It's the catch-call of nearly every A-League club: 'Get us an experienced, physical frontman with a bit of nous. Someone who's been around the block a few times, can take a knock and, crucially, never stops trying.'

As you look across the league, this pattern is clear.

Ola Toivonen and Kenny Athiu at Melbourne Victory, Ken Ilso (and potentially George Blackwood) at Adelaide United, Matt Simon at Central Coast Mariners, Oriol Riera at Western Sydney Wanderers, Cillian Sheridan at Wellington Phoenix.

Increasingly, the A-League is the land of the giants or giant-hitters. Enter Kaine Sheppard, a former NPL star now A-League star at Newcastle Jets.

While there's certainly more to the 25-year-old Englishman than just his bulky 190 centimetre frame, the fact he doesn't mind throwing his body around has certainly assisted his professional acclimatisation. 

It's a trait he showed once again last night, taking a knock that left his head covered in blood, before wrapping it up with blue tape and going on to score the winner in the F3 Derby.

Not a bad return for someone who just signed their first professional contract.

"It's great, I learn a lot throughout the week in training," he mused after the game.

"During the game we push each other. We're playing quick football around the box so you can make mistakes, but it's great to have a squad that can come in and play well."

Increasingly, even A-League strikers without an imposing stature tend to be physically robust and combative (read: Andy Keogh, Roy O'Donovan, Kwame Yeboah). The Henriques of Australian football are few and far between.

Partly it's a money issue, with the A-League's inability to attract footballers from South America and Asia already established.

But the 'big man up front' is also a time-tested solution for shoestring budgets - silky skills can be costly and inconsistent, while Matt Simon's always Matt Simon.

It's worth noting this isn't reflected in the A-League scoring charts. Despite the shift towards physical strikers, only one of the top 10 goal scorers this season are over six foot tall. 

But the fact big strikers rely less on their goal tallies to influence matches simplifies the step up from a lower grade of football. Sheppard's two goals and two assists in 11 appearances - many from off the bench - have been notably valuable to an at-times lacklustre Jets forward line.

“Newcastle is a fantastic city, it’s a great club and group of lads, and I’m happy to have secured my future here,” Sheppard said after the club's announcement.

“To have a couple of goals under my belt already is a good feeling, and I’m looking forward to hopefully grabbing a few more before the season is out."

Coach Ernie Merrick added: “Kaine is a natural goal-scorer.

"He’s really impressed me since he’s arrived and this new contract will give him the confidence to continue improving and developing as an A-League player.

“We did our due diligence before signing him from the NPL, and he hasn’t let us down this season.

“He’s definitely something of a long-term player for us, and we’re keen to see what he can do not only for the rest of this season, but next season and potentially beyond.”

Sheppard's success story at the Jets, in addition to ongoing success stories like Athiu's at Melbourne Victory, offer a potential alternative pathway for NPL talent across the country.

If you spend your working day as a brickie or labourer, as so many NPL footballers do, that burly frame and hardened demeanour could prove as valuable as skills training.

Sheppard shows there's more than one way to the top.

“My football is improving everyday here at the Jets, I feel like I’m really suited to the attacking football Ernie likes us to play," Sheppard said.

“I’m already seeing the benefits of full-time training and specialist coaching, and I’m excited about continuing my development.”