Players from A-League club Newcastle Jets almost came to blows yesterday as the frustration from their financial woes begins to come to the surface.

Jets owner Con Constantine is struggling to pay some of his players and an intense week of media speculation is beginning it take its toll with news that captain Michael Bridges and striker Sean Rooney exchanged words in a heated argument and then Adam D'Apuzzo and Kasey Wehrman almost came to blows after clashing on the training ground.

Insults between D'Apuzzo and Wehrman continued, prompting teammates to step in but Jets coach Branko Culina played down the incidents, saying it was purely the competitive nature of the game.

"I want to see competitiveness at training and I was quite pleased and comfortable with what happened today," Culina told the Newcastle Herald.

"Obviously you don't want anyone to go silly but that is the sort of commitment that perhaps has been missing . . . We had two senior players who went for each other and I think that set an example to everyone that we have to do whatever it takes, both at training and in our games."

The Jets take on the in-form Brisbane Roar at EnergyAustralia Stadium in round 5 action this Sunday.