Jets teenager not afraid to 'step on toes' in bid for starting spot in bid for starting spot

Every day was a test of mind and will.

"Going over there at such a young age, that has definitely improved my mentality and attitude towards a starting position and how football is," said Warland, who was 16 when he went to England. "It is a really cut-throat world."

Now 19 and trying to earn a starting spot in the Newcastle Jets defence, little has changed.

After making five A-League appearances for Perth last season, Warland joined the Jets looking for more opportunities.

He has joined a new-look rear guard headed by senior duo, former Socceroo Matt Jurman and 100-gamer Jordan Elsey.

"Having the older boys there, Matt Jurman and Jordan Elsey, they have been great coaches for me over the last couple of months and I have learnt a lot from them," Warland said.

"In the past couple of months I have seen a lot of improvement in myself.

"There is that rivalry. You want to start.

"There are only two centre-half positions. I want to be pushing them, stepping on their toes and not letting them have their way. I don't want to make it easy for them. Every week I am going to make it tough for the boss to pick two centre-halves."

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The Jets were to play a friendly against Northern NSW club Broadmeadow behind closed doors on Wednesday night and are likely to have three hit outs against A-League opposition before they kick the season off against the Central Coast on November 21.

"It is good to go against fresh faces rather than play against each other," Warland said. "It is a good test for us to see how the game plan works against someone who doesn't know what we are about yet.

As well as in trial matches, Warland is being tested every day at training by the Jets strike force led by imports Beka Mikeltadze, Savvas Siatravanis, Olivier Boumal and Daniel Penha.

"The international boys who have come in have been really good," Warland said. "I haven't played against quality like that in a while. The standard has been really high. From the youngest boy to the oldest one, everyone has the same goal. I want to get as many minutes as I can, whether it is at centreback or left back. That is the first goal. To get minutes and show the boss what I can really do."

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