THE HANGAR | The F3 Derby
I could go on about last week’s farcical loss to the Wanderers, but there are more important things at hand. It’s derby week!
Yes it’s that time of the year when all the Squadron chants are relevant, where proud Novacastrians preach of the hatred of the “coasties” and people you may work with become people you no longer acknowledge as people.
It’s been widely reported that this is the A-League’s worst/boring/irrelevant derby, but au contraire my misguided friends, this rivalry is the original and purest of them all.
This is no contrived “derby” like certain pay television networks tried to make us believe (The Big Blue may be a good fixture, but she’s no derby). This is no derby manufactured by splitting fan bases such as the Melbourne and Sydney derbies. This derby right here is two hard working towns going head to head like they’ve done for many years now.
So deep-seated is this hatred between this two coastal locales, that mention you’re from Gosford in Newcastle, and you will not have a good time.
And note that this all comes from an adopted Novacastrian.
Of course there’s always the 08 Grand Final to fall back on whenever one comes into contact with a Mariners fan. That glorious day in Sydney where Mark Bridge curled a sweet finish past the outstretched arms of Danny Vukovic is burned into the memories of every Jets fan forever. The only way to top that will be to beat them in the GF again.
There have been many other great F3 Derby moments for the Jets. Who could forget the epic run of results that saw the Jets maintain a 1028 day stranglehold over Regular Season victories over the Mariners. We all remember the banner.
In amongst that run, the great 2-1 win at CC Stadium, where Joel Griffiths grabbed the winner in front of three thousand delirious travelling fans including yours truly.
Who could forget the original coastie killer in Milton Rodriguez. He scored a fantastic free kick against them at then Energy Australia Stadium, which set the tone for a great run that year.
There was the time Sash Petrovski equalised for the Jets just before the final whistle in a special mid-week F3 Derby. An injured Ljubo Milicevic threw his crutches in the air, and seven thousand Jets fans in attendance belted at the top of their lungs “WE HATE COAST SCUM”.
And then there was the 20th of October 2012, the last time the Jets beat the Mariners. Since then it’s been 1120 days since the Jets have claimed bragging rights.
In that time there was the 3-0 and 3-1 embarrassments and their embarrassment of a ground. The 1-0 loss just last season that ruined the season and 4 draws.
Do I think it’s time that a stop was put to that run? You bet I do.
Do I care how it’s ended? Nope, just end it.
To fans who have no involvement in this fixture, they lack an understanding of just what it feels like to win one of these, and then to not win one for a very long time. It’s not the most decorated or most attended of the A-League’s derbies, but it this original and it will always be the truest and best.
If the Jets are to topple the yellow brigade, then all they need to do is feed off the energy the fans will bring, because there will be a lot.
On stats, the Jets have scored the most headed goals in the league, whilst the Mariners have conceded the most headed goals. So let’s put em on Milos’ head and let him knock em in.
The Jets front 4 as a whole are working very well. It’s only a matter of time before Enver Alivodic scores one, he went desperately close last week. Carney is ripping in some great crosses, and Leonardo is an absolute wizard and I’m baffled he wasn’t signed elsewhere.
Defensively is where the Jets have some issues. The absence of Daniel Mullen is profound, and the performances of his fill-ins will be crucial in ensuring that the Jets season doesn’t collapse. We need some big efforts from Ben Kantarovski in the next few weeks, his form will be crucial in ensuring that the front 4 get the ball they need to make their front 4 magic happen. And big praise for Mark Birighitti who has played the last two weeks like Shane Smeltz never kicked him. Granted he really should have saved the Nichols goal from last week, but I have a feeling he’ll be very phased about the upcoming fixture.
The long and the short of it is, as Jets fans, we hate coast scum, and nothing will give us more pleasuring then making those coasties hold a pity party around the palm trees with the sauce bottles, because it’s been long enough!
#WHCS #TogetherWeCanSoar
By The Numbers (via Sporticos.com)
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