 20-February 6).
Wilson was hopeful of having van Egmond's services for one more game before departing, but Newcastle's next round has now been postponed with more than half of the Jets players undergoing self-isolation periods after testing positive for COVID-19.
"My understanding is that she will probably be gone," Wilson told the Newcastle Herald on Tuesday.
"If she's pulled in, I think they may even leave this weekend. I would imagine if she's selected that's her last."
Van Egmond featured three times for Newcastle last month and helped them collect seven competition points, which was the equivalent of last season's final tally from 12 outings.
With the 28-year-old Novocastrian in the starting XI, the Jets beat Wellington twice and drew with Western Sydney Wanderers in between.
The fourth-placed team scored seven goals during that period and conceded on two occasions.
Wilson says the Jets aren't actively seeking to replace van Egmond and keep the squad at 21 players, two shy of the cap.
"Obviously there's a consideration around budget and whether we think that's something we can look into," she said.
"There was no exemption [for van Egmond]. It was something as a club we were in a position to do, the opportunity presented itself and we wanted to make that happen."
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