AFTER playing 99 of a possible 100 A-League games since his debut, Steve Ugarkovic has more than proven his consistency and durability for the Newcastle Jets.
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Now the 25-year-old is determined to turn more chances into goals and take his game to the next level ahead of his 100th match in the league on Sunday against Melbourne City at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The midfielder has missed just one A-League match, through suspension in January 2017, since making his first appearance in round 17 2015-16. He has started 95 times and featured in 72 consecutive matches heading into the round 10 game.
"It's a proud moment for myself," Ugarkovic said of his 100th game.
"Growing up watching the A-League as a kid, and to be at the 100-game mark for the club, it's a very proud moment for me and I'm looking forward to it on the weekend.
"And to top it off with a win would be perfect, and plenty of fans on the weekend would be great.
"I pride myself on doing the right things through the week to be available for selection every week, and I think I've done that and I'm going to continue doing that throughout my career because that's what I feel has shaped me as a player. And I'm looking forward to keep doing that and hopefully clock 100 more."
Another ambition is to score more goals.
He has hit the target just three times in the A-League and was one of several Jets to miss great chances in the 2-1 loss to Adelaide last Sunday.
"I think personally, I just can't buy a goal at the moment. Just going so close. Half a centimetre and that goes in," he said of the opportunity in Adelaide.
"But the boys, we created so much in the front third, so many clear-cut chances.
"Once that one goes in, I think they will start flowing, and we've just got to keep creating those chances and it's going to come."
Jets coach Ernie Merrick praised the contribution of Ugarkovic, saying "he always tops the figures in stats and distance run". And Merrick believed Ugarkovic had the potential to produce more on the scoresheet.
"I think he is a major influence on games already," Merrick said. "It's that final strike. If he becomes a goalscorer we won't be able to hold on to him, we will be getting offers from overseas. He is working on that.
"He hit a great shot which hit the crossbar [against Adelaide]. He is getting into the right positions now.
"He can defend as well as attack and he has the engines to do both. He was one of a few players who ran over 11km this week.
"Once he starts scoring goals - and I'm convinced he will because he is very conscientious at training and practices non-stop - he will be a really top player."
Ugarkovic, who played in Croatia from 2013-15, still has ambitions of success overseas and believed "just adding more goals to my game can take it to the next level".
"Obviously that's a dream I've had since I've been a kid as well, to play in the Champions League and things like that, so that's obviously deep in the back of the mind," he said.
"But I'm just trying to perform week in, week out and make that consistency and then go from there.
"I'm working week in, week out at training, after training, things like that," he said of goalscoring.
"Just getting in the right headspace to be in that position and get forward a bit more and take my chances."
The City clash will be a big one for Jets milestones. Nikolai Topor-Stanley plays his 300th A-League match and Matt Ridenton could feature in his 100th.
