Sam Silvera is determined to make a difference for the Newcastle Jets, whether that is as a starting player or a substitute.
The 21-year-old attacking player is on loan from Portuguese club Pacos De Ferreira and among 15 fresh faces in the Jets squad this A-League Men's season.
He has returned to Australia to learn and develop under Jets coach Arthur Papas.
Silvera and goalscorer Valentino Yuel came on as 63rd-minute substitutions for the Jets in their season-opening 2-1 loss to arch rivals Central Coast at McDonald Jones Stadium last Sunday.
Newcastle trailed 2-0 but Silvera and Yuel added much-needed spark to the attack and made an immediate impact.
Silvera had a right-footed shot from outside of the box blocked in the 73rd minute.
In the 79th, just moments after Yuel scored to get the Jets back in the game, Silvera provided the assist for Beqa Mikeltadze's shot which hit the woodwork.
In injury time, he gave the Jets a last-gasp hope of equalising with a cross into the box which found its mark but was put wide of the goals.
"That's the aim for entering the pitch - you've got to change the game and Val and I think we did," Silvera said.
"We turned it up a gear and we did really well and we put them under pressure. It's just unfortunate we couldn't get that next goal to equalise, hitting the post and coming very close."
Although disappointed with the result, Silvera believed there were exciting signs for Newcastle as they looked to play a high-energy, attacking style of play.
"I think we're doing very well," Silvera said. "We just need to make that final pass, but it's coming together.
"We're a new team and once we start jelling together better I think we'll start putting the goals away very easily.
"The boss has put together a great team and a great identity that we're creating, so I can't wait to keep pushing myself and keep learning from him."
Silvera goes from playing one former club to another with the Jets up against Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium in round two this Sunday.
He was part of the Wanderers Academy for two-and-a-half years before joining the Mariners, where he lit up the A-League during a debut season in 2019-20.
"Regardless if I start or I come off the bench, I've got to show a threat every time I'm on the pitch," he said.
"I've got to put the ball in the back of the net or provide for someone else. That's my goal."
