The prompting of the editor mid-morning yesterday reminded me I had some work to do on a rare midweek column, and I immediately cursed Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev.
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The Jets are at home to Brisbane, facing the Roar for the second time in 10 or so days, at McDonald Jones Stadium tonight, in a game they really must win to keep their season alive.
Yes, I'm aware that we have barely passed the halfway stage of the competition, but I think that is the reality of their situation.
Certainly the Jets are only five points out of the top six.
But experience tells us that it's hard to climb past teams unless you string a number of victories together.
The Jets play at home tonight and against joint leaders Wellington and Melbourne Victory on Saturday and on the following Friday, February 3, respectively.
On paper, that's not an easy run, and as I have written before, this busy period is a test for those with less depth than others.
I note that Jets coach Rob Stanton was adamant that Jake Girdwood-Reich should have been sent off on Sunday night against Sydney FC, for an ugly challenge on Clayton Taylor, and he has a case.
Personally I thought Girdwood-Reich was lucky to survive an accumulation of sloppy, mistimed, and slightly reckless tackles he made in the first half.
There are only three ways to beat defences: go over them, around them, or through them. Newcastle are comfortably more adept at the former two.
But luck or judgement favoured the Sky Blues to a point, and in the second half they dismantled Newcastle quite convincingly.
There were some lessons to be garnered. Sydney's high press was so much more effective than many teams, mainly because it was the result of intelligence combined with physical effort. They tested Newcastle's ability to play through traffic in central areas, and reaped the rewards.
There are only three ways to beat defences: go over them, around them, or through them. Newcastle are comfortably more adept at the former two.
They did have a couple of chances over the top of a high defensive line, but Sydney refused them time and space to play around them.
If you recall, Brisbane played a narrow, zonal defence in the first half against Newcastle, and made Dane Ingham, on the right touchline, look like the Brazilian World Cup-winning right-back Cafu, before correcting things, almost too late, at half-time. Surely they will be better prepared from the start this time around?
Having noted the Jets' loss to Sydney since the clash with the Roar, we need to consider that they have since lost quite badly to MacArthur at home, and are not exactly flying themselves.
However, they do sit four points ahead of Newcastle right now, and were they to take three points tonight ...
There will be tactical adjustments, changes in personnel, and so on, but you can't help but think desire will play a major role tonight.
So might young Jonas Markovski, whose father John, a mightily talented player from my era, had a happy knack of scoring the spectacular.
If I may, I'd like to hopefully leave you with a smile, and a story about John - "The Bat" - a nickname acquired after a training camp, where he didn't train because of injury, but was out every night with the boys!
At the end of his career, and weighing well past 100kg (he was a big human anyway) The Bat is coaching a Victorian NPL side, who are losing 1-0 into injury time.
He puts out a cigarette, brings himself on and scores!
Then immediately signals to the bench, and rolling the arms, substitutes himself!
They don't make them like that anymore.
