Apostolos Stamatelopoulos became the A-League men's leading scorer on Sunday with his 14^th goal of the season while his Jets counterpart Sarina Bolden is breathing down Michelle Heyman's neck in the women's race after a stunning hat-trick in her last outing.

The former is on the verge of club history while the latter has already etched her name into Jets folklore.

Both have fast become cult heroes in Newcastle and are key to their team's finals aspirations.

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The Jets men are 11^th with 19 points, eight below the top six with eight rounds remaining and have a mountain to climb as they prepare for an F3 battle with second-placed Central Coast (34 points) at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday (6pm).

Newcastle's A-League Women's side are sixth on 23 points with five games to play and can consolidate their position with a win over eighth-placed Perth, also on 23 points, at Maitland Sportsground this Sunday (4pm).

Stamatelopoulos scored late from the penalty spot to snatch a 2-2 draw with Macarthur on Sunday and could have had more.

The goal, in his 17^th outing this season, was enough to put the 24-year-old one goal ahead of Melbourne Victory's Bruno Fornaroli (13 goals) and two up on Perth's Adam Taggart (12).

Stamatelopoulos has passed Beka Mikeltadze's 2013-14 tally of 13 goals for the Jets and equalled Joel Griffiths effort of 14 in 2007-08.

Now, he is within two clinical strikes of reaching Taggart's club record of 16 goals in a season and coach Rob Stanton has no doubt his strike weapon can get there.

"He's very disciplined and organised in everything he does, and he has a process each week," Stanton said after the round-18 game on Sunday night.

"If he misses out on something he gets annoyed, whether it's video or extras. It's good to see. That's why he's hit 14 goals.

"He probably could have had a couple more today ... but I'm happy he got the goal and he's got a few more left in him as well.

"It's great when you bring someone in who can become a favourite of the fans. That's what the game is about, creating heroes for the young ones to aspire to.

"Stamma has arrived at the club and people weren't sure what he was going to do but he's certainly won them over with his effort and his commitment."

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Bolden has already scored more than any other women's player in the club's history with 11 goals in 12 appearances - American American Katie Stengel racked up 10 in 2017-18 - and is only one behind Canberra's Michelle Heyman.

The 27-year-old is on international duty with the Philippines at the Pinatar Cup in Spain but will be back to face Glory.

After firing Newcastle to a crucial 3-0 victory over Brisbane at Maitland Sportsground on February 17, Bolden declared: "I've still got a lot in me".

"I can't put a number to it, but I hope it's a lot," Bolden, who was a late signing by the Jets, said.

"I think I'm getting there. I still think I have a lot of potential. It's just cool that I'm steadily progressing, and that's all I really want, to keep growing and getting better and better."