Newcastle Jets coach Ernie Merrick has all but conceded his team's hopes of playing in the A-League finals series ahead of this weekend's match against Western Sydney Wanderers.
The Jets are currently in seventh position - seven points behind sixth-placed Melbourne City with four matches to go before finals - as the Wanderers come to visit McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Merrick admitted his team were unlikely to close the gap after conceding seven goals in consecutive losses to Wellington and Central Coast.
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"I don't think we are going to make the finals and we're very disappointed by that," Merrick said.