Jets coach Ash Wilson rates Newcastle's next two matches, starting with Brisbane north of the border on Sunday, as "massively important" to their finals hopes.
Newcastle are eyeing a return to finals football after a three-season absence and have shown plenty of glimpses they are capable of achieving the feat with consistency and more polish in front of goal.
In five outings the Jets have already amassed more points - they have eight and are unbeaten in their past four starts - than last season, when they finished second-last on seven.
There is plenty of football to be played this campaign but the Jets' next two rounds, against Roar (7) at Moreton Daily Stadium on Sunday (4.05pm AEDT) and Canberra United (2) at McDonald Jones Stadium on January 30, loom large as season-defining games.
Newcastle drew 1-1 with Perth last Sunday at No.2 Sportsground in their first appearance in over three weeks. They had their round-five and six games postponed due to COVID and the Perth outing was played after more than half of the Jets squad had contracted the virus in the new year.
The postponed games against second-placed Melbourne City (15) and third-placed Melbourne Victory (12) are likely to be played next month and points on the board now for the fifth-placed Jets will put them in a good position ahead of what could be a busy February.
"At this stage these next two games could be two of the most important games of our season, just to make sure that there is that distance being put behind us and that we are staying connected to the top four," Wilson said.
"You don't know what's going to happen in the draw below you and you want to make sure you control what you do, so the focus for us is to get six points in the next two games. We know that anything less than that could mean that we're really relying on other teams and we're relying on ourselves to beat teams who are sitting first, second and third as well.
"These next two games are super important in terms of just setting up a platform to keep building and hopefully just drawing more motivation and belief to go out and get results."
Exciting Norwegian forward Marie Dolvik Markussen, who has proven dangerous in all three appearances for the Jets, returns to the squad after missing the Perth game because she had only come out of COVID isolation.
Experienced defenders Hannah Brewer and Gema Simon could also come back into calculations. Brewer came out of isolation on Thursday. Simon is yet to play this season due to a calf complaint but has returned to full training.
Midfielder Lucy Johnson picked up a quadriceps niggle against Glory and was unlikely to be included for the Brisbane trip.
"If someone has a niggle this week it might be a chance to rest them just to make sure in the next couple of weeks we've got everyone available so we can consecutively put out teams who are going to start strong," Wilson said.
