JETS management will decide on Tuesday whether to roll the dice and appeal Joel Griffiths’s two-match ban for referee abuse.

Football Federation Australia’s independent match review panel on Monday handed the enigmatic Jets striker an additional one-game ban on top of his automatic one-game suspension for receiving a red card.

Referee Ben Williams marched Griffiths after full-time in Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night.

Griffiths heatedly remonstrated with Williams following a heavy collision between Jets striker Adam Taggart and Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic.

The match review panel ruled Griffiths was guilty of “use of offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures against a match official”.
It is understood Griffiths did not call Williams a cheat.

The Jets have until midday on Tuesday to decide whether to appeal the suspension and have it reduced to one week.

In a statement on the club’s website on Monday night it appeared the Jets would be unlikely to take that gamble.

‘‘Should the club decide to appeal the suspension, the FFA has advised it is highly likely the penalty will be increased,’’ the statement read.

‘‘The club will seek legal advice and consider their options before making a decision prior to midday on Tuesday.’’


If Griffiths serves the full two-match ban the fiery target man will return against his former club Sydney FC at Hunter Stadium on February 22.

That rules him out of vital matches against the in-form Wellington Phoenix at Hunter Stadium on Sunday and against A-League leaders Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on February 16.

Given the Jets are winless in six games and are second last on the ladder, Griffiths’s suspension could not have arrived at a worse time.

The initial delay in obtaining a clearance for the former Johnny Warren Medallist’s from Chinese club Qingdao Jonoon meant Griffiths finally made his return for the Jets on Saturday, despite rejoining the club more than three weeks earlier.

This latest suspension means Griffiths will have only eight remaining games to catapult the misfiring Jets into the A-League finals.
Dis Grace that HSG look like rolling over and not taking the fight up for the Peoples Champion from this injustice