MATT Jurman is still getting to know his Jets teammates - on and off the pitch - but the former Socceroo has no doubts the new-look outfit will be ready to start the A-League season with a bang.
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The Jets will have just their second hit out of the pre-season against Broadmeadow Magic behind closed doors on Wednesday night.
COVID-19 restrictions have greatly impacted preparations but Jurman - one of 15 fresh faces - said there will be no excuses come the season-opener against the Central Coast at McDonald Jones Stadium on November 21.
"We will be ready," Jurman said. "There is no excuses. We want to set the bar high. Every game, we want to win, and come the end of the season, we want to be up at the top. Everyone wants to be holding the trophy and I can't see why we can't be aiming that high as well. If we want to be aiming for the top, we need to start from round one and try to collect as many points as possible."
Jurman was in a similar situation when he joined Greek club Xanthi last season. He was part of rebuilt roster which went within a whisker of winning the premiership and gaining promotion to the top flight.
"Last season, it was basically a new team," he said. "There were only a couple of boys from the youth team who got upgraded. We had a lot of new Greek players, all the foreigners were new ... we had to adapt and gel as quick as possible."
The last of the Jets' five imports, Mario Arques, started training this week.
"The foreigners have been coming in at different times in the last month or so," Jurman said. "It is important to get them involved, get them amongst the team and get them used to how we do things off the field.
"There has been a lot of restrictions, so it has been tough to do things as a team. By now, we would have gone out together as a team. I know a lot of the boys like eating Japanese. It will be nice to go out and have a team meal. Overall, the foreigners are settling in well. The dressing room is really good.
"On the pitch, we have been working hard.
"The boss has been telling us what he wants from us and we are doing a lot of video and that type of stuff. The way the boss wants us to play, we can see for ourselves what mistakes we are making and what he wants.
"It has been good. It has been intense but I think all the boys have been enjoying it."
Jurman expects improvement tonight from the Jets' first 60-minute hit out with Broadmeadow last Saturday.
"It was good to play against someone else," the 31-year-old said. "With our playing style, it is not going to click straight away. Every day we are getting better and building on how we want to play
"These games are good for us. Moving forward towards the A-League season, we will start playing tougher opposition and by the time the league starts, we will be ready.
"There are a lot of good plyers in the team and a lot of young boys with potential.
"Everyone has high hopes for the season and we really want to get the ball rolling in round one and show what we are about as a team."
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