Joel scores a pearler!

Melbourne Victory slumped out of the A-League final series with a 3-1 home defeat to the Newcastle Jets.

The Victory can still do it mathematically but if you have been watching them all season you will know they have no chance.

Joel Griffiths knows they are gone, he wants to play them every week.

Kev Muscat, Ernie Merrick and all of the 22,000 fans at the Dome yesterday know it's all all over.


Victory started poorly. The Jets were breaking at pace. Denni outpacing Seb Rayall and finding plenty of space.

But Victory scored through Carlos Hernandez. Surely if ever a team would get some confidence it would be Victory.

But the forward threat of Melbourne doesn't concern many these days.

And the Jets have a canny coach who works a plan. He may not have the names of Victory, Gary Van Egmond may even have to play the Chairman's picks but he works a system and that is why they are in the top four.

They also have Joel Griffiths. Held tightly by Matty Kemp, Griffiths moved away to find space and orchestrated one of the goals of the season from Brazilian Denni.

Victory conceded before half-time and again after half-time.

What a goal. Griffiths bent it from outside the post. A joy to watch.

And Griffiths finished the job as the Victory defence's soft-centre appeared once more.

Kevin Muscat was half the player he was last year, Kaz Patafta looked tired, Archie Thompson tried but couldn't finish when required.

Victory were lively in parts, but simply, they are not a team.

Confidence is low across the park and the Jets enjoyed an easy victory.

The Jets are on a roll. Have the home support to bring the team home in the final games and enough creativity in Denni, Griffiths and Bridge to cause a few problems.

Victory have the Asian Champions League draw tomorrow. But Ernie is still playing the same tactics with or without Fred.

Time to regroup for the Victory, plan for the ACL, but with the current tactics and confidence the fans won't be expecting too much from Australia's biggest club.