Callum Timmins reckons a short Christmas break provided a timely "refresh" as the Newcastle Jets eye their crucial clash with last-placed Western United at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
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The match will be Newcastle's last at home until January 23 and a win will prove a big boost before turning their focus to three successive games on the road to reach the season midpoint.
The Jets have not yet won at home this campaign and are coming off a 3-1 loss to Adelaide in Adelaide last Saturday that left them ninth on nine points, four adrift of the top six.
They returned to training on Wednesday after a brief break for Christmas.
"The lads enjoyed their Christmas but they knew what they had when they came back so we were still prepared mentally for even over the break, but I think it was a good refreshment to see our families and stuff then come back to work," Timmins said.
"It was a good time to have a refresh and the vibe around the changeroom is the lads are buzzing to be back and are ready to kick on."
The Jets beat Western United 1-0 in Ballarat in round four.
United are rooted to the bottom of the table on six points, with the league's worst attacking record and the leakiest defence.
"They're coming last but they're still a good team," Timmins said.
"They've got some very good individuals. I don't think any game this season will be one to go in relaxed. We know that we have a game on our hands and we need to give it everything we've got to get the result and the lads are more than capable of that."
Timmins believes the young Jets squad have plenty of potential and was glad to be back getting minutes in their past three outings after a disrupted start to the English-born midfielder's second season in Newcastle.
The 24-year-old joined Newcastle after a break-out campaign with Perth and selection in the A-Leagues All Stars side. But he struggled to find a place in Arthur Papas' game plan and was hindered by on-going groin issues, making only 13 appearances in 2022-23.
Timmins has worked closely with the Jets medical team this season to prepare and manage his body better and has featured in six games, all off the bench, for a total of 83 minutes.
"I had a lot of injuries [last season] and I think just playing consistently will help me and the rest will take care of itself," Timmins said.
"At the moment, I'm just trying to push to play as much as I possibly can and [coach] Rob [Stanton] knows that, so every day in training and when I come on in games I'm trying my best to make an impact so the coach sees.
"I'm feeling good at the moment."
