As recently as last year, the Jets looked set to go the way of Newcastle's steel works, in a potential hammer blow to one of Australia's great football regions.
Now the Jets have an Australia Cup and premiers plate - plus a berth in next year's Asian Champions League Elite competition - and their sights set on a championship that would clinch a domestic treble.
"Around town it's been buzzing. Obviously, that was part of what we set out to do this year was to get that buzz and to get the love of football back into Newcastle," defender Daniel Wilmering said.
"Because we all know that it's a region who loves their football and we needed to give the community a team to get behind, which we've fortunately done this year.
"Motivation is definitely to go all the way for them and other reasons as well.
"But obviously with the way we've played and the success we've had, we've shown that if we can put up good fights in games and challenge for finals, challenge for championships, the crowd and community will get behind us."
Wilmering believes the Jets' "youthful naivety" and the experience of their Australia Cup run will hold them in good stead ahead of their two-legged semi-final.
"We definitely can lean on that," Wilmering said.
"A couple of lads were just speaking around the change room that we've basically got a three-game cup run to win the grand final.
"At the start of the season, we definitely would have taken that opportunity."
Ex-Western Sydney defender Wilmering is among the Jets who have gone to another level under Milligan, notching eight assists and a goal from left-back.
Max Burgess has starred after being frozen out at Sydney FC last year while fellow former Sky Blue Clayton Taylor has kicked on, as has ex-Victory winger Eli Adams.
"That's been part of the motivation individually for some of us," Wilmering, 25, said.
Newcastle know this special group won't stay together, with the likes of Lachie Rose set for off-season overseas moves, and want to finish on a high.
"We haven't really spoken about it as such, but we're definitely thinking about it," Wilmering said.
"We know what we have this year. We've gelled together really well and all the boys really get along.
"So we definitely want to win the grand final ... not only for the fans and for the club but for ourselves too."
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