His name has been tossed around for higher representative honours, however Newcastle Jets’ talisman Max Burgess remains fixated on the big prize… a premiership.
With the A-League Men’s (ALM) team sitting atop the table, and following a positional switch in the middle, the 31-year-old is attracting plenty of attention.
So much so, the midfielder’s been touted as a possible Socceroo, due to his exceptional form.
Despite those plaudits, including praise from his own coach Mark Milligan, Burgess isn’t getting too far ahead of himself.
“Of course, that’s always been the dream for me as a kid, to play for Australia,” he said.
“So, it’s humbling to hear the talk.
“I think being part of a successful side, obviously individual accolades flow off that.
“But, for me, it gets back to process.
“As a group, we’ve really worked hard every day and remain just focused on that… we’re trying to improve all the time.
“Clearly, the goal is to win a championship.
“At the start of the season, we decided we wanted to be a team competing for silverware.
“Our Australia Cup run, in the pre-season, was testament to that.
“We’ve just kept evolving as a side, improving, that’s the sole focus.
“It’s sort of what we practice every day, from mini games to possession drills, everything’s to win.
“We’re building that mentality in the group.
“Like I said previously, it’s about growth, it’s about improvement and it’s a privilege to be a part of that.”
A chunk of that development occurred in Newcastle’s previous outing.
Trailing 1-0 at the break, the Jets responded accordingly to record their first comeback victory of 2025/26, 2-1, at the expense of the Western Sydney Wanderers.
The stand-in skipper admitted he was proud of the team’s execution.
“Coming from behind, we showed great resilience,” Burgess said.
“The healthy home turnout gave us a boost in the second half, too.
“However, I believe what really impressed everyone was we focused on us, our processes and our distances.
“I thought it was a very complete performance.
“This side’s got a real togetherness.
“Everyone works hard for each other.
“The community, and the Newcastle fans, has seen that… and we’re honoured to have their support as well.”
Now, the Jets can make a huge statement by accounting for second-placed Auckland FC at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday 14 March.
A triumph would give Newcastle a seven-point buffer over the Black Knights.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Burgess said.
“We’ve played them already a couple of times this year, so we know they’re a quality team.
“They’re experienced, well organised.
“It’ll be a big match, especially with another massive crowd in attendance.
“But, as always, the focus is on us, how we get better, how we keep improving.
“Last weekend was a real positive sign for us; the way we fought back and stuck to our game.
“So, it’s another challenge.”
In a further boost for the ladder leaders is the return of Kosta Grozos, Thomas Aquilina and Zach Clough to the squad.
“It’s terrific to have some depth [in the squad],” Burgess said.
“We’ve sort of got all the boys back on deck.
“Even Cluffy’s (Clough) looking sharp.
“He started full training a couple of weeks ago.
“It is great to boast the calibre of players like that at our disposal.
“It’s been a long campaign, with the Australia Cup thrown into the mix, so having some fresh bodies at this end of the season bodes well for us.
“The collective mentality in this group is really special… and everyone’s in it together.”
Kick-off takes place at 5pm.
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