The Olyroos captain and former Sydney midfielder was not due to begin his seven-game guest stint with the Jets for another fortnight.

But Football Federation Australia yesterday allowed the A-League champions to use Milligan as a replacement for James Holland one of four Newcastle players who left with the Australian under-19 team this week for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

And he will start his Jets stint with the derby against the Central Coast Mariners at Gosford.

"Seeing them on TV and the passion on and off the field, it will be a new experience for me," Milligan said.

"The Sydney-Central Coast derby does not compare to the Newcastle-Central Coast derby.

"It will be a new experience but something I am very excited about."

Milligan has spent the past three months trying to secure a club in Europe and has not played a competitive game since leading the Olyroos at the Beijing Olympics in August.

He trained with the Jets for the first time on Tuesday and, despite a lack of match fitness, was confident he could play a role if selected.

"Definitely. If called upon, I will be able to do a job," he said.

Coach Gary van Egmond will finalise his squad for the Mariners game after training today.

"We will do some shape and go from there," he said.

The Jets will be missing three players from the team that shut down Melbourne 1-0 at home last round.

As well as Holland, Melbourne matchwinner Marko Jesic and left midfielder Ben Kantarovski are in the Middle East.

Van Egmond was tight-lipped last night, but Milligan is expected to be in the squad at the very least.

"When you play poker, you don't play open-handed poker," van Egmond said.

"We will keep a few things close to our chest, and I'm sure they will do the same."

Joel Griffiths came off the bench against Melbourne in his comeback game from a torn hamstring and is almost certain to start tomorrow.