They say introspection can be healthy, but for Newcastle Jets midfielder there is no point of 'what if's' or 'what could have beens'.

Born and bred in the Hunter, Kantarovski was once a teen prodigy.

He signed with Jets at the tender age of 15 in 2008 while still at school, and then made his A-League debut at the age of 16 years and 208 days, making him at the time the youngest player in the competition's history.

Big things were expected of the versatile player, who was adept in both defence and midfield.

In 2009 he trialled with European giant Bayern Munich and then was offered a contract with their youth team. But he turned it down to stay with the Jets.

Kantarovski has represented Australia at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 level, but his career has arguably never hit the huge heights many envisaged for him a decade ago.

A series of dehabilitating injuries has not helped.

But now at 27, with a career spent entirely with his hometown club, Kantarovski has no regrets.

"I’ve never looked back," he concedes.

"Who would really want to leave a town that so good? And then you’ve got the likes of being able to play football for that town, it’s something that kids dream of everyday.

"People think you go overseas and play for some of the big clubs, look that would be great if that opportunity every arose, but at the moment I get to do that in my home town, in Newcastle in Australia, there’s not many other better countries to live in.

"My football confidence maybe [got knocked through injury] but mentally it just makes you stronger. You never want to give up.

"It was something bad, that you probably wouldn’t wish on anyone, but at the same time it makes you stronger. It made me stronger definitely."