Patafta was paraded in front of the media today alongside fellow Jets signings Shaun Ontong and Jason Naidovski.

The 19-year-old, who has signed a one-year deal with the Hunter club, told au.fourfourtwo.com what he expects from playing alongside South Korean starlet Jin-Hyung Song.

“He basically destroyed us with two beautiful set pieces for South Korea at the Under 20s World Cup qualifiers where we lost to them,” Patafta said of the shaggy haired former FC Seoul star.

Patafta is a fully fledged Jet after gaining a full release from Benfica a month ago. The Portuguese giant had loaned him out to Melbourne Victory last season.

Song and Patafta are expected to provide Newcastle coach Gary Van Egmond with one of the league’s most technical midfield duos.

But Patafta refutes claims the pair can’t play in the same side, saying the Newcastle midfield “will be better” for having the two work their magic in the central third.

“Yes we are playing similar roles but sometimes if you have two similar players it can enhance the team," he said.

"So hopefully we push each other but I hope it doesn’t come down to a situation where there’s a position war between us.”

The one-time Socceroo train-on player said he preferred to play in an attacking midfield role centrally.

“I think that’s where I play my best football. I can also be used wide left but I prefer that attacking midfield role perhaps in the hole but it just depends on how you line up.”

And the Canberra-born player hopes the Midas touch of coach Gary van Egmond does what it has for a plethora of Jets stars who’ve gone on to the Socceroos over the last year or so.

“When I captained the Joeys it was the highlight of my career so it’s always been a big goal and it’s something I want to achieve," he says of his Socceroo dreams.

And the slight midfielder says he’s ready to put a “difficult time” behind him at Victory. “I couldn’t see much of a future for me there,” he said.

“And the style of football here [in Newcastle] suits me a lot more.”

Patafta was a peripheral figure for much of last season making limited appearances mainly off the pine for Ernie Merrick’s side.

When asked if the coaching staff at Telstra Dome had explained why he wasn’t played regularly in the run on side, Patafta said, “No, not at all.

“I thought if I worked hard at training I’d at least get an opportunity. That’s sometimes the way it goes. There was no explanation.

“I guess to an extent my career went off track but I think it was a good for me to see that it’s not always smooth sailing in football.

“So the wisest thing to do was to move on.”

And move on he has with Patafta as well as Song now well placed to be take on the mantle left by the much loved Nicky Carle at EA stadium.

“I really can’t wait," he added. "And it can only enhance your own game when you’ve got players of the quality of Song and also Joel [Griffiths] who sort of play a similar style to you.”