The Jets are in 10^th place on 16 points after 14 rounds, one point less than the Arthur Papas-steered side had accrued at the same stage.

The 2022-23 crop, which was spearheaded by O'Neill, former Socceroo Mat Jurman, Georgian international Beka Mikeltadze, Angus Thurgate, Josh Sotirio and Japanese import Manabu Saito, went on to finish 10^th with 29 points.

Wellington Phoenix finished sixth on 35 points.

The Jets are currently five points outside the six entering Saturday's game against an unbeaten Melbourne Victory at McDonald Jones Stadium.

"I think we have improved dramatically on last season," O'Neill said. "I think we have improved in a way to win football games.

"That is no disrespect to what we were doing last year. We had quality players here. I feel as a team - the dynamic and the collective effort in order to win a football game - that we are so much closer to that week after week.

"The lads are learning a hell of a lot. We are halfway through a season of firsts. We have a lot of first-year players, we have a brand new coaching set-up. From day one to now, we have improved out of sight.

"When Wellington, who are top of the table, come and play with a back five - they respect you because they know you are dangerous - it shows how far we have come."

The Jets, which have an average age of 23, gave up an 87th-minute goal to go down 2-1 to Phoenix. It was another case of 'what ifs'.

"The second half, once we scored that equaliser, I deadset thought we were going to go on and win it," O'Neill said. "That is why it hurt so much. We are close to the full circle. We review it, we look at it and go there are two moments we could be better. You fix those big moments and we are there.

"There are five or six games this year where instead of getting three points, you get one point. Instead of one point you get zero points. Games that you should win, we haven't.

"I truly believe we should be in the top six. But there is one thing believing it and one thing it being the case.

"In order for us to do that, we need to turn the consistent performances, for the most part, into results. Once we do that, we will end up where we need to be."

O'Neill said Melbourne Victory, who finished 11^th last season, were an example of how quickly things can improve

"You see what they did last year, compared to this year," he said. "It was figuring out how to translate performance into result. That is massive in the league.

"What a great opportunity we have - at home, in front of our fans - to go out and beat Melbourne Victory.

"We are only halfway through the season and are five points outside the six. This league, if anything, it has told us, its heads or tails who can turn up on the day and win.

"I have been in successful organisations, I have been a part of successful teams. I know the feeling on the pitch. The feeling we have at the minute - we are very close to something good.

"We are in a profession where wins and points matter. Once we make that little flick - do good work on the pitch which translates into points. In the next six to 12 to 18 months, I'm really at where we can go and what we can do."