Football: Shane Smeltz remorseful after injuring Jets goalkeeper but won't change his style

Mark Birighitti of the Jets leaves the ground after getting injured he is aided by Shane Smeltz (L) of Sydney FC. Photo/Getty.

Sydney FC striker Shane Smeltz was distraught after seriously injuring Newcastle Jets goalkeeper Mark Birighitti but has vowed not to change his game.

Smeltz was involved in an ugly tackle in Saturday night's match that saw Birighitti rushed to hospital for surgery on broken teeth.

Birighitti, who was among the Jets' best, had bravely fielded a through ball in his own box when he was collected by a racing Smeltz midway through the second half.

The former Phoenix striker struggled to focus on the remainder of the match and was concerned for Birighitti's wellbeing, but says he won't shy away from challenging goalkeepers for the ball in the future.

"I've thought about that, I don't think it will. I've always been the same player and I don't need to change it in any way," Smeltz told Fairfax Media.

"How many times do you see and how many times have strikers and goalkeepers collided? Nine times out of 10, it's just a collision where the striker falls over the goalkeeper and nothing happens.

"It's part of the game, sometimes these things happen and nobody goes into games with the intention to cause harm."

Warning: Graphic footage

Smeltz has had his fair share of nasty collisions, including a nasty gash suffered in the 2012 grand final, which required 55 stitches.

While that experience was painful, Smeltz said it hurt him more to have inflicted such an injury on a player he calls a friend.

"I've been on the end of this and as painful and unfortunate as it is, it's harder to be on this side because I caused it," he said.

The 34-year-old was not carded for the incident but could still find himself sanctioned by the A-League Match Review Panel.

Furious Newcastle coach Scott Miller has called for greater protection for goalkeepers and described Smeltz's tackle as "outrageous", "disrespectful" and "reckless".

It was a collision not too dissimilar to when the ex-Gold Coast United striker left another former Jets gloveman, Neil Young, with five fractures in his nose in 2010.

"If you look at his mouth, for me, that's not on," Miller said after the match.

"Irrespective if its a mistake or unintentional, it's not right. (It) is not only disrespectful, but slightly out of order, if someone requires surgery post a one-on-one with a goalkeeper."