The club didn't reveal the player's identity on Wednesday, but the Newcastle Herald understands it is defender Jordan Elsey.

It is believed Elsey returned a positive PCR result after failing a rapid antigen test on game day last weekend.

This likely rules him out of playing for the Jets against Western Sydney Wanderers at McDonald Jones Stadium on Boxing Day.

Newcastle teammates Angus Thurgate and Noah James returned positive coronavirus tests last week and were required to self-isolate at home for 14 days.

They were both unavailable for Sunday's 2-1 loss to frontrunners Macarthur at Campbelltown Stadium with Elsey a late withdrawal.

Thurgate and Elsey had been part of the starting XI when the Jets beat Wellington 4-0 at home on December 10.

The club released a statement on Wednesday saying no crowds would be allowed to attend the upcoming A-League Men's match in Newcastle given the region's ongoing COVID outbreak.

Speaking prior to that announcement, but in relation to the global health pandemic, Hoffman said "we'll make sure we prepare the best we can to give the people of Newcastle something to enjoy".

Hoffman said he was unsure when Thurgate and Elsey would rejoin the squad exactly, however, he feels player depth shouldn't be an issue for the Jets in 2021-22.

"Obviously in the early part of this season we've relied heavily on a number of boys in the squad," Hoffman said.

"Angus and Jordan were unavailable for the last match and we'll wait and see what their availability is like over the coming weeks.

"As soon as you make changes it's just one of those things where you look into squad depth and we certainly have that depth there.

"The replacements I thought did a fantastic job, it was more a situation on the weekend where as a collective we went away from our principles and it ended up costing us.

"As a group we just need to improve and regardless of who is on the field at the time we have to develop that winning mentality."

Hoffman said familiar faces at the Wanderers club, including under-fire coach Carl Robinson, midfielder Steven Ugarkovic and striker Bernie Ibini-Isei, aren't a distraction for the Jets.

"There's many friends down at the Wanderers that used to be involved at our club, but to be honest when we catch up we don't really speak too much football," he said.

"Every club has their own situation and mentality and our group's mentality is to focus on the Newcastle Jets."

After five rounds Newcastle are equal sixth on the ladder, sitting alongside Sydney FC and Wanderers on five points. The Jets had a 2-all draw with Western Sydney away on November 28. It was the same result against the Sky Blues on December 4.

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