Brandon O'Neill has never been in a better place off the pitch. Now the Jets co-captain is keen to make up for lost time on it.
O'Neill played 31 minutes off the bench in his return from a knee injury in the Jets' 3-1 loss to Western United at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
The return brought an end to two frustrating months for the 28-year-old midfield general.
"It has been challenging because at the start it was meant to be a two-to-three week injury and it turned into six with a tendon being involved," O'Neill said.
"I have to give a lot of credit to our strength and conditioning coach Michael Chiovitti and physio Mitch Perera. They have been amazing and enabled me to go out and play nearly 40 minutes where I felt physically pretty good. Obviously missing six weeks of football, my match fitness will be underdone.
"Each training session, I will get better. Each game, I will get better. We still have eight games leading into the finals.I can't wait to see where I am at in eight weeks time because I felt pretty good out there."
Time away from playing allowed O'Neill to reflect on his maiden six months in Newcastle and make adjustments.
His wife Nicole and daughter Scotti have moved over from Perth and brought some consistency.
"I had a bit of time to sit down and look at my process. Is my process right or not right," he said. "Away from football, I've been able to make changes - how I eat, how I sleep, my training, my recovery and more importantly my mindset.
"My family were living away, they are here now. Being out injured and being back in.
"A lot of change has happened in the past couple of years. Now finally it is consistent. My day is very consistent and I'm very consistent.
"All footballers want off the pitch is consistency so they can be their best selves on the pitch. I think I finally have that now."
Next for O'Neill is winning a spot back in the Jets' starting team.
Rookie Mo Al-Taay has started the in the past five games and added starch to the base of midfield.
Barring injury, both will be in the squad for the tough trip to Wellington to take on fifth-placed Pheonix on Saturday.
"Mo has been outstanding with what he has been able to bring to the team. I'm delighted for him. He works so hard," O'Neill said. "On myself, I just want to be me. I want to be able get the ball at all costs and go as quick as we can forward. I want to be able to link up play closer to goal, I want to be able to stop attacks ... I want to be at the heart of everything we do. I just want the ball. Keep giving me the ball. If I can get as many touches and passes as anyone on the pitch, I feel I can have an impact on the game."
Jets coach Arthur Papas was encouraged by O'Neill's first-up contribution.
"I thought he tried to get on the ball and create things," Papas said. "He will get better and that is important. He is an influential player and I' m happy to have him back in the group."
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