Fresh from scoring his first A-League goal, Newcastle defender Connor O'Toole is set to extend his stay at the club for another two years.
The Newcastle Herald understands the Jets will this week announce the deal, which will keep the 23-year-old tied to the club until at least the end of the 2022-23 season.
O'Toole came to the Jets midway through last season on an 18-month contract following 31 games at Brisbane after debuting for Roar in November 2017.
He has since started in all of his 16 appearances for Newcastle, including their 11 games this season.
Speaking to the media on Monday after training, the left-back said he was enjoying his time with Newcastle under coach Craig Deans.
"I'm always looking to play my best football, but obviously that becomes more of a focus in a year you are off contract," O'Toole said.
"Each week I'm just out there to try and win games and I think if that happens, contracts will come. The bigger and better things come.
"I really enjoy being down here.
"I didn't have the best of times at the back end of my Brisbane run, so it was good to get down here and start playing pretty much straight away.
"Deansy showed a lot of faith in me so I'm very fortunate with that. I'm just happy to be playing."
Despite the disappointment of a 2-1 loss to Adelaide away last Friday night, O'Toole was still smiling on Monday when asked about his maiden goal. The first-half equaliser came from a cracking left-foot strike.
"I guess it starts the day before," he said of how his goal came about.
"In training I banged probably two or three top corner. Macca [assistant coach Daniel McBreen] come up to me before the game and goes, 'if you get the opportunity today, back yourself', which is pretty much what I did. I saw the opportunity and took it and luckily it went top corner, so I'll take it."
O'Toole's strike from the top of the penalty area in the 22nd minute was a rare highlight for Newcastle in the first half at Coopers Stadium.
Louis D'Arrigo drove in a failed clearance from Steve Ugarkovic in the sixth minute to put the Reds in front. Craig Goodwin won the game in the 77th minute with a quality finish after forcing a turnover from Ugarkovic.
O'Toole said Ugarkovic apologised to teammates, but there was no need.
"I think you could probably count on one hand the amount of bad games Steve's had for Newcastle," he said.
"He put his hand up straight away and said it was his fault, but I don't think anyone really took it as an apology. It was just 'Steve, that's it, the next game comes on Saturday, we move on as a team'."
The Jets, on 11 points, dropped a spot to 11th on the ladder after the second successive loss but they remain only four points outside the top six.
They face defending champions Sydney FC, who have 12 points from nine games, on Saturday at Jubilee Stadium. The Sky Blues will be backing up after playing Western United there on Wednesday night.
O'Toole said the Jets were already focused on bouncing back against Sydney.
"I think we didn't start well but we got ourselves back in the game, we gave ourselves the opportunity to at least come away with a point, so to go down 2-1, it wasn't the greatest feeling, but we've got a game against Sydney to bounce back," he said.
"They are not doing too great either so I think it will be a good match."
The Jets have work to do at both ends of the pitch. Mistakes have cost them dearly at the back and missed chances have left them with the worst attack in the league, with just nine goals.
"It is the final ball and the final shot," O'Toole said of their attacking problems.
"If you have a look at the games, we've had probably 10 plus corners in every game and 10 plus shots in every game. It's just the shots on target and the crossing accuracy is lacking at the moment. I think if we get that right, the goals will come."
He said the costly mistakes at Adelaide had "been the story of our season".
"A lot of the goals we've conceded have been from our wrongdoing, but I think that happens," he said. "It's our job then to back it up and get on the scoresheet and win that way, instead of moping on what's happened. We just have to get past it and go on."
The new contract for O'Toole will be a boost in a year where he is fighting for a spot in Australia's Olyroos squad to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
"There is plenty of competition for that squad," he said.
"I think any time you get selected for Australia, it's an honour, so if my performances are good enough and Arnie [coach Graham Arnold] thinks so, I would be very happy."
