THE safe option for Bobby Burns would have been to stay in Scotland, bide his time, and hope playing the odd game for Hearts was enough to satisfy Northern Ireland coach Michael O'Neill.
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Instead, the talented teenager chose to travel to the other side of the world and experience a new country and new league.
What's more, the left back and under-21 Northern Ireland captain is confident the new surroundings will help fast track his career.
"It is good to get out of my comfort zone," Burns said after arriving in Newcastle on Tuesday. "I had a couple of different options in England and Scotland, probably safer options. But I felt that this was a really exciting opportunity at a really good level. Although it is a risk, I think I am more chance of playing here."
It wasn't a decision Burns made on a whim.
He did his research on the A-League, took advice from O'Neill and Hearts manager Craig Levein and canvassed Australian teammates Ben Garuccio and Oliver Bozanic and Northern Ireland international Aaron Hughes, who played at Melbourne City.
"I spoke to Michael O'Neil and some of the Northern Ireland under age coaches and they think it will be a really good move for me," he said. "Craig Levein obviously wants me to do well out here.
"Since the interest came in, I have been talking to different people and have taken a lot of advice. They all seem to think that the league is a very high standard. Nobody has said anything negative about it. Watching it and researching it more, I am really excited about the opportunity. Being from Ireland, Wes Hoolahan was a bit of a hero of mine. It will be good to link with him.
"I think the football will be quite similar in style to the Scottish Premier League."
Burns signed a three year contract with Hearts in May 2018. He went on loan at fellow Scottish Premier League club, Livingston, where he made eight appearances, including a scoreless draw with a Tommy Rogic-led Celtic.
He returned to Hearts in January and scored one goal in five league games.
In between, he led Northern Ireland under-21s to victory over Spain and was promoted to the senior national team squad, but is yet to earn a cap.
However, at Hearts the addition of experienced left back Aidy White and the return by Garrucio from a knee injury meant Burns dropped down the pecking order.
"The last year has been a real roller coaster," he said. "I just thought the best thing for me and my development towards the national team was to come out here."
Although mainly a left back, Burns is comfortable pushed forward or in a defensive midfield role.
"I am quite an attacking left back, although I like my defending too. I love a good hard tackle," Burns said. "I will work as hard as I can at training to work my way into the team. I have no right to be in the starting XI. I have to prove myself first."
The Jets were without a natural left back after the departure of Ivan Vujica to new Melbourne club Western United.
"We were looking for young player to come in and field a left-sided role," Jets football operations manager Joel Griffiths said.
"We needed a little bit of depth and balance. He is only 19 but he has captained the Northern Ireland under-21s so he has a good head on his shoulders
"He asked me 100 questions on the drive up from Sydney. He was very inquisitive, mainly about sharks, snakes and spiders. Once we got past that we went into the football side of things. He was asking all the right questions."
