THEY have been written off on the eve of the A-League season, but the Newcastle Jets are happy to fly under the radar and prove their critics wrong.
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A new-look Jets outfit, under new coach Rob Stanton, open their campaign away to Perth on Sunday night.
Few, outside the walls of the dressing room, give the Jets hope of winning that game, in which they are $3.25 outsiders with the NSW TAB.
There is similar sentiment regarding the Jets' chances of pushing for a championship.
Former Socceroos and high-profile football commentator Robbie Slater predicted Newcastle to run last in his newspaper column on Sunday.
Most pundits have tipped Newcastle to finish in the bottom three. They are $17 outsiders to win the title on the NSW TAB. Only Brisbane, Macarthur, both $21, and Perth ($26) are below them in the betting market.
The price is reflective of the Jets' 10th place on the table last season.
Coach Arthur Papas and starters Beka Mikeltadze, Angus Thurgate, Jaushua Sotirio and Matt Jurman have since departed.
Rob Stanton, a long-time assistant coach at Sydney FC, has taken the reins.
French midfielder Jason Barthomier is the one major signing.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has returned from Greece and Stanton has given an opportunity to a host young, hungry players.
"People have their opinion from the outside as to what the Newcastle Jets look like year after year," veteran defender Jason Hoffman said. "That's fine. The opinions that count are the ones in that change room. We believe that we are going to finish a lot higher.
"We are extremely confident, based on the pre-season results against strong opposition, and feel prepared going into round one. That is our focus.
"When points start going on the board, then hopefully you see people talking positively about the team. They will start believing in what we believe."
The Jets have played nine games against A-League opposition, including the Australia Cup, where they lost 3-2 in extra-time to Brisbane Roar in the round of 32
They finished the pre-season with three wins, including a 4-1 triumph over champions Central Coast, three draws and three losses.
In total, they scored 19 goals and conceded 15.
They completed preparations for the season with a 2-all draw against Western Sydney last Friday - a match in which they led twice.
"With a new coaching staff and a lot of new players. it is certainly an exciting time," Hoffman said. "We have played a game nearly every week sine the Australia Cup [in August]. The results against quality opposition have been there. The senior guys have set a cultural standard which has been implemented by the new faces.
"There haven't been many long-term injuries which has been a real positive in pre-season. Of course, we have had problems for one or two. They will rejoin the group pretty early in the pre-season.
"And our strikers have been scoring lots of goals. That is what you want going into round one.
"One area that we need to sharpen in the next few days is defence. We have copped some silly goals in pre-season. They were goals that can easily corrected."
The Jets beat Perth 2-1 in round one at McDonald Jones Stadium last year.
Dane Ingham is confident the Jets can begin the campaign in a similar vein.
"We have had a lot of pre-season games, now it's time for the big show," Ingham said. "We have come in with a new coach, a new mindset. He wants us to go out and make sure we get three points. It is important to start off the year with three points.
"The performance matters, but most important is getting three points."
Perth have also undergone major change. Former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic has taken control and long-term owner Tony Sage has stepped away.
