It will be a David versus Goliath opening to the Jets' season but for co-captain Cassidy Davis "there's no better way to start".
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The W-League kicks off Thursday with Western Sydney playing Adelaide.
Newcastle host the star-studded league heavyweights Melbourne City at No.2 Sportsground on Sunday.
"Everyone is saying we're going to come last and that's the talk at the moment, but I know for me and the girls we all like to prove people wrong and are happy to be the underdogs ... we're happy to take that test and give it a go," Davis said.
The Jets have not taken a point off their round-one rivals in seven encounters since City joined the league in 2015-16. City will again be the highly fancied favourites this weekend.
While Newcastle have no imports nor big-name players, City feature Matildas Kyah Simon, Lydia Williams, Steph Catley, Emily van Egmond, Ellie Carpenter and Emma Checker. They also have once-capped Matilda and former Jet Rhali Dobson, Japan's Yukari Kinga and Scotland's Claire Emslie.
"They've got a lot of twinkle toes in their team and we've got a group of girls who want to work hard and work for each other, so it would be good to knock off a team like that," Davis said.
"I think they've probably not been as good as they can be. They didn't make the semis last year and they've always had a good team, so to knock off a team with a lot of players in national teams and who play in the US [United States] would be massive.
"But we just need to make sure we're up for the challenge and not hide from it and be ready."
Newcastle lost 2-1 to defending champions Sydney in a trial match on November 3 then beat an Australian Defence Force team 10-0 in a final pre-season hit-out last weekend.
"Everyone is feeling good and there's a good vibe," Davis said. "The new girls who have come in this year have all really connected with us straight away and I think that's important.
"But we have to also make sure we push each other and don't get too complacent about it being a good culture and we're all friends. It's got to turn into points and that's something that we need to keep driving in the group."
The Jets' game on Sunday kicks off at 6pm.
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