The 2023 Australia Cup final at the Sydney Football Stadium almost emulates the famous Community Shield fixture in England and spells the beginning of what is looking like an exciting season of A-League football.
That fixture between the FA Cup winners and the English Premier League winners, played at the national stadium, is an occasion steeped in tradition and one that whets the appetite for the football feast ahead.
In a week that has seen rumours of VAR being scrapped, Mariners scoring a handsome win in the AFC Cup and Tim Cahill being inducted in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, the right sort of news has given football fans plenty to talk about as we await the climax of our nation’s major cup competition.
Since the FIFA Women’s World Cup took us to new levels of delirium, we have been clinging to the Australia Cup and its magical giant-killing possibilities for our live football fix.
Sydney FC have come through all four seasons in their Australia Cup campaign, starting with that incredible last-gasp equaliser and epic penalty shoot-out in the Wollongong drizzle against A-League champions Central Coast Mariners.
A banana skin against APIA Leichhardt was avoided in the rain at Leichhardt Oval and Western United were swept aside on a boiling hot day two weeks later back at the same venue.
Their passage into the final was an impressive one, an away win against premiers Melbourne City, and with new Brazilians in the squad, the return of fan favourite Max Burgess from his suspension and the superb form of Anthony Caceres, this is a Sydney FC team that has made a statement already in the cup. Steve Corica is off on the right foot for the 2023/24 season.
Sydney FC Manager Steve Corica. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Ross Aloisi’s Brisbane Roar have been around the country on their cup quest, throwing in the youngsters to beat the Jets in Maitland in extra time, before a visit to Sydney United allowed them to stretch their legs with their youth getting in on the goals in a five-goal rout.
The visit of the Western Sydney Wanderers to Perry Park in the quarter-finals was thought to be a bridge too far, but with the exciting talent of Henry Hore, Carlo Armiento and Jay O’Shea on song, the Roar stepped up a gear and sent their much-fancied opponents packing.
That set up a fire-cracker of a semi-final with Melbourne Knights, with the romantic neutrals hoping for a fairytale that would continue into the final.
Alas, the tie was settled by an early goal from Brisbane’s hot young striker Tom Waddingham, and somehow the score remained at 1-0 despite the Roar spurning a golden opportunity to make it two when the home team decided to abandon defence in favour of attack.
With the unlikely figure of silky Frenchman Florin Berenguer making things happen in midfield, Brisbane have the class required to take out the crown in Sydney this weekend.
With the fixture seemingly being forced to Sydney despite all attempts to find a suitable venue in Brisbane, and a record Australia Cup crowd anticipated from a football-starved public, Saturday night’s occasion should be one to savour.
A spine-tingling national anthem, two teams that are prepared to go for goal in the name of entertainment and an overload of individual skill from the likes of Nikola Mileusnic and Joe Lolley will bring Australian football back into the spotlight after its mini-hiatus.
Photos of players celebrating a cup win and achieving early qualification for Asian competition in 2024 will be splashed across our newspapers in the absence of any action from the country’s other national sports. Okay, that’s maybe taking it a little too far.
Everyone loves a cup final. Get involved. May the best team win.
Texi
Roar Rookie
Can’t help thinking this was prophetic.
Grem
Roar Rookie
So what did you think Texi - did you think it was a good game?
Garry
Roar Rookie
"an old fella who remembers Steve Coppel, Ray Clements and LIam Brady going around in the 70’s." .. I was at the 79 Cup Final apparently known as the 5 min Final. It was boring until late .Arsenal had established a convincing 2 nil lead . Utd struck twice and the crowd was still rejoicing when Liam Brady surged forward and set up - Stapelton? - for the winning goal. I was one of the few Utd fans in my area who saw Arsenals 3rd goal unfold. :laughing: :unhappy:
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
that's until one of the most effective, first half, players running the show is singled out by Sydney for a good elbow to the head. Did you see Corica's reaction? That right pratt was almost laughing about it. I want to underline that generally it's not Sydney that is my problem. It's Corica and the culture he instills. He showed his true colours with Ninkovic after the derby last season. The man is an embarrassment to the game, he drags us down. I hope Wanderers pound em' this year.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I think you have to be careful. If you don't understand the active supporters, the singing the walk to the ground, then give them some space. I love their singing, their passion it's part of football, but I give them some space too. I am over 50 years old, so they're not going understand an old fella who remembers Steve Coppel, Ray Clements and LIam Brady going around in the 70's. The fact that there are now active support reps, who are members of the aforementioned group, but are there to ensure a standard agreed to by the collective, the fact that they've been elected by the collective and that they will persistently liaise with FA, shows they are genuine about their reputation and behaviour. On the other hand, you have those lads who where supporting Melbourne Knights. They belong to the cultural club era of the old National Soccer League. They don't want the A-League and modern football to prosper. They want to return to the days of holding a grudge against other nationalities due to historical events that occurred decades if not centuries prior. My wife and I were on the Terraces at Craven Cottage to see Fulham v Middlesborough when we visited London. I was skeptical but she wanted me to attend a football match and that's where she go tickets not knowing the history of the terraces. What a fantastic day out!!! Absolutely brilliant. My suggestion is if you don't know about the active supporters, then ask them. In most cases they will be good people. If you still dont know, just let them do the work provide the atmosphere and the passion, give them some space and you enjoy the whole experience. I have been to Hindmarsh, I have been to Suncorp, Sauce Bottle stadium (Mariners), to a Melbourne derby and I am a Jets member. At each and every ground it's been a brilliant experience ever time. You say that's mostly what you see. What do you mean by that statement. Do you go to Victory games? Do you live near Victory fans? Go to North London on game day and the Spurs fans are singing their hearts out on the trains. It's not intimidating, it's the lads expressing themselves. They don't bother anyone, they don't abuse anyone, they don't harm anyone. If anyone does that you need to report them immediately to Active Supporter reps and or the club. Remember this is a multi-cultural country, and a lot of people come from football countries where active supporters are par for the course. What is not acceptable is abusive, inappropriate or violent behaviour.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
The term "Australian Football" or specifically Football is generic—opposed to 'Football Australia', or 'AFL' which are organisations. I'll keep it that way thanks.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Sydney FC have that in the bag...
Polly
Roar Rookie
FIL..maybe it is just Victory fans as that’s mostly what I see. I’d say not only is the football dangerous to go to, but the behaviour of fans outside the stadiums, travelling to games is intimidating before you even get there. Amazing some some people think the behaviour and attitudes of A League fans is acceptable or normal, it really is a bunch of freaks holding the competition back.
mwm
Roar Pro
Sorry to throw a cat amongst the pigeons but ‘Australian Football’ - in capital letters like you just wrote….is actually the moniker of A.F.L. ????- let’s not give birth to another code war over here!
Grem
Roar Rookie
Correct again
Garry
Roar Rookie
Ugargovic is City..you mean Thurgate
Grem
Roar Rookie
I was hoping Kealy Adams would be the right back and Grant would be the sub. Grant’s been great, but now is the time for him to be a mentor to others and sub in later.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I don’t disagree. A lot of teams can be successful this year, but with Botic and Rukavitza up front (if they fire) and Lustika and Ugarkovic in midfield as well as other new signings, young talent, etc and Aloisi coaching them as well as playing at a home (I believe) they could well be a surprise package. There have been a lot of changes with quite a few teams so the early rounds will be interesting. I feel Sydney will do well, but if the Brazilians are average and others get injured then who knows. As a football supporter I hope everyone does well, which can’t happen, so I hope it’s a tight comp and lots of supporters get behind their teams. I still hope that Newcastle will be bought by a good investor and builds them right up there again - just like those days with the Griffiths boys.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I hope he has a good year - form and injury wise. He is obviously a great player, but he needs to stay in the field.
Waz
Roar Rookie
* Australia Cup excepted.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
It will feel like a ginger beer, the best drink of all. :stoked: :football:
Garry
Roar Rookie
Rodwell didnt train today so maybe a start for the Brazilian
Waz
Roar Rookie
An example of the negative press football has to deal with: https://amp.abc.net.au/article/102913754 AFL can do business in China despite its poor human rights record; but the sokkha … how dare it play a game.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Josh Brindall-South (30) & Noah Smith (22) … not saying either will set the league on fire but they have not been replaced; neither has JCP.
Waz
Roar Rookie
“A truckload” being two? Aldred & Neville.