TURBO-charged Jets fullback Matt Millar returns to the Central Coast on Saturday night wiser but with no regrets after a messy departure from the Mariners.
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The 23-year-old is one of four fresh faces alongside striker Abdiel Arroyo, fellow speedster Nick Fitzgerald and left back Bobby Burns expected to line up for their maiden F3 derby, which doubles as the Jets' season opener.
Millar, the find of last A-League season, was sensationally sent home from Mariners training in February after the club discovered he had signed a two-year deal with Newcastle.
"Matt Millar knew, and his agent knew, very well, that we wanted to keep him ... he thought he would be better developed by going to Newcastle," then coach Mike Mulvey fumed.
The Jets had notified the Mariners in December of their interest in the off-contract rookie and had planned to keep his recruitment quiet.
Millar, who joined the Mariners from South Melbourne after a month-long trial, played out the season in Gosford, where he led the cellar dwellers in assists with eight.
"It was probably my first exposure to something like that. It was a tough time with it all coming out the way it did," Millar said. "It wasn't the way I would have liked it to have been handled. I definitely learnt a lot from it and it built resilience and made me stronger and a better player. These things happen in football. I wanted to make sure I had the best development and I thought it would be in Newcastle. This is where I can develop most."
Millar, although having nothing but good things to say about his time at the Mariners, is expecting a hostile reception at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday night.
"I have spoken to the older boys here about it," Millar said. "They told me, if I cop a bit of stick which I will, to treat at it as a positive. I did well last year and they are sad I left."
Millar delivered the final pass for two goals in the Mariners' upset 3-2 win over the Jets in round 22 at McDonald Jones Stadium in March.
"Out of all the games I played last season, the derby was up there as one of the best," Millar said. "It means a lot to the fans. It really is a big occasion and those are the games you want to play in."
One of 10 children, including eight boys, Millar learnt from an early age the benefit of hard work.
Hard work and persistence earned him a gig at the Mariners and he is maintaining the same approach in a bid to take his game to a new level in Newcastle.
"I came in as an unknown last year and maybe that helped me a little bit with players not knowing what I am going to do," he said. "Now that I have had 20 something games, people will know that I like, maybe, to go down the line. That is something I am working with Ernie on - adapting my game and knowing when to go inside or outside. That is a massive thing for me this year - being unpredictable. I had a fair few assists last season, but I can't be content with that. I have been focusing on that final product and making sure when I get down the line I pick someone out in the box and put a nice early low cross in."
Millar has also put in the hard yards at the other end of the pitch.
"I was effective going forward last season but I still need to do a lot of work defensively," he said. "I have been working with Nikolai and Nigel, who have massive experience, and adjusting little things like body position and positioning on the pitch," he said. "Already, I can see it is helping me. I don't have to do as much running because I am smarter and know where to position myself."
Milllar hails from the sleepy town of Pearcedale on the Mornington Peninsular, where football was ingrained at an early age.
"I'm the fourth in the family," he said. "My sister is the eldest at 27, then eight boys straight, before a girl at the end. She is 12. We figured my parents wanted another girl.
"We had a big back yard and plenty of five v five which is always good growing up. Everyone, even my two sisters, are into soccer. The young ones are doing well at a junior level. My two older brothers, Hamish and Scotty, are playing in the Victoria NPL. We are extremely close which is a credit to my parents. They really raised us well. Soccer helped with that, just the way you bond and interact."
After being plucked from the Melbourne City youth league team to make his A-League debut as an 18-year-old against the Jets in 2015, Millar was working alongside his brother in a factory making covers for spa pools, studying osteopathy at the University of Victoria and playing for South Melbourne when offered a trial at the Mariners.
"There were 70 NPL players from around Australia that Mike Mulvey brought in," Millar said. "It was a pretty grueling month-long trial. From the 70, myself, Jordan Murray and Josh McDonald made it. It was such a big moment for me, getting a contract. I thought I was going to be a squad player and fill in where needed.
"I put my head down and worked really hard. Luckily for me we had a couple of injuries and I got my opportunity, which I was really grateful for. From there, I took the bull by the horns and took my chances."
By Millar's side since high school has been his partner of six years, Olivia.
"She has been a great support," Millar said. "She picked up everything from Melbourne, left her job, study, family and came up to the Central Coast. Again she has packed up her Central Coast life and moved up here. We really like it in Newy. We love the beach life."
On the pitch, Millar has set some lofty goal - team and personal.
"Definitely, playing finals is the top of our list," he said. "We have had such a good pre-season and have established a really good squad. Finals is the goal, and not just make the finals but have a real impact. That is a massive team goal.
"Personally, it is always an aspiration for a young player to want to play for their country. I definitely want to be knocking on the national team door. That starts with putting in solid performances week-in week-out and making sure you are showing the consistency that can open doors anywhere."
