Despite enjoying an historic weekend, Newcastle Jets coach Mark Milligan is keen to put a lid on talk surrounding his A-League Men’s (ALM) side’s title credentials.

For the first time in 21 years, the boys from the Hunter registered their fifth consecutive win following a 4-1 thumping of the Brisbane Roar at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday 31 January.

The emphatic victory also played out in front of 12,162 spectators on a balmy afternoon, the club’s biggest “home and away” crowd in almost a decade.

“It was absolutely outstanding, the energy from the stands,” the Socceroos great admitted.

“But, we’ve said from the very beginning, that we can’t just expect our fans to come and watch us.

“We need to do everything we can to earn that right.

“It’s not just us as a playing group or the football department either.

“That includes the work everyone behind the scenes, or in the office, is putting in as well.

“We must prove to them [fans] that what we’re saying is genuine, especially in the direction we’re heading, and we’re all together.

“However, no matter how good everything is currently, we still haven’t achieved anything.

“Our mentality must be, now that round 15’s done and dusted, we need to work hard again this week.

“There are things we can definitely focus on at training.”

Newcastle only led 1-0 at the break, via a Lachlan Rose penalty from the spot.

But, a brace to Lachlan Bayliss and another to Clayton Taylor sealed the deal – and took the team’s overall goal tally to 34 in 2025/26.

“I’m super proud of the boys,” Milligan said of the five-game winning streak.

“People only witness the weekend and the football.

“They don’t see the desire these guys have to push each other, to push me and our staff, every single day.

“I think we can be much better in our decision making in that front third.

“And, I’m happy with what they did.

“However, we must be a little bit more clinical in those moments, in terms of our decision making.

“That’s something we’ll look at during training.

“As for the four goals, I’m delighted, but it means nothing more than a reward for Saturday night.

“The overall performance was professional… and I believe, defensively, we were outstanding.

“Although, the goal that we gave away – and the fashion in which it happened – was disappointing.”

The Jets now face two long trips in the next fortnight to tackle Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium (Sunday 8 February) and Perth Glory at HBF Park (Friday 13 February) before meeting Macarthur FC at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday 22 February.

“It’ll be another good test for everyone,” Milligan said.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

For more sports stories:

• Record-breaking Jets producing ‘box office’ gold in ALM
• Horror first half sinks out-of-sorts Jets
• Doing it by half: The Newcastle production line that slowed

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