A-League: Steeled Jackson ready to step up for Jets' crucial journey west to take on Perth Glory

Labelled a future Socceroo earlier in his career, the towering defender has had to bide his time, seemingly forever, behind senior enforcers Nigel Boogaard and Nikolai Topor-Stanley.

Topor-Stanley hasn't missed a game since touching back down in Newcastle fours years ago.

Boogaard is in his sixth season as captain.

Unperturbed, Jackson has continued to learn his craft, waiting for the next opportunity.

After sitting out most of last season courtesy of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, Jackson has earned a recall in place of the suspended Boogaard for the crucial trip west to take on Perth Saturday.

"No-one likes to come into training and just be a number. Everyone wants to play," Jackson said. "They [Boogaard and Topor-Stanley] don't get injured too often. Every time you get a sniff, you have to take it."

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Jackson replaced Boogaard for the final 35 minutes in the 4-1 defeat to Adelaide at home on Sunday. It was the 198cm stopper's third appearance for the season and first since he injured his ankle at training in January.

"It has been a long stint coming back from an ACL and then to have a few hiccups after it when I thought I was fit," Jackson said. "I was out for a month and the boys at the back were playing pretty well and it was hard to get a sniff. To get some minutes on the weekend was good to get that rhythm of playing again. I have had a fair bit of time training, but you can't replicate a game on the training paddock.

"I will be starting in a game we need to win. I have to get out there and be really switched on from the get-go."

It's a scenario that Jackson has become familiar with in his 81 appearances in seven seasons for the Jets.

"Across the board, we need to be switched on in all aspects defensively," he said. "The quality of players Perth have up front, all it takes is one moment and they can hurt you. I need to be very disciplined in where I am in relation to the other defenders. That is something I have been trying to work on more - being one unit and communicating across the board."

The Jets coughed up four goals in a diabolical first half in the loss to Adelaide.

"We have been through the video," Jackson said. "It was a combination of things. We didn't play well enough to the conditions and tried to play out a bit too much. It wasn't up to scratch and we know that."

Jackson played alongside Topor-Stanley in the centre of a back four in the second half.

The Jets had begun the match with a back three, but changed tact after Johnny Kourtroumbis limped off with a knee injury.

Scans revealed Koutroumbis has a partial team in the medial ligament and will be sidelined for six weeks.

"You get a bit more freedom going forward in the three but we are pretty comfortable playing either," Jackson said.

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