Mariners vs Jets: Derby Grand Final

[brett]

Who'd have thought we'd be starting this thread at the start of the season?

The first year it was the inaugural occasion, the Bling of SFC, the underdog upstarts, Dwight Yorke, and the thrill of a record A-League crowd.

The second year it was the epitome of Melbourne's dominance, it was Archie's 5, it was Melbourne's 6, it was records tumbling.

And for the third year we have the bitter, bitter rivalry of the only real derby in the country. This is THE BIG ONE. We're both in Asia, nothing is on the line but pure pride. If the league expands in 2008 it means that these first three seasons will forever be remembered as its own sacred little era, and everyone will remember that derby grand final that put a spectacular full stop on the rebirth of club football in Australia.

Enjoy the week folks!

 

[jockey]

HEAR, HEAR BRETT.

I've heard some say that it would be a flash in the pan.

I and many others had a moderate interest in the game but when it got down to the real thing, ie; major stadiums, season memberships, major media exposure that interest has become intense.

The Storm & Manly tried to pull a crowd to Bluetongue last night by giving away freebies. The NRL are seriously worried.....

 

[hot_gumps]

Can't w8 till we prove all the doubters wrong and smash Newcastle!!!!!  Going to be a great game and am confident we will win!    3 seasons and we have made the grand final twice!!!!!!!!!!!!    C'mon Mariners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mustapha_beer]

Good post, Brett!

Keep seeing encouragement through things like the A-League crowd average being now on a par with that of the NRL, the continued expansion, increased media coverage etc.....

Watching the EPL on telly is great, but to have a viable and ever improving league right here is what we really wanted....now we've got it.

And, to top it off, we have a final matchup with our neighbours....the 2 supposedly smaller NSW sides continue to prove their doubters wrong.

I'm feeling nervous already, and there's still the best part of a week to go....

 

[Bex]

<braveheart voice>

Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you'll live... at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR TOILET SEAT!

</braveheart voice>

 

[FFC Mariner]

Not nervous at all, we have done what we needed to in winning the comp and being 1st to qualify for Asia. Beating the scum 3-0 to qualify for the end of season cup was nice too

For me, this is going to be a great day out to celebrate the season we have had and farewell Viddie in style.

If we win, I will be delighted, if we dont, I will get over it. Losing in V1 was devastating because we needed to win to stamp ourselves on the comp. Season 2 sort of confirmed to me that we were a bit off the pace. Boy did the club prove me wrong in V3.

We are starting to see articles etc with the "Qld and Scum" ought to be there, they are the 2 best teams. Really, so winning the league counts for nothing does it??

Thats why I am completely ho hum about this end of season cup. Winning the league is what the game is all about.

As evidence, I went mental in CCLC when we won the league and walked calmly out of EAS after losing 2-0 chatting to a couple of scum supporters.

ps - My behaviour after we won 3-0 was just crowd induced hysteria

 

[brett]

Not nervous at all, we have done what we needed to in winning the comp and being 1st to qualify for Asia. Beating the scum 3-0 to qualify for the end of season cup was nice too

For me, this is going to be a great day out to celebrate the season we have had and farewell Viddie in style.

If we win, I will be delighted, if we dont, I will get over it. Losing in V1 was devastating because we needed to win to stamp ourselves on the comp. Season 2 sort of confirmed to me that we were a bit off the pace. Boy did the club prove me wrong in V3.

We are starting to see articles etc with the "Qld and Scum" ought to be there, they are the 2 best teams. Really, so winning the league counts for nothing does it??

Thats why I am completely ho hum about this end of season cup. Winning the league is what the game is all about.

As evidence, I went mental in CCLC when we won the league and walked calmly out of EAS after losing 2-0 chatting to a couple of scum supporters.

ps - My behaviour after we won 3-0 was just crowd induced hysteria

Good post, comes close to summing it up for me.

And if we were playing Queensland I would have had a smile on my face all day regardless of the result.

But now I passionately want to win, just so no uneducated non-football type from Newcastle can even consider thinking they are better than us in some way. This matters a lot, people will remember this derby cup final, and I don't want their name up in lights. It has to be us. Guys like Kwas and Hutcho haven't busted their arses doubly hard against the scum all season to give them a moment in the sun at the end.

In saying that, I too will primarily be out to just enjoy the day and breathe it all in. These are salad days for us fishermen.

 

[CCM-JAM80]

Win or lose - this week is icing on the cake. Sure, I pray we get the result we deserve taking the double, though my goal this season was for the boys to secure their place in the Asian Champions League and that has been done.

Who knows when we will have a season like this again? The closeness of the competition and the expansion of the A-League will make replicating this type of season a tough, tough gig. That's partly why I have chosen just to ride "the wave" soaking up everything over the last month. I ask all to do the same. This has been a dream season.

The result is important - don't get me wrong, I ain't however going to go in to a sudden deep, dark depression if we don't get the result.

GO THE MARINERS!!!!!

p.s. John Aloisi double secures our first Grand Final win!

 

[Omni]

All I can hear in my head:
Petrovski's in an offside position, Aloisi might go himself, Aloisi! ALOISIIIIIIII!!! THREE-ONE, IT'S ALL OVER!

 

[northernspirit]

As several of you have stated already for me finishing first past the post is the main prize - the finals are a bonus and we have qualified for Asia which is so important, it will bring more money to the club and extra corporate interest in sponsorships. I was divided about who i wanted to face, I had been saying Newcastle all week mainly because i believe we have a better chance of beating them than Queensland and also it would result in a sell out game, but when the game kicked off last night i found myself wanting to play against Queensland just in case the boys cant get the result on Sunday cos i really dont want to hear Jests fans all of a sudden being glory hunters. But the deed is done and Newcastle have qualified, i thought in both of the two semis we out-played them... the key for us is keeping them scoreless and ensuring Joel Griffiths doesnt get opportunities to score.

What gives me encouragement is a few things:

1: Jets have played 2 gruelling weeks of extra time football, we have had a week to recover and started training today, they will be in recovery mode until Wednesday
2: We have been to a grand final before. Alot of people say you have to lose one to win one, the Jets have a few question marks over their mental strength, hopefully they dont turn up to play on Sunday!
3: We have big game players - Sasho and Aloisi thrive on these big games and we can expect good performances from them
4: Then theres the Viddy factor. He himself will give his all for the cause, and the boys will want to give him the dream send off he deserves for such a stellar career.

Thats why i think we will get the result and lift the toilet seat on Sunday. If it doesnt go our way i wont be too devastated as we have already achieved so much this season, i really dont like the idea of losing to the scum in the biggest F3 derby ever though - and im sure the lads feel the same... GO MARINERS!!!

P.S: I've started making a banner for the game

 

[Wombat]

They looked better than us earlier in the year but we are playing well atm and have been the better side in the last 2 games. The floggin we gave them at BT will be on their minds and if we score early i think they will crumble, especially after playing two 120 mins games on the trot.

3.1 to the Mariners.

 

[rosko]

Don't forget one of our most experienced players in Gumps... He is playing out of his boots at the moment... Talk about experience, is there better in the entire A League?
  Go you Mariners..... 

 

[serious14]

A win would be great, but a loss won't be the end of the world.  The league is what really matters - finals are a concept that rewards luck and playing well for 3 (or 4) games.  They are in no way an indicator of..... well, anything really.

Now if this Sunday was the final of the FFA Cup, then that would be amazing.

Having said _that_, the fact that this game is against THEM makes all of that moot.  I hope we smash them by some massive amount.

 

[Omni]

Well given the FFA have decided to use PAID staff instead of CCM volunteers, I won't be there (again FFA's decision on ticket prices does that) Games where I'm at church for, we don't lose often, so there you go I'm VERY confident now.

(and also VERY pissed off at the FFA)

 

[cruiser]

I disagree that winning the Grand Final isnt more important than finishing top of the table. In this country, no matter what the code, grand finals count for everything. Premiers was good, champions will be bloody sernsational!!

 

[promdi442]

I disagree that winning the Grand Final isnt more important than finishing top of the table. In this country, no matter what the code, grand finals count for everything. Premiers was good, champions will be bloody sernsational!!

cruiser you are so right. Have a look at the anguish on the faces of the losing players in the grand final when it is done and dusted. I bet none of them will say oh its OK we won the premiership which means more than this grand final.
Come on a grand final is a grand final and you are there to win not to soak up the atmosphere
and enoy the day. I will kick the cat if we dont win.

Vince Lombardi said      If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?

We are going to win and win any way ugly or beautiful doesnt matter the post match celebrations will be all the sweeter with the toilet seat on the stage at Mingara not out in the toilet block

Just focus on the win that is all that matters.

 

[~Floss~]

Think of all the non-converted (especially those from Newcastle) on Monday who'd be saying "Gee, those Mariners didn't do too well, did they?" if we don't win.

"I don't care, it's only one game, besides, we qualified for Asia by being the best team over the whole season," doesn't mean s**t to scummers raised on league and AFL, who weren't watching for the whole season and don't know what you mean by "Asia."

We shouldn't have to make excuses. We owned this season, and like it or not, a large portion of the population (including potential fans) won't notice unless we get the gold-plated, diamond-crusted toilet seat to prove it to them.

The thought of Newcastle taking what is rightfully ours (acknowledgement by the mainstream media and public as the champion team of V3) is disturbing. It can not be allowed to happen.

 

[marinermick]

I have been musing over the performances of Covic the last few weeks. He has looked shakey and has been very hesitant under the long ball. Marcinho should have had QLD 1-0 after a couple when Covic missed a very innocuous cross.

It has made me think that his performances for the Socceroos have been similar and that he hasn't really played in high pressure games.

I am starting to think that the occasion may get to him Sunday despite his age.

 

[bulldogmariner]

Newcastle have been lucky all season and they rely on golden boy to score there goals
He is still struggling with his hamstring and has been non-existant since game 1 in the finals.
There defence which was once the best in the league has looked leaky over the last few weeks and if qld could actually shoot we may have been playing them in the final.
I cannot see anything besides a mariners win
Newcastle will choke and golden boy will do something silly and earn an early shower.
Enjoy the week!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pjennings]

Newcastle have been lucky all season and they rely on golden boy to score there goals
He is still struggling with his hamstring and has been non-existant since game 1 in the finals.
There defence which was once the best in the league has looked leaky over the last few weeks and if qld could actually shoot we may have been playing them in the final.
I cannot see anything besides a mariners win
Newcastle will choke and golden boy will do something silly and earn an early shower.
Enjoy the week!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope he stays on. I don't want any excuses when we win!!!!