Newcastle Jets young gun Eli Adams is relishing every moment on the football field… and it’s easy to see why.

The gifted attacking midfielder has scored four goals in his past three outings, including a double at the expense of Melbourne Victory and the equaliser, which enabled his side to draw 1-all with Sydney FC in the first leg of the A-League Men’s (ALM) semi-final last weekend.

Now, he’s hoping to continue that rich vein of form when the two teams lock horns once more at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday 16 May.

And, if the 22-year-old can find the back of the net again, it’ll go a long way towards propelling Newcastle into the 2025/26 decider.

“I think I’m just in a phase where I’m really enjoying myself,” Adams said.

“Millsy (Mark Milligan), the boss, has certainly expressed how special these circumstances are… contesting the play-offs.

“To not only win the Premier’s Plate but have the chance to win the final is something that doesn’t come around often.

“I’ve been in one GF with the Victory, where I didn’t make the game day squad.

“So, I know first-hand how hard that is.

“For myself, I’ve sort of taken in everything and really tried to enjoy the football, be a competitor… and it seems to be working.

“I don’t want to look ahead too far, as we have a match this weekend, but to win silverware is something you dream of.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in this club, especially with the introduction of Millsy and his crew and the players who’ve come in – we’ve got a very special group.

“There’s a great vibe, too, everyone gets along really well.

“However, due to the uniqueness of finals, you never know when you’re going to be here again.

“We have a chance to create history.

“So, we’re just enjoying every step of the journey… and we’ll give it our all on Saturday.

“The boys have been in a one-off game situation already this season (in the Australia Cup).

“We’ll be ready to do it again.”

Adams was quick to praise the Jets’ strong fan base, too, after a big contingent ventured to Allianz Stadium.

Another sell-out crowd is expected this weekend but, this time, in Newcastle.

“It was incredible,” he said.

“To see the support we got for an away game, you don’t witness that very often.

“After I scored, being able to look up and notice so many people across the stand, it’s so special.

“Actually, it excites me for Saturday because we’re going to have double, triple, however many times more than that at home.

“In saying that though, it doesn’t guarantee a victory… we still need to stick to the game plan.

“However, we’re certainly going to appreciate the fans who are there.

“Sydney FC had that extra boost in the first leg.

“We’ll have the same backing on this occasion.

“It’ll be like having a 12th man out there.

“But, we will prepare the exact same way we’ve done all season, double down on our beliefs, and take the field with confidence.”

Does Adams expect the Sky Blues to change their style with so much on the line?

“No, I think they’ll play similar to the other night,” he told the Newcastle Weekly.

“They’ll come out very energetic; bring the fight to us.

“It’s a do-or-die match, and the finals are a different breed of football, however there’s everything to play for.

“We learnt a fair bit from game one.

“Honestly, I believe a lot of the boys had an off night.

“However, we’ve grown every week throughout the season.

“So, to know we weren’t at our best, but still came back to draw level and possibly win, was special.

“It highlighted the resilience and overall improvement in the squad.

“We’ll look at what we can do to be better on Saturday… and give it a red-hot crack.”

For more sports stories:

• GALLERY… These are the games you want to play, says Jets star Wilmering
• Limited tickets remain as Jets eye off another record crowd
• Milligan confident Jets will rise to the occasion

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