There was no time for nerves as Ash Brodigan made her national league return after a three-season absence.
The versatile attacking player was just 16 when she debuted with the Jets in 2015-16. She made 16 appearances in three seasons and had last played in 2018.
That was until Saturday, when the Central Coast product was thrust into action in the 33rd minute of Newcastle's A-League Women's season-opener against Sydney at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
The 22-year-old replaced Bethany Gordon, who was also playing her first match in the league since 2017-18 but was forced from the field early with a knee injury.
"I didn't have much time to think," Brodigan said on Monday. "Adrenalin kind of took over and I just went out and played my game."
Brodigan was energetic in the midfield and rattled the goalpost with a shot in the 71st minute as the Jets chased the game at 3-1 down.
"I just knew I had to hit it as hard as I could because if I hit it hard then no one could stop it," Brodigan said. "But the crossbar stopped it.
"It was disappointing. I knew that I needed to do it to get us back in with a chance and I missed, but I had to move on and just keep going on with the game."
The former Australian youth player earned a Jets contract after a stand-out Herald Women's Premier League season with premiers Broadmeadow in which she scored 18 goals in 16 outings.
It has been a long journey back and Brodigan is determined to make the most of the opportunity.
"It's very good to be back," she said. "I feel like I'm playing better football than I was and I'm definitely enjoying the game more than I was.
"I was training four days a week since I was 11, so I did lose the love a bit I think. But in getting dropped from the top level, I definitely improved as a person and as a football player in that time off."
Jets coach Ash Wilson had no hesitancy in injecting Brodigan into the game.
"I was very happy for Ash," Wilson said. "We talked about the fact that she went away and she's definitely matured a lot in the game and it's fantastic to be able to give someone like her another opportunity.
"She worked hard in there and she looked to play positive football and, as we look to build, I can see her having lots of positive impacts on the team."
Brodigan is likely to come into calculations as Wilson determines her starting side for Newcastle's first home game against Wellington at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday. The match is at 5.05pm and is the first of a Jets double-header with the men playing Phoenix at 7.45pm.
Wilson will make at least two changes to her starting line-up from the one she named against the Sky Blues.
Defender Tiana Jaber is serving a one-match suspension after she was red-carded for two yellow card offences and the extent of Gordon's knee injury is still being assessed.
The Jets lost 3-1 to Sydney after conceding two goals in six minutes through turnovers then a third off a corner.
League newcomers Wellington opened their season with a scoreless draw against Western Sydney.
