Banned Jets keeper to learn play-off fate

Regardless of the result, it may not be the last time Jets fans see of Nino, with executive chairman Shane Mattiske confirming that the club was keen to re-sign the talented shot-stopper.

In their first finals appearance since 2017-18, the Jets will take on Western at Tarneit regional football facility in Melbourne on Saturday April 13 at 6.30pm.

Nino was issued a two-match ban by the match review panel for "assault on a player" after she was given a red card for her involvement in a fracas in the Jets' 3-2 win over Melbourne Victory in the penultimate round.

The minimum sanction for the offence is two matches, being the mandatory match suspension, plus one additional match.

Nino sat out the 8-0 rout of Adelaide in the final round. A match in which her replacement Tiahna Robertson, who was signed midweek from NPL side University of NSW, starred.

However, the Jets hope to have the second match of the ban quashed due to exceptional circumstances.

"We have referred the matter to the Disciplinary and Ethics committee on the sole question of whether exceptional circumstances apply and therefore a sanction outside the range is applicable," Mattiske said.

"We believe there is a case to be put forward. There were exceptional circumstances that contributed to incident. What actually occurred was not an incident of violent conduct."

Mattiske and Nino will present their case via video link on Thursday.

The incident happened in stoppage time after Victory defender Emily Gielnik grabbed Jets winger Mindi Barbieri from behind and pulled her to her feet after the Jets player bent to tie a shoelace.

Footage shows, that Nino springs to Bariberi's defence and jumps in between the players. Gielnik grabs Nino on the back of the jersey and pulls the keeper towards her. Nino pushes out and her hand makes contact near the bottom of Geilnik's neck.

In a post on social media after the suspension, Nino declared she was "not a violent person" and was purely protecting a teammate.

"I am not a violent person," she wrote. "There is no place for senseless violence in this game.

"My only intention when entering that situation was to protect my teammate by putting my body in front of hers. I have never been involved in a situation like this, and it has taught me some valuable lessons."

Nino, 24, has been one of the Jets' best.

"Izzy is among a raft of players doing well," Mattiske said. "She is a player we would like to advance conversations with about her returning. It is a little more complicated because she is an overseas player."

Another of the Jets' overseas stars, Sarina Bolden, has been called up by the Philippines for a friendly against South Korea during the FIFA international window.

The countries will play two games, but Bolden will return after the first in Icheon on Friday night. The second match is on Monday April 8.

"We have spoken to the Philippines coach and he has agreed to let her return after the first game," Jets coach Ryan Campbell said.

"That way she gets a full week of preparation with us for the elimination final.

"There was talk that she might not go at all. We have the weekend off and I thought it was a great opportunity to play against Korea but she wanted to be back and be involved for the full week of prep. It has worked out best for both teams."