Fourth-placed Jets host a second place Sydney hurting after a 1-0 home loss to a Jason Culina-inspired Gold Coast United last Sunday.

With Jason's father Branko Culina masterminding the Jets resurgence from the dugout that alone makes it a big hurdle for the season one champions.

The fact that the Culinas may've spoken about how Sydney was easily emasculated at the SFS last weekend may also have come up in conversation.

United started with their foot on the pedal and never gave Sydney a moment's peace. Although the visitors tired in the second stanza - it was their third game in a week - Sydney were unable to breach Jess Vanstrattan's goal and never looked like a side that had the gameplan to cut through the  United rearguard.  

Corica is looking for his Sky Blues to rebound, but concedes the Culina factor looms large once again in front of an expected record crowd for the Jets this season.

"I think that would be the case," he told au.fourfourtwo.com when quizzed about potential transfer of Culina family knowledge. "Obviously they speak and would talk about football so I wouldn't be surprised.

"But from week to week, it's a different ball game. And we were a bit sluggish [against Gold Coast] but I'm sure we'll be a lot better this week."

The former Sydney FC coach was at Sunday's game with Gold Coast and so would've gained his own insights into how to dismantle the sky blues. On the park, his son's mobile performance in conjunction with Zenon Caravella, Tahj Minniecon and Joel Porter gave Sydney headaches all day.

Corica was at a loss to explain his side's lethargic start against Gold Coast last week and knows a repeat of sluggish Sydney won't be tolerated against a rejuvenated Jets side eyeing a finals flourish to a season that's seen them blossom under Culina's canny tutelage.

"Not only Vitya [Lavicka] but the whole team, we were a bit disappointed in the way we played against the Gold Coast," added Corica.

"He wanted us to push on and put them under pressure in the first 10-15 minutes. That was the whole point but we never got going. It's hard to explain but that's football sometimes.

'Sometimes a game turns out that way and you can't put them under pressure. And it's hard to turn it around. We've got to improve. It's not going to be an easy game.  Newcastle are doing really well."

He added: "We're a good team when we get on top of an opposition early on."