The A-League is in need of a spark for the upcoming season, and what better way to begin than with a transfer move to light up a fledgling football rivalry. Fred’s move to Melbourne Heart is a masterstroke.
A grand final winner with Melbourne Victory in the 2006-07 season, his return to the ‘wrong’ half of Melbourne is fantastic news – if he can start where he left off.
Yet we all know the Victorian capital is passionate about sport and we all know that this year-young rivalry will continue to grow over the next few years. It is to the north, in NSW, where I see the need for another injection of life.
Step forth the F3 derby. Newcastle Jets versus Central Coast is arguably a passionate, fierce rivalry. Though it can also be argued that it is lagging and in need of a pick-me-up.
As a Jets fan, I’m looking to Nathan Tinkler’s new regime to help kick-start a reinvigorated rivalry with our close neighbours.
The hatred began even before an A-League ball had been kicked, albeit in the disgusting and avoidable actions of Nick Mrdja’s tackle on Andrew Durante in the pre-season cup competition of 2005.
It was the perfect beginning, despite the horrible circumstances.
Then came the James Holland saga, the heroic 2008 grand final… and then John Hutchinson in general. The fact that both sides think they live on the ‘right’ side of Swansea further gives rise to the rivalry.
However, is it just me or is something still severely lacking? Crowds peaked in 2008-09, yet have continued to drop in the past two seasons.
This can perhaps be linked to an overall decline in attendances, however surely the F3 derby can still be a match to draw in the masses?
We need a boost. And I believe we have it in Newcastle’s ‘saviour’ Nathan Tinkler. Tinkler needs to turn the F3 derby into a more passionate affair with unashamed and ruthless marketing around Newcastle.
A media campaign urging fans to the games as well as subliminal messages in all advertising could be an idea. I want to see more fans expressing hatred for the yellow and blue and visa-versa.
What better way to do that than to make the Mariners supporters feel unwelcome on the right side of Swansea? One Mariners fan had the audacity to wear his beer-stained jersey to a university class in the aftermath of the 2010-11 grand final. What cheek… so I gave him a mouthful.
I just hope every other Jets supporter did too. There is nothing I can’t abide more than seeing those dirty jerseys get around Newcastle.
We need to start more fights – not physical mind you, I’m not suggesting we turn to Poland’s hooligan ways – but more banter cannot go astray.
While the Melbourne duo are on their way to generating a fierce rivalry, the F3 derby needs to pick up its game. With a Western Sydney team looking less likely to eventuate over the next few years, it is the Jets and the Mariners who need to bring life to the A-League.
Rivalries are what make us follow sport, we love to hate, as much as we love to love our own team. As it stands the Mariners have overtaken the Jets in bragging rights, with eight wins to seven.
While the Jets still have an upper hand in terms of toilet seat victories, it is time for the proud sporting city of Newcastle to take back the mantle in the F3 derby.
So Tinkler, here’s a pointer: Make an audacious bid for Mustafa Amini, produce a media campaign to incite hatred towards Mariners fans, and perhaps get Danny Tiatto out of retirement to scathe down the annoying John Hutchinson and avenge Durante’s horror break of 2005.
Let’s get this derby up to new and exciting heights; we can’t have Melbourne residents claiming they have the only ‘real’ derby of the A-League.
Nick
Guest
Funny how many people think the premiership is the real deal. NO, winning the grand final is. PLUS, the Mariners won it on goal difference? so we pretty much won both anyway!
Chris K
Guest
my dad used to live in NZ back then and has a photo of that piece of graffiti
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Reminds me of the graffiti on the back of the road sign to Auckland airport. Someone had spray painted "Australia Sucks" on the back, and some bright spark had sprayed underneath "New Zealand nil" :D
The Special One
Guest
Could learn a thing or two from MLS in this regard. Houston Dynamo put this billboard up in Dallas highlighting that they have won two MLS cups compared to FC Dallas's none. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/dynamo-better-than-dallas.jpg Portland Timbers put this billboard up in Seattle right outside Qwest field. http://theoriginalwinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/portland-timbers-seattle-billboard.jpg This is the type of banter thats required here.
Bondy
Guest
Bloody good read , I love the F.3. Derby, Newcastle are sh^^ and will always be . Thank You.
nordster
Guest
Premiership is the real title! See i sound like a mariners fan already!
nordster
Guest
i know, i know ... living in the football equivalent of Korea's DMZ doesn't help ... stuck in no man's land! Both grounds are an equal distance away too. Not having grown up here ... the heart still wants Rovers :( Brain says CCM i'm afraid!
Chris
Guest
The Mariners/Jets hatred was started long before the Durante incident (I actually stretchered Durante from the field that night, it was a bad break, one of the few Jets players I genuinely felt good to see playing) you must remember a lot of Central Coast Football fans were fans of the Newcastle Breakers, and then were betrayed by a certain somebody, so decided they would hate Newcastle, when the Northern Spirit came around a lot of them went south, others simply left the NSL. When the Mariners came both those groups came together (along with some new fans) and combined their hatred of Newcastle. Of course your way also works, if Australian club football only started in 2005!
French Fries
Guest
I was down near Gosford the other weekend and saw a cyclist wearing a CCM jersey. Then, just as I was about to look away, he was swiped off the road by a small truck. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ME! I thought. But no, I don't have a truck license. Is that the kind of banter y' want?
Kieran
Guest
It's rants like this that make our league a joke.. I'm a die hard jets fan Abd I definately don't think that encouraging holiganism is going to make the league better.. What a load of bollocks
Janek Speight
Expert
One Toilet Seat to zero. Jets are still in front!
Janek Speight
Expert
You're what we call Judas ;) But it's all good come back to the light side and all will be forgiven. Right your wrongs..but you can't support both teams!
JB
Guest
I actually saw that guy after the GF and gave him a piece of my mind aswel (all friendly of course) it could be the same guy if you go to newcastle uni lol
JB
Guest
Are you serious mate? lol chill out its a great blog
Janek Speight
Expert
You are reading this correctly. Of course it's a light-humored look at the matter, however rivalries are what make sport. Think Keane v. Viera, Keown v. Van Nistelrooy, TOON v sunderland. I'm not suggesting it should be 'manufactured' but we need more fans involved and more heat within an already promising rivalry...
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
There always seems to be a big traveling contingent at the Victory-Adelaide games. They certainly are not boring.
Melange
Guest
Not sure if you have to give someone a mouthful, hopefully it was all friendly banter. For the record, from the Aleague site, 05-06 Pre-Season Cup Winners: Central Coast Mariners 07-08 Champions: Newcastle Jets Premiers: Central Coast Mariners. Add 2 more GF appearances and, I believe, a couple more pre-season runners up and 7 a side champions at an international tournament and I think CCM are way way ahead on the scoreboard. :D
Midfielder
Guest
Janek Well written mate you covered most of the key things... you left out one thing or maybe mods removed... The time when asked LM said Newcastle only needed a mini bus for their supporters as thats all the following they had that would travel ... the next match thousand of Jets arrived at BT with LM signs and chants...
Midfielder
Guest
Gootta love this image that was posted on our forum some time ago... http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/1899/newcastlemovieyt3.jpg
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
In my opinion, true and meaningful sporting rivalries evolve over time unless there are some other underlying reasons for the fans to dislike each other right from the start (e.g. Celtic & Rangers fans seem to dislike each other as soon as the umbilical cord has been severed!). MVFC had a 'natural inter-city rivalry' with Sydney from day 1 but, whilst I always want us to beat Sydney, the emotions for me are much higher when we play AUFC and, last season, Heart. It seems to be the same for the players with matches against AUFC and Heart seeming to produce more passion, harder tackles and controversy on the park. I get the feeling CCM & Brisbane are on the verge of developing a meaningful on-field rivalry, after the emotional roller-coaster for fans in the HAL GF and, if I recall, all their H&A games and one semi-final were pretty intense and hard-fought affairs?