Heidelberg United and the Newcastle Jets will battle it out at the Hahn Australia Cup Final on Saturday night.
Heidelberg are hoping to become the first team from outside the A-Leagues to lift the trophy, while the Newcastle Jets are seeking their first silverware since their A-League Men’s Championship in 2008.
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Read our preview of the decider below.
Heidelberg United
Head Coach John Anastasiadis was open during the week about the fact that this game was one of the biggest in the club’s prestigious history.
A win for Heidelberg would see them not only become the first club from outside of the A-Leagues to win the Hahn Australia Cup, but would also potentially see them qualify to the AFC Champions League Two for the 2026-27 season.
The Bergers have had a successful 2025 by any measure. They fell just short in the NPL Victoria Premiership and the Dockerty Cup final, but overcame Dandenong City 2-1 in the Grand Final to become champions.
Meanwhile, they defeated three A-League teams without conceding a goal on their journey to the Hahn Australia Cup final.
Heidelberg will be without key player Sabit Ngor, who returned to the Central Coast Mariners this week. The likes of Bul Jauch – who scored against Auckland FC in the semi-final – and goalkeeper Yaren Sozer are shaping up to be key players.
They will be supported by the majority of those at a packed Lakeside Stadium who will be hoping that they witness a historic victory.
Newcastle Jets
Former Socceroo Mark Milligan faced a challenging task when he was confirmed as the club’s Head Coach in May this year. So far, he has risen to it with aplomb.
Prior to this season, the Jets had never reached a Hahn Australia Cup semi-final. In fact, they had only reached the quarter-final once – back in 2019 – and had been eliminated at the Round of 32 on six occasions.
A win for the Jets would see them lift their first silverware since 2008, when they defeated rivals the Central Coast Mariners 1-0 in the A-League Grand Final.
Milligan’s men defeated A-League Men sides Adelaide United and defending champions Macarthur FC on their way to the final. In the semi-final, they held their composure to defeat NPL Victoria Premiers Avondale FC.
Newcastle will be without exciting youngster Alex Badolato, who is away with the CommBank Young Socceroos at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
However, new signings such as Max Burgess and youngsters such as Xavier Bertoncello have already made their mark during the run to the big stage.
Bringing the trophy back to Newy will be the perfect way for Milligan to start his tenure and will mean so much to the proud Novocastrians who have followed their club through thick and thin.
Insights
- These teams have never met before in a competitive fixture.
- Heidelberg United are yet to concede a goal in the Hahn Australia Cup 2025. Newcastle have conceded three, two of which came against Avondale in the semi-final.
- The Jets have nine different goal scorers in the Cup so far.
- The Bergers are the first team to record three successive Cupsets against A-League Men’s sides in the competition’s history.
What They Said
John Anastasiadis, Heidelberg United Head Coach
It's important to stress that the journey to getting here has been phenomenal. To beat three A-League teams. Anyone in this position would say: you know what, you deserve to be in the final. It’s like Newcastle. They've beaten two A-League teams, so they deserve to be there also. So credit to them. But for our boys, I don't think anyone expected us to be in this position.
If we win this game, it probably gives belief to a lot of NPL clubs throughout the country, that if you believe it and you're confident, nothing's impossible. I’ve been on record saying it so. I think it will change everything in in Australian football. I believe so. The biggest carrot - going to Asia - is something dreams are made of.
Anthony Lesiotis, Heidelberg United
It's starting to really hit us now, as we get closer that, for some of us - or maybe all of us - it could be the only chance we get to lift this trophy, and that's why we don't want to let anyone down. We’ll give everything we have, and not leave anything in the tank at the end of the game, and hopefully create history for this club.
We've been approaching it as we would any other game. The occasion is there, and we know it's enormous game – not just for the club, but for the players as well. We try to keep it as normal as we can. No different preparation, and train the same and keep our intensity levels at the best. And I think we're trying to keep it as simple as possible, and look forward one day at a time until the big dance.
Mark Milligan, Newcastle Jets Head Coach
[We are] extremely excited. It's been a long time since the club's been in this position. If you look back, probably only twice the club has had this opportunity in terms of winning trophies throughout the club's history. So for this young group to put this run together during pre-season, whilst taking on so much information, whilst taking on so much change, and whilst so many players are being integrated into the way that we do things - I'm extremely proud.
It's never easy to get to a final. In Australia, ultimately, we really have three cups or plates or trophies that we can win. So to be a part of the first one that's available is a nice reward for what they've done so far. It's things that stay with this group forever. It bonds a group. Football is very transitional, but if you have the opportunity to play and win a trophy, it's something that bonds that group for a lifetime.
Aleksander Šušnjar, Newcastle Jets
Everyone's excited. It’s been a long preseason, and I think the boys have been doing well for the preseason. We showed it in our games. This Cup game is up for grabs, and it's a big game for both teams. Leading into the season, it's an important game for us. The boys have to take the 90 minutes through and take the cup home.
It means a lot. Any final means a lot, not just for me, but for the whole team - for the coaching staff, the players, for the people that are supporting us, for Newcastle itself. I know it's been X amount of years since they've lifted up a trophy. And to have a team like this and supporters like this, and the whole of Newcastle behind us, I believe that we can achieve something big.
Match Details
Heidelberg United v Newcastle Jets
Saturday, 4 October
Kick-off: 7:40pm AEST
Lakeside Stadium
Watch Live on 10, Paramount+, 10.com.au
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