The Northern NSW city finally had a champion A-League team.

Amongst the supporters adoring heroes such as the Griffiths brothers, Mark Bridge, Andrew Durante, and Co. was a slightly built nine-year-old local called Connor Metcalfe.

He saw it, he was inspired by it and luckily, he had some talent on the football pitch.

Fast forward 11 years and Metcalfe, by rights, should now be signed up and part of the Jets rebuild.

Instead, courtesy of a quirk of fate in the employment life of his dad, the midfielder is poised to help Melbourne City do exactly what the Jets did 11 years ago: win a Championship for the first time.

“I’m a Newy boy. I grew up there till I was in Year 8,” the 19-year-old told FTBL. "But because of my dad’s work I came to Melbourne when I was 13 or 14 – and I’ve been here ever since."

Ironically, Metcalfe's dad was a rugby league fan. 

“I was a Newcastle Jets fan," said the teenager. "My dad didn’t like sitting in The Squadron but I’d go to the games.

“I’d watch the Griffiths brothers play and Tarek Elrich, all those boys. That was the time when they had the gold kit.”

Metcalfe was also getting noticed.

The South Cardiff junior was soon in the NNSW reps, then the NNSW team by the time he was 12.

And landing in Victoria as a 13-year-old, his talent was immediately noticed, and he went straight into their junior teams and NTC sides.

These talent bases are monitored by the city’s two A-League clubs.

“That was another reason why Dad was happy to move to Melbourne," revealed Metcalfe. For his work, it was also good for my career.

“Newcastle growing up was more of a rugby league area, while in Melbourne it’s more of a multicultural city and soccer’s quite popular here.

“And, obviously, the move’s turned out alright.”

In another twist of fate, the youngster's High School was in Maribyrnong and was linked with the well-regarded football program run out of the Maribyrnong Sports Academy.

That was run by head coach Arthur Papas (now an assistant coach to Ange Postecoglou in the J-League) and Ralph Napoli.

Metcalfe didn't do Year 12 because football full-time was the dream. 

He is now a City veteran, having moved to the club aged 16, arriving with a slight frame, joking that he looked like a 12-year-old.

“I was a late bloomer, know what I mean?” Metcalfe added with a laugh.