Jets coach Rob Stanton has declared playmaker Reno Piscopo "good to go" against Adelaide on Friday night at Coopers Stadium after shrugging off an ankle injury at training.
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Piscopo limped off in the 69th minute of the 2-2 draw with Perth on Saturday at McDonald Jones Stadium with a bruised and strained right ankle after copping a late challenge.
Stanton has rested Piscopo for much of this week but was pleased with how he came through a full training session on Thursday and said he was set to keep his place in the starting XI for the round nine A-League test.
"There was a little bit of a strain there but we've managed him and he was able to complete training today and a good chunk yesterday," Stanton said on Thursday.
"He should be good to go."
The inclusion is a boost for Newcastle who will look to Piscopo for more attacking inspiration after his efforts in the 3-0 win over Wellington and last week's draw.
"They've kicked him a bit in his first two games back and that just says teams are a little concerned with what he can do, but he's shrugged it off and recovered and trained well when he's been required," Stanton said.
"We're happy with that because we want him to play. He's got three appearances under his belt and he's starting to build on that. He's really good and he's looking forward to the game as well, and starting again."
Newcastle sit eighth on nine points and can push into the top six with a win over Adelaide, who are a point ahead but coming off three consecutive defeats on the road. Stanton was wary of a "wounded" Adelaide but believed the Jets were hitting their straps, saying their first half last week featured their "best football all year".
"Adelaide have had some mixed results recently and they will be quite desperate at home," he said.
"They will probably be happy to be back home. They are a team who perform better at home. A strong team and they have been consistent over the last few years, so it's going to be a really good challenge.
"We've had good results the last two weeks and the boys are really positive leading into Christmas and we want to get three points. It will cap off a good start if we could. It would sit us nicely so it's a really good challenge against a really good team."
He said the only change to the squad was the inclusion of Zac Bowling as back-up keeper. The ex-Broadmeadow gloveman comes in for the injured Michael Weier (knee) and Noah James (hand).
Weier is struggling with an ongoing knee problem and Noah James unavailable as he works back from a hand tendon injury.
"It's an opportunity for him, and he's been playing games recently with the youth team in in-house trial games," Stanton said of Bowling, the son of Jets goalkeeping coach Chris Bowling.
"He's done very well and it's an opportunity for young Zac to experience something, so it will be good for him. He will be able to use that and go back and train hard to get more opportunities down the track."
Stanton said the rest of last week's squad deserved to keep their spots.
"I think at the moment I'm happy with the group," he said.
"I'm rewarding the group that's been travelling together and doing well, but we've got a heavy schedule in January and other guys will get an opportunity I think in that period.
"Everyone is going to be required and if we are doing well, like we have been the last couple of weeks, obviously you don't want to change too much, so it's about players being patient and ready to go."
