Veteran defender Dino Djulbic has declared he’s fit and ready to go when Perth Glory host Newcastle Jets at nib Stadium on Monday night.
The 33-year old had been sidelined with an injury for the past four months after damaging the cartilage in his foot, during the FFA Cup final in November.
His absence from the squad took longer than expected due to bone bruising but has last month returned to full training and is hungry to return to the starting line-up.
“I’m ready… I’m not here to sit or wait” he said.
“I’m here to play. Everybody knows what I can bring to the team and I think you can always improve the team…I’m looking forward to it.
With Mark Warren suspended after picking up his eighth yellow card for the season, Djulbic could be a contender to slot into the starting line-up.
“At the end of the day it’s not up to me. I put my hand up, now it’s up to the coaches to decide if I’m ready or not” he said.
“It’s a huge game for us. If we win, we put Newcastle behind and we go in the top-six and you know it’s a six pointer.”
There’s no doubt Djulbic is itching to get back into the first 11 and while he’s been training hard to wear the jersey again, he’s had good reason to celebrate off the pitch. He and wife Bonnie celebrated the birth of their daughter Charlie 12 days ago.
“It’s probably the biggest thing to do for me outside of football and hopefully I can celebrate with a little bit of swinging (arms cradling) “he joked.
Last time Glory played the Jets, Perth thumbed the boys from the Hunter Valley 6-1.
A win this weekend will mark the third straight victory on home soil which will be a first since December 2014 paving the way for finals football.
It’s a prospect which has Djulbic pumped.
“I’m excited, the boys have done the hard yards and now I can come in and take the Glory” he joked.
Kick-off is on Monday at 5pm.
You can get your tickets HERE
MATCH DETAILS
Monday, 7 March 2016
Perth Glory v Newcastle Jets
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 5:00 PM (Local) (8:00 PM (AEDT)
Referee: Chris Beath
Assistant Referee 1: Anton Shchetinin
Assistant Referee 2: Josh Mannella
Fourth Official: Adam Fielding
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 7.30pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: 720 ABC Perth, 1233 ABC Newcastle, ABC Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Radio Mobile App – A-league Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #PERvNEW
Perth Glory squad: 1.Ante COVIC (gk), 2.Alex GRANT, 4.Shane LOWRY, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Gyorgy SANDOR, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA, 12.Jerrad TYSON (gk), 13.Diogo FERREIRA, 14.Chris HAROLD, 17.Diego CASTRO, 18.Mitch OXBORROW, 19.Josh RISDON, 21.Kosta PETRATOS, 23.Krisztian VADOCZ, 24.Jamal REINER, 29.Aryn WILLIAMS
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 6.Dino DJULBIC (promoted), 24.Jamal REINERS (promoted), 29.Aryn WILLIAMS (promoted)
Outs: 3.Marc WARREN (suspended – 1 week)
Unavailable: 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (knee – indefinite)
Newcastle Jets Squad: 1.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 2.Daniel MULLEN, 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (C), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6.Cameron WATSON, 7.Enver ALIVODIC, 8.Mateo POLJAK, 9.Milos TRIFUNOVIC, 10.LEONARDO, 14.Mitch COOPER, 16.Steven UGARKOVIC, 17.Radovan PAVICEVIC, 19.Morten NORDSTRAND, 20.Ben KENNEDY (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 24.Nick COWBURN, 28.Ryan KITTO
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 17.Radovan PAVICEVIC (promoted), 28.Ryan KITTO (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 11.Labinot HALITI (knee –season)
