A-League: Jets' best shine in decade of turbulence - video

In 2009-10 the Jets upset glamour boys Gold Coast United in a penalty shoot-out to win the elimination final. A week later, they travelled across the ditch and fought tooth and nail for 120 minutes against Wellington in the minor semi-final only to run out of petrol.

Seven barren seasons followed before Ernie Merrick, a two-time championship winner, lobbed into town and with the management of Lawrie McKinna and Joel Griffiths, and ownership of Martin Lee, turned the club's fortunes to gold. They broke almost every club record on the way to finishing second in 2017-18. Then, in a fairytale, Newcastle won the right to host the big dance - the grand final. Boy was it good to be a Jets fan. That all changed with one malfunction - the first of many - of the VAR and a dud decision to award Melbourne Victory a championship-winning goal.

It's no surprise that players from both finals-campaign teams dominate the team of the decade.

In total, the Jets used more than 150 players and went through six head coaches - plus two caretakers - in the past 10 years. Here's our pick for the best of the best, taking into account impact, longevity, success of teams and star power.

Mark Birighitti joined the Jets in 2012-13 looking for an opportunity after being stuck behind Eugene Galekovic in Adelaide for three seasons. His shot-stopping matched his ambition. He was the Jets' player of the year in a difficult season. His performances were enough to earn a place in the Socceroos train-on squad for the 2015 FIFA World Cup. In 2015-16 he showed courage to return from a badly broken jaw and face, courtesy of Shane Smeltz's boot - a challenge then coach Scott Miller describes as "outrageous" - to win the player of the year a second time. He shades current custodian Glen Moss, who keeps on keeping on. Jack Duncan was developing into an astute custodian and earned the club a decent transfer fee when he moved to Saudi Arabia. Ben Kennedy also deserves a mention. He was the hero in the win over the Gold Coast on penalties in the elimination final in 2010, was player of the year in 2011-12 and made 114 appearances.

The only Newcastle Jet to play in both of the club's grand final appearances. Although deployed in an attacking role in both deciders, the versatile local played the majority of his career at right back. He has great engines, is a strong one-on-one defender and bombs forward at every opportunity. His number of goals and assists have increased with experience. Hoffman finished just ahead of Tarek Elrich. All power and pace, Elrich made 134 appearances and few have played with more heart.

The foundation of every good side starts at the back and there were a number of serious contenders. Kew Jaliens played at a World Cup for Holland and, although in the twilight of his career, was a rock during his two seasons. Likewise, former Socceroo Ljubo Milicevic added a new dimension to the Jets, especially in his first season. But I couldn't go past the current skipper. After a shaky start to his time back at home, Boogs was a colossus in 2017-18. His effort to come back from a broken leg and play in the grand final is stuff of legends.

Gundy, as he is known, was the easiest selection of the lot. Has spent half a decade in Newcastle over two stints. Was the player-of-the-year in 2010-11 but has taken his game to a new level since his return in 2017. Has played every minute of every game in the past three seasons and notched A-League game No. 300 two weeks ago - 146 of those appearances have been for Newcastle. A natural lefty, he provides balance, pace and leadership. Last season he led the league in intercepts (134), breaking up play (133), blocked shots (26) and aerial contest wins (111 at 77%).

The hardest spot to find a stand out. More players have been used, many makeshift, in the key role than any other position. Korean Lee Ki-Je was exceptional after arriving midway through the 2014-15 campaign. He only played 20 games and was sold back to Korea for $450,000. David Carney was past his best when he checked in midway through the 2013-14 campaign. In the end, the nod goes to Daniel Georgievski. Perfectly suited to Ernie Merrick's attacking game and provided thrust down the left in the drive to the grand final.

Ben Kantarovski played in both finals campaigns and, after recovering from two major knee injuries, has matured into a ball-winning, organising midfielder. Kasey Wehrman added a hard edge and a great passing range during his two seasons. In terms of consistency, it's hard to go past Josh Brillante. He started his A-League career at right back but blossomed once moved into the middle of the park. Was the Jets' player of the year in 2013-14 and in the same season was a finalist for the league's young player of the year and made his Socceroos debut. Left in 2014 to join Serie A club Fiorentina.

The Jets have played with two screening midfielders for much of the decade. Here I looked at players who could fill that role as well as go box-to-box. Steve Ugarkovic has started in 74 games straight and leads the Jets in kilometres travelled and passes made most weeks. His best days are ahead of him. Matt Thompson also has credentials. A tireless worker, he was also a threat going forward and is among only five players to net a hat-trick. In Zadkovich, you get the best of both worlds. He can play as a holder but is also dynamic and brings power-running, ball-winning and the odd bomb to the table.

Outside of 2008 when Joel Griffiths won the Golden Boot, Johnny Warren Medal and led the Jets to a championship, there hasn't been a more dominant season than Petratos' stellar 2017-18. Keen to prove a point after an underwhelming stint in Korea, the silken-skilled attacker produced highlight after highlight. He netted 10 goals, including a couple of contenders for goal of the year, provided 11 assists and was a finalist in the Johnny Warren Medal. He was rewarded with a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Signed by Gary van Egmond, the brash Perth striker's 16 goals in 2013-14 is the most in a single campaign. The Jets only netted 34 goals in total that season. Taggart, who combined pace, power and precision, took out the A-League Golden Boot and Young Player of the year and won a place at the 2014 World Cup before jetting off to Fulham. Injury curtailed his European adventure, but he has rebounded and was the leading striker in Korea this season.

What a transformation. Given a lifeline by the Jets in 2016-17 after being moved on by Maylasian club Negeri Sembila, Nabbout reinvented his game under Ernie Merrick. He always had the pace and ability to run at players but Merrick converted him into a goal-scorer. His spectacular strike with the outside of his right boot against Wanderers will go down as one of the best in the club's history. His second season was cut short by a big-money move to Japan. Not only did he earn a place in the Socceroos squad for the 2018 World Cup, he started against France. Ryan Griffiths and Jeremy Brockie were also regular goal-scorers but didn't change games like Nabbout.

The feisty Irishman marked his arrival with a hat-trick on debut against his old club and Jets' arch enemy Central Coast in the 2017-18 season opener. From there he continued to score goals and incredibly finished with 20 in 35 appearances. Who knows how many the goal-poacher would have tallied if not for suspension and injury? A torn groin robbed him of eight games in season one and he was outed for another eight in year two for an infamous karate kick on Victory keeper Lawrence Thomas in the dying moments of the 2018 grand final defeat. Emile Heskey brought star power and goals to the Jets in 2012-13 but struggled with injury for much of his second season. Joel Griffiths gets a start in most Jets teams, but his peak was in 2008.

Ernie Merrick was supposedly past it when he touched down in Newcastle in June 2017. He had won championships at Melbourne Victory a decade earlier in 2007 and 2009 and spent three seasons in Wellington. It was that experience fellow Scotsman and Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna wanted to draw on. In 12 months, Merrick helped transform the Jets from also-rans - the last-chance saloon for many players - into the entertainers of the league. From day one, Merrick stipulated that the Jets play forward and he gave the players a licence to take risks. Essentially, he changed the DNA of a club - a region - whose character was borne from hard work, grit and doggedness. Merrick's positivity - if not the jokes about Scotland and summer being on a Thursday this year - flowed on to the players. Dimi Petratos, Andrew Nabbout, Jason Hoffman, Ben Kantarovski and Nigel Boogaard had career-best seasons. The result was 15 wins and 50 points, both club records. Their 57 goals for the campaign, 14 different goal-scorers and 24 consecutive games in which they hit the target were also new marks. The past two seasons haven't yielded the same fruit, but for the large, the Jets remain an exciting team to watch.