I COULDN'T be more proud to be a Newcastle Jets fan this morning.

Forget the fact we've now secured six wins from our past eight fixtures, it was the fight, ambition and bravery on display in what was a crucial match for my team that's got me buzzing and believing.

Tooth and nail, not one player took a backwards step nor shirked their responsibilities yesterday. Each proved desperate to contribute to the cause and willing to fight for an end result. Bust a lung, lose fluid, sacrifice skin and bone for what I determine to be one of the most stoic successes in Jets franchise history.

Big call? Some would say so but to which I would reply it's the timing of the effort that renders yesterdays performance so impressive, so utterly crucial.

Here is a side that has six other A-League clubs of relatively equal value breathing down its neck, desperately clambering for their spot in the top six - their chance at glory.

A team that was outgunned in the West just two weeks ago, in a display that left anyone with even a slight interest in the club with the Boxing Day blues.

A club who was at the beginning of a relentless European-style task of three games in six days, all of which were and are to be played out against hungry beasts such as they, ravenous for the same solitary meal.

A group of players surely awaiting column inches to flow for their brilliant deeds in preference of pages for Jekyll Joel, their once brother in arms, now traitor to be.

A unit wounded by the loss of a brave but foolish warrior who's too wise a soldier not to learn from his lapse in judgement.

Sure, Melbourne weren't at their sometimes scintillating best, but that's neither here nor there. You can only beat what gets thrown at you and Commander Branko Culina's crew showed their made of more than enough mettle to suggest their December rally wasn't a dead cat bounce.

Instead, what waits this week are two compelling tests against Gold Coast (Wednesday) and Brisbane (Saturday) on impressive Queensland battlefields that may launch the Jets' title stocks soaring.

Of course, they were always going to be important matches due to the tightness of the table, but in reality what they could now do is propel the Jets into Premiership contention.

And should the Premier's Plate head to the Hunter, how our heroes ought to be honoured for their form flip.

That prospect is still some way off...we'll need to see more, but only the foolish need write this combative collective kaput.