The Jets showed they're capable of scoring goals in their 6-1 win against a Brisbane Roar side packed with kids.

The Roar youth brigade had put in some admirable performances leading up to Saturday night's match, but were brought back to Earth in devastating fashion.

“First of all I think Darren Davies has a tough job tonight,” Merrick said.

“He’s got a lot of injured players out, a lot of senior players out so I think the scoreline doesn’t give a true picture of where the two clubs are at.

“They’ve had a tough year, we’ve had a better year we just haven’t scored goals but tonight it came together really well.

“I talked about re-building this team and this was our first night really and given that there were six players under 21 in the squad I think it’s a good sign.

“We’ve played the sort of football we played regularly last year and finished really well so overall a good night for us and a tough one for Brisbane.”

It's hard to imagine that the reigning Grand Finalists, some would say one offside goal away from Champions, are already in need of a rebuild.

Merrick recruited poorly in the offseason with Jair most notable and the Scot has effectively signalled as much, while the loss of Andrew Nabbout seems to have had a dismal effect.

But with an ageing backline and far too much pressure on Dimitri Petratos this season, if the quality of the Jets' youth is as good as it seems (three Olyroos at last count) then perhaps a rebuild is already the best option.

“I particularly targeted this game to give some of the younger boys a run,” Merrick explained.

“Angus Thurgate, Joey (Champness), who had a 20-week injury, he’s back on form. Even the boys we brought off the bench, young Jack Simmons, he’s just turned 17 last week, Pat Langlois is 19 years old.

“Our two fullbacks are both in the Olympic team, Ivan Vujica and Johnny Koutroumbis so overall it was a young side.

“I was really surprised, Angus and Joey were probably our best two players and he [Thurgate] was outstanding.

“He not only was winning the ball but he was setting up all the plays, he rarely gave it away.

"He gets embarrassed because he’s from Port Macquarie and they call him the ‘Port Macquarie Pele’ which is a slight exaggeration.”