In recent years, though, Wheeler has had star power at Newcastle to match it with the likes of Tameka Yallop, Katrina Gorry and Clare Polkinghorne. In fact, Newcastle have won their past two trips to Queensland 3-0 (2017-18) and 4-0 (2015-16).

But come Sunday at Lions FC Stadium, Wheeler, 21, will be a senior figure in midfield against Roar in what she says is a must-win clash in Newcastle's W-League campaign.

The Jets, without imports or marquee signings this season, are seventh on four points after five of 12 games and sit a win behind Roar and two outside the top four.

Wheeler, the Jets 2018-19 player of the year, said Newcastle were treating the match as a "must-win".

"I think we're in a promising position at seventh and we're still kind of in touch," Wheeler said. "We definitely need a win this weekend to keep up with the top four."

Wheeler was excited about the challenge of facing Roar's Matildas stalwarts and she has a key role to play for Newcastle, who are last in the league in passing accuracy.

"I remember being really young and playing my first game against players like Katrina Gorry and Tameka Yallop and it was amazing and I was really star-struck, and I still feel the same when I go out there," she said.

"I'm like, 'OK, this is the level, this is where I'm at and just do your best'."

The Jets lost 2-0 to Sydney before the bye last weekend.

Wheeler said Newcastle were still driven to prove the doubters wrong and make the finals.

"At the moment we can't really call ourselves successful," she said.

"I mean, we can take a lot of positives out of what we've done, but we're not really successful until the last round and hopefully make the finals.

"Until that point, we're still believing in that and still striving for that."

She hoped forward Teigan Collister would return to the squad after missing the Sydney loss with hamstring trouble.