JETS midfielder Ben Kantarovski had a taste of life away from football when he worked at his dad's scaffolding business during the off-season.
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"I did a few days at Safe N Sound Scaffolding, which was a good little reminder of what life can be like," Kantarovski said. "It was tough but it was exciting as well. It was a new challenge in an industry that I wasn't accustomed too. I learnt quite a lot. It was almost like a second gym session each day."
Kantarovski's time on the tools also re-enforced the importance of getting his body in good shape to tackle the pre-season.
The 28-year-old was hindered by a hamstring injury in the later stages of the 2019-20 campaign.
"I had a few injuries coming off the back of last season and I wanted to make sure I got the body fit and ready to go," Kantarovski said.
"I had a nerve issue going down my back. It restricted my running and I had an uncontrollable twitching in my leg. I saw a neurosurgeon in Sydney who sorted that out for me. I had an injection to settle down the nerves.
"He said it could have been the major cause to the hamstring issues I had. It might have been there a while and gone undiagnosed.
"It has settled down and hopefully I'm back on track. I feel like I am nearly as fast as my haircut."
Now Kantarovski is focused on winning his starting spot in midfield back.
Angus Thurgate partnered Steve Ugarkovic in the centre of the park in the four games after the COVID-19 enforced break.
Ugarkovic sat deeper and Thurgate played more as a box-to-box midfielder in the 3-5-2 system preferred by then coach Carl Robinson.
"Every day there are new challenges, whether it is for a position, fitness ... you always have to come to training ready to go,"Kantarovski said.
"That's the type of competition you want in the midfield battle. You want that across the whole squad. We are lucky enough to have that off the back of last season.
"Going into this campaign we have pretty much the same squad. We have that competition - one to two players for every position. That's what you want."
As well as the contracted players, there are five others training with the Jets, including former New Zealand international Jeremy Brockie.
"Everyone is pushing to make sure we work really hard and make sure we are as fit as we can be," Kantarovski said. "You want to make sure the intensity is high at every sessions, regardless of whether you are a trialist of not."
Kantarovski and Nikolai Topor-Stanley are the only players remaining from Brockie's two season in Newcastle almost 10 years ago.
The attacker has spent the past five years playing in South Africa.
"He is a good guy and an even better footballer," Kantarovski said. "It's great to have him here with us at the moment."
Brockie and the other hopefuls will play in an intraclub trial on Saturday.
"It is always good to play games," Kantarovski said. "We need that with a shortened pre-season."
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IN THE NEWS:
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
