- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Driving towards to the famous Leichhardt Oval on Tuesday night, I had the feeling that I was about to witness something special. The stadium lights, which illuminated the usually quiet residential streets of Balmain, were a stark reminder that it wasn’t the standard day before Wednesday.
Walking into the stadium, the scene was set for a fantastic night of football. Not only had the FFA Cup, Round of 32 brought the reigning A-League premiers to Balmain, but also all of the officialdom that comes with the prestige of playing in Australia’s top league.
As the State League 1 team, Balmain SC, ran out into a crisp night, there was an overwhelming sense of anticipation from the near 5000-strong crowd.
Although it was largely expected that Victory would streamroll Balmain. For those first few minutes of the match, hope overcame rational thought, with the knowledge that anything can happen in the wonderful game that is football.
However, it was not to be a fairy-tale night for the locals, with Victory running away with a 6-0 result. But for me, it was never really about the score, rather the occasion and what it meant for football in Australia.
The first thing I noticed when the two teams faced up was the physical difference between the two sides. Melbourne appeared to tower of the locals, looking a lot stronger and a lot fitter. The difference between a semi-professional and professional athlete was clear.
And it wasn’t just looks. The pace of the game was set by the Victory, with their players showcasing a sharper turn of speed and more definite first touch.
Victory won almost every aerial ball, often bumping a Balmain player into the turf. And they won almost every 50/50 challenge.
Mention, however, must go to Balmain’s centre midfielder Ciaran Muir and left back Andrew Casali who put their bodies on the line multiple times with some crunching tackles.
Victory were also very structured in their approach, demonstrating the ability to penetrate Balmain’s defence with ease. Gui Finkler and Besard Berisha linked well down the centre and Connor Pain offered a fantastic outlet down the left wing, troubling Balmain with his pace, touch and crossing into the six-yard box.
So what does all this mean? After all, it is to be expected that an A-League giant like the Melbourne Victory would progress to the next round without any issues, particularly against a team three tiers below.
The game on Tuesday night demonstrated that the A-League has changed the face of football in Australia in its entirety. The next generation of footballers in Australia won’t know a sporting landscape without the A-League.
It wasn’t all that long ago that working towards a semi-professional/professional football career wasn’t very accessible or appealing. The A-League has changed all of that.
Looking around Leichhardt Oval I saw many familiar faces from the local football community.
I saw players, who in their day may have well been able to progress further with their football careers, but the idea of uprooting and heading overseas to pursue such opportunities didn’t seem feasible. The fact is, that same opportunity is now locally available, right here on our doorstep.
Tuesday night’s game demonstrated that you can play at a semi-professional level with great success, or you can push even harder. Win an A-League contract and you too might become that bit stronger, faster and quicker than you ever thought possible.
I’m excited to see how football continues to progress in Australia over the next 10 years, as we close the gap on our European counterparts. Perhaps, one day my own children will be playing for a State League Team 1 that will be broadcast live on Fox Sports.
And for all of us who will never make it as a player, I’m equally excited to sit and watch the quality of local football develop from either the stands or the couch.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.