Jets coach Arthur Papas hopes the opportunity to give his players their first "freshen up" in over two months will prove the catalyst to a crucial victory when they host Perth at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
Newcastle are back at home after a tough and taxing 10-day period, in which they defied the odds to produce a spectacular, backs-to-the-wall 2-0 victory over Sydney on March 25 after being decimated by COVID, flew to Perth midweek and played out a 0-0 draw before being outplayed in a devastating 2-0 loss to Brisbane Roar in Queensland last Sunday.
It was possibly the Jets' worst performance of the season and physically they looked well below the high-energy standard we have come to expect from them this campaign.
Plenty of excuses could have been made post-match, but Papas refused to give any.
Players were instead given Tuesday and Wednesday off from training but will be back in action Thursday with an eye on Perth.
Not since returning from a COVID-enforced six-week hiatus on January 30 have the Jets had the luxury of taking a breath between matches in a jam-packed playing schedule.
They are set for a busy end to the season as well, with their remaining seven games to be played in the space of four weeks.
Finals are still well within reach with Newcastle just six points adrift of the top six. Five of the teams in the top six have played at least one more game than the Jets.
"We'll get a three-day lead-in to the game, which is the first time we've had a three-day lead-in since last year basically and we'll hope to use that really well," Papas said.
"We've still got a few players that we've got to nurse back. That's the toll from the last week as well, and then put us in a good stead to have a very strong performance come Sunday."
Powerful striker Olivier Boumal and centre-back Taylor Regan missed the Roar match through injury. Young gun Archie Goodwin - the two-goal hero against the Sky Blues in his first performance of the season - was also absent after playing two games in quick succession.
Papas said Regan would be out for couple of games yet but the others would be assessed leading into Sunday.
"The majority will be back but the first couple of days back in training will give us a better indication because it was really a challenging week physically to even get them to the end of that match against Brisbane," he said.
"So we've just got to be mindful that we're putting players on that can play at 100 per cent and give us the performance that we need in front of our home fans."
Jets playmaker Daniel Penha should prove "a big boost" in his return from suspension this weekend.
"Daniel has also had the chance to freshen up," Papas said. "Including his time in Brazil, I think he's played something like 49 games in the space of 12 months.
"So that's the first time he's had a bit of a chance to freshen up as well and hopefully he comes back and brings a lot of energy and creativity, which I'm sure he will."
Left-sided player Lucas Mauragis will be unavailable through suspension.
