Newcastle starts the new A-League season away to Wellington on Sunday.

Merrick hopes the Jets don't use the pain of the grand final defeat as additional motivation for the new campaign.

"I hope not," he said.

"I'm one of these people, I don't think the boys should be looking for any motivation for any specific game. I think it's a case of playing your best football all the time and then performing to your best for the club and for the fans, which is what the game is all about.

"Performing and entertaining fans. To give anything less... if somebody's parents dies and we'll do it for such and such's parent because of this - that's a nonsense.

"They only have to work 90 minutes a week, the useless buggers! So for 90 minutes a week they can give everything, end of story. There's no extra motivation should be required.

"I'm sure what they did get from last season is a bit more believe in themselves and what they're capable of. For me, that was the hardest thing I had to change round when I came to this club."