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Sport
Anna Harrington

Perth not focusing on ex-Glory Jets in ALM

Brandon O'Neill (r) is one of three former Perth players now playing in the ALM for Newcastle. (Jeremy Ng/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Perth coach Ruben Zadkovich insists his charges don't have a point to prove against Newcastle and their collective of ex-Glory players.

Former Perth skipper and now Newcastle co-captain Brandon O'Neill headlines a group of new Jets, along with Daniel Stynes and Callum Timmins, who moved east over the A-League Men off-season.

But Zadkovich didn't plan on focusing on the departed trio ahead of Saturday's match at McDonald Jones Stadium, instead eyeing improvement from an opening-round 1-0 loss to Western Sydney.

"Not in the slightest for me, I mean it's not about me," Zadkovich told reporters.

"It's about the team and the club and there's three points up for grabs, the same as there is every week.

"For me, all the games are worth the same and we're chasing an improved performance first and foremost."

The Jets' opening-round game against Central Coast was washed out and Zadkovich admitted it made preparing for Saturday's match difficult.

"It just makes it a little bit trickier to prepare tactically as we have to go in a little bit blind," he said.

"It's another challenge that we have to stand up to."

Perth claimed last season's wooden spoon but Zadkovich was confident the tide would turn.

"We've got some strong leaders in this group we've got some strong personalities and we've got a coaching staff whose belief doesn't waver, especially mine," he said.

"I'm trying to impart that onto the boys. We know the context of the situation, we know what's happened in the past but we're only looking forward.

"If we continue to look forward and grow and improve, then the performances and results start to come.

"When that penny drops, it starts to become momentum in our favour and the belief grows.

"It's fair to say that that hasn't quite happened yet with this group , but it will happen ... and that's when we'll reap the rewards."

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