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Football’s biggest drawcard around the globe is the unequivocal and unrivalled passion that a derby exerts.
Other sports have similarly vicious and hard-fought rivalries, but all bow before the fixation and mania that’s produced from two sets of supporters shouting after the round ball.
Boca Juniors versus River Plate, Red Star versus Partizan, Celtic versus Rangers, and Roma versus Lazio outscore anything any other code can promise.
And in Australia, that same exuberance is forming shape in the Sydney Derby. It has become undoubtedly the biggest rivalry in the country and is the A-League’s one true love.
It doesn’t matter who you support, there’s no denying it’s the biggest game of the season and the most fascinating match-up for a neutral.
Still in its fledgling years, the potential for its growth is almost limitless. More than 200,000 fans have turned out for seven games to date, at an average of almost 30,000.
Only Pirtek Stadium’s capacity is stopping the fixture from blowing away attendance figures, but the small confines in Parramatta add to the magic of the tie. I do feel that the third fixture between the two sides should go to Homebush, evening up the proceeds with a home game apiece.
Melbourne fans may argue against the notion that the Sydney Derby outweighs their own fixture between Victory and City, but in truth there’s no contest. Not yet anyway.
The Melbourne Derby boasts the larger attendance averages, but the lack of clear distinction between the fans apart from shirt colours still remains. That will change over time, as Melbourne City née Heart forge their own identity to rival the passion of Victory, who boast the league’s most fervent supporters.
But right now, the power lies in the clash between Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC. The match is the darling of Australian football, and it’s exciting to imagine what shape it will take over the next 10 years.
Soon there will be kids growing up in Sydney with colours firmly stamped in their hearts and minds. When asked who they sing for, and why, they will be able to proudly recount how their father was a foundation member.
Fans will have photos from their day of birth, a hairless infant dressed head to toe in sky blue or red and black. Families will have split allegiances as opposing supporters inevitably find happiness together. It will soon become blasphemous for a player to change his stripes, or hoops.
This will also emerge in Melbourne, no doubt, but the natural rivalry between Sydney’s city centre and the west means the Sydney Derby has been given a leg up, despite only being in its third year.
But what about the forgotten derby?
The oldest A-League rivalry, the F3 Derby between the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets, has had its ups and downs since its official inception on September 4, 2005.
The two sides meet for the 34th time on Sunday.
It all started with less than 6000 fans at Gosford Stadium, with only about 50 Jets fans turning up to situate themselves behind the goals. Instant hatred was stemmed when Nick Mrdja broke Andrew Durante’s leg during preseason before an A-League ball had even been kicked.
The tension mounted in the 2007-08 season, when regular season games averaged 15,000 and the two sides met three times in the finals series. More than 36,000 turned out to witness the Jets defeat their rivals 1-0 in an intense grand final.
But attendances didn’t kick on, and it has to be questioned why. Many Mariners supporters often treated the F3 Derby with disdain, citing Sydney FC as their true rivals. Indeed, matches involving Sydney FC at Gosford Stadium often outnumbered the crowds when the Jets came to town.
Crowds went as low as 6000 at both home grounds, but the clash has recently been witnessing something of a revival. In 2011 thousands of Jets supporters marched as one towards Gosford Stadium, engaging in fierce banter in an impressive spectacle.
A lot of A-League fans criticised the paltry crowd of about 10,500 for the F3 clash earlier this season at Gosford Stadium, but the figure is in line with the derby’s pull in the past 10 years.
The crowd averages for the F3 Derby in the last two seasons have been the highest since the 2007-08 season, so it’s promising. But interest among fans appear to be depressingly low at the moment. The predicaments of both clubs clearly aren’t helping and another finals appearance would be a boon, but that’s unlikely to eventuate this season.
Luckily, there’s the ever-present John Hutchinson to spark life into the tie, claiming in the media this week that the Mariners are the bigger club out of the two. The provocative comments drew a response from Jets manager Phil Stubbins, which was a welcome change from Clayton Zane last year claiming the Jets were “underdogs”.
This kind of banter from the players in the media is essential, but now it’s the fans’ turn to do their part. Hopefully Newcastle turn out for this match, and some Central Coast residents venture outside their comfort zone.
Because the A-League needs these derbies, they’re the type of games which separate football from other codes and have the potential to push the game to the next level in Australia.
It’s going to be a bumper Saturday night in the A-League when Sydney FC enter Wanderland and come up against a volatile crowd. Just keep the pitch invasions to a minimum please, football doesn’t need that rubbish.
The eighth Sydney Derby is going to be an interesting clash, with the revolution under Graham Arnold showing no signs of abating, while Tony Popovic is striving to get his side back on track domestically.
Meanwhile, Newcastle and Central Coast are both in shaky circumstances, on and off the field, which should provide a thrilling spectacle on Sunday. The players won’t be shirking from the challenge, especially with Hutcho and Joel Griffiths in the ranks.
Melbourne have their next chance to shine in late December.
This is what football is about, and it’s what supporters cherish most. Everything is forgotten when the derby hits town – past form, work, life and the world. It’s more than a game, and hopefully we see new rivalries emerge in the next years of expansion.
Follow Janek on Twitter @JanekSpeight
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