Stu's words from heart lift mates to triumph

NEWCASTLE HERALD

HOME-TOWN hero Stuart Musialik delivered a heartfelt speech to his teammates on the eve of the A-League grand final but found it hard to speak after the Jets recorded their history-making win.

The Novocastrian's pre-match words were so moving, Jets teammate Adam D'Apuzzo said, "It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up."

A passionate Novocastrian, Musialik has long dreamed of winning a championship with his home-town team.



"I can't really explain it, it's just an unbelievable feeling," Musialik said last night.

"To do what we've achieved, especially in my home town, and be one of the first local boys to win an A-League medal for Newcastle, I can't explain it.

"It means so much to me, and I'm lost for words at the moment."

During the team's final pre-match meeting on Saturday, Musialik told his fellow players what winning the A-League title meant to him.

"I just told the boys what they already knew about how I felt," Musialik said.

"I said it's hard to explain unless you've grown up in Newcastle, but coming from bigger cities, say if Sydney or Melbourne wins the A-League, then everyone jumps on the bandwagon but then sort of forgets about it the next day and goes on to the next team.

"But in Newcastle we have got the Knights and the Jets, and that's all it is, and it's not often that something like this can happen, and it doesn't just get forgotten the next day.

"It means a lot to the town, and it's going to be remembered for years to come."

Musialik put a stop-start season behind him to play an integral role in the Jets 1-0 win over the Central Coast.

The 22-year-old Olyroo struggled through the majority of the season with stomach complaints but was in fine form for Newcastle during their finals campaign.

"It's been a very frustrating year, but to end it like this, on such a positive note, no one really remembers the bad," Musialik said.

"This is what's going to be remembered."

Musialik is one of several players off contract, and at one point it looked like he would be leaving town.

But his management held a positive meeting with Jets director of football Remo Nogarotto last week, and both parties were confident of striking a deal to keep the home-grown product in Newcastle.


"Of course I'd love to stay in Newcastle, and my manager has had talks with Newcastle and they've been very positive," he said. "Newcastle is my main priority, and hopefully we can get the deal done."

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