Claire Coelho is keen to move on from a disrupted start to the A-League Women but also concedes a string of match postponements has probably played in her favour.
The 25-year-old Jets goalkeeper played in Newcastle's opening-round loss to now unbeaten, runaway league leaders Sydney FC on December 4, but injury then COVID meant her next appearance did not come until their last outing - a 1-1 draw with Perth at No.2 Sportsground on January 16.
Newcastle have had three of their past four matches postponed as COVID has ripped through the A-League. That included their round-eight fixture with Brisbane, which was scheduled for last Sunday.
"To be honest, it's a good bit of time that I got up my sleeve that we didn't expect to have," Coelho said.
"I had an injury and it was just a matter of managing it ... and I sat out those three games.
"It was nice to make the return [against Perth], especially at No.2. I was fairly happy with my performance. There were a few things, as usual, but having not played in over a month I was happy with what I contributed to the team."
Coelho made some crucial saves for the Jets to keep them in the game against Glory when they trailed 1-0.
Perth have since moved ahead of Newcastle into fifth position with 11 points after they beat Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 last Sunday. The result relegated the Jets, who have eight points from five games, to sixth.
The Jets are set to host ninth-placed Canberra (two points) in the first game of a Jets double-header at McDonald Jones Stadium this Sunday.
More than half of the Jets squad, including Coelho, contracted COVID this month but all players are back to full training with a busy end to the season now looming as postponed matches are rescheduled.
"I'm all good," Coelho said. "It wasn't as bad as I expected but I think everyone has bounced back really well and we were just keen to get back into the football side of things and it's just part of life at the moment.
"It will be nice to actually get back to the Newcastle community [this Sunday]. The men haven't played in a while and we missed out last week, so it will be nice and I know the community are eager to get going again and so are we."
The Jets face the prospect of nine games in five weeks, with Newcastle's final-round clash scheduled for March 4.
Finals are well and truly still within their grasp but the Jets will need to take maximum points in their next few outings to remain in control of their destiny.
They are four points behind Melbourne Victory and Adelaide, who are third and fourth respectively on 12 points.
"It's going to be quite a few games in a short period of time, so everyone in the squad will be relied upon at some point as well," Coelho said.
"... The more you drop points in a short season like this the harder it becomes, so the aim is to gain as many points as we can."
