A-League soccer, 2023: Brandon O'Neill excited by Jets' department of youth

At 29, physically he is at the peak of his powers. Mentally the midfielder is fresh and as hungry as ever.

Normally, a large club of the roster would be at the same stage in their career.

However, under new coach Rob Stanton the Jets will field the youngest squad in the A-League.

Clayton Taylor, 19, and Lachie Bayliss, 20, made their debut in the win over Melbourne Victory on penalties in the Australia Cup qualifier a week ago.

Mark Natta, Lucas Mauragis and Phil Cancar have just hit their 20s. Archie Goodwin is 18.

"Our average age is 21 or 22," O'Neill said. "It is pretty cool to see these boys coming through who are physical animals but have a football brain to boot.

"Clayton Taylor, Lachie Bayliss, Archie Goodwin, Lucas Mauragis are in the infancy of what their career is hopefully going to be. If they keep trending in the right direction, the world is their oyster. That is pretty exciting for Newcastle people to see young boys coming though.

"They are young, young. Then you have the next echelon of Tommy Aquilina, Mark Natta, Phil Cancar, Dane Ingham who seems to have been around for yonks but is only young. Reno Piscopo is only young ... myself, Jenko and Hoffy are looking around going we are the old fellas.

"That is what should excite the fans. Every game you will have energy. Every game you will have physical blokes who will work for 90-plus minutes. We played for 120 minutes in the Australia Cup and boys were clocking figures that you should be clocking mid season.

"With the guidance of senior lads like myself, Hoffy and Jenks, and under a good football mind like Rob, you should see some real development in the next 12 months."

O'Neill has fully recovered from heat exhaustion he suffered during extra-time of the Cup win in Darwin, which resulted in the play-maker spending a night in hospital.

The co-captain missed eight games midway through last season due to a knee injury and he never really go going again.

The Jets will play a friendly against Sydney FC before taking on Brisbane Roar in the Australia Cup round of 32 at Maitland Sportsground on August 14.

"I can't help what happened in Darwin, but I don't want to miss a session, I don't want to miss a game," O'Neill said.

"I can't wait to play in Maitland. The facilities are brilliant. It gives our supporter base an opportunity to come and have a Cup night feel.

"We want to win the Australia Cup. We want to stay in it as long as we can. You have competitive games to look forward to every few weeks. That is what the boys want to be doing."