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Ernie Merrick wants to see more of his Newcastle Jets youngsters with an eye to the next A-League season.

Perth Glory's passage to the Premiers Plate has been made potentially smoother by Newcastle choosing to treat their final weeks of the A-League season as a rebuild.

Jets coach Ernie Merrick has conceded his team have no realistic hope of reaching the finals, dismissing the prospect of wiping off the seven-point gap to sixth-placed Melbourne City over the closing three rounds.

Instead, he will effectively trial young players with an eye to next season.

The process began in last week's 3-2 win over Western Sydney when Joey Champness impressed up front in his first start this season, while Ivan Vujica and goal-scorer Angus Thurgate were injected off the bench.

Merrick is also keen to give Australian age group star Jack Simmons an A-League debut but believes Perth wouldn't be the easiest environment for the 17-year-old midfielder.

"But given that we're not going to make the finals ... we'll stick with trying out the youngsters, give them more game time," Merrick said.

"Get them used to the game plan and confident on the ball."

Merrick said Venezuelan playmaker Ronny Vargas is 50-50 at best to play after limping off at halftime against the Wanderers with a hamstring recurrence.

He may need others to step up in the midfield which he says is Glory's greatest strength.

Ageless Spaniard schemer Diego Castro was the difference when the teams met in Perth in January, Merrick believed.

As he's done all season, Merrick lamented Newcastle's inability to finish for their failure to reach the play-offs, let alone match last year's grand final involvement.

"For one reason or another it hasn't worked out for the finals but it should have," Merrick said.

"All stats in our favour are good but the most important stat is goals scored, and that's not in our favour.

"I think the boys will want to make up for it, especially for our fans."