Newcastle Jets all-time leading scorer Tara Andrews is hungrier than ever for goals in A-League Women's

The 27-year-old will be key to success as the club eyes a return to finals football this year and the twice-capped Matilda is targeting consistency to help get the Jets there.

Andrews has scored 39 goals for Newcastle and got off to a flying start last season with a flurry of successful strikes in the early rounds before the goals dried up.

"I scored five goals in the first five games and then I didn't score again for the rest of the season, so being more consistent and being able to perform for the whole season is a personal goal this year," Andrews told the Newcastle Herald.

"Obviously, I want to score more goals over the whole season, not just have a good start and then fade away."

Several new faces in the Jets front third last year meant the attack was not always cohesive.

But Andrews expects those connections to come easier this campaign with Sunny Franco, Sophie Harding and Jemma House all returning for a second season with Newcastle and Lauren Allan for her third.

"After that time together you jell more and more, so coming in this year I think we're a bit more connected," Andrews said.

"We played a game on Saturday against 16s boys. We played them at a similar time of pre-season last year and we're definitely further ahead of where we were then. We're definitely jelling a lot better and it's been really good so far."

The addition of exciting Norwegian attacker Marie Markussen should also bring more experience and flair into the final third.

Markussen arrived in Newcastle last Thursday fresh from helping Valerenga win the Norway Women's Cup.

"The last couple of years I think we've lacked just a couple of players in midfield or up front who have that professionalism and that experience of playing overseas," Andrews said.

"They're very professional over there and [Marie] seems to be really fit and a really good player, aggressive, and we want that in the top third."

The Jets will have their first hit-out against A-League Women's opposition this weekend when they travel to Sydney to play Western Sydney.

Jets coach Ash Wilson said the match provided a chance to trial different combinations with their season-opener against Sydney FC at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on December 4 only two-and-a-half weeks away.

"At this point in time, I couldn't tell you what the starting line-up is going to be for that first game," Wilson said.

"I've been impressed with a lot of people. Everyone is working hard. We've got a number of combinations that could work. It's a really good headache to have. It's just more opportunities to try different things."

Meanwhile, local juniors Josie Morley and Lara Gooch have earned scholarships with the Jets.

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