Part One is gone, now time for Part Two! Let’s get into it
11. Melbourne Victory 1-0 Adelaide United – 2008/09
A rematch of the infamous 2007 final, the ‘Original Rivalry’ had never been fiercer going into the 2009 season decider. Just two weeks earlier Reds coach Aurelio Vidmar had lost it following another drubbing at the dome in the semi-final, calling Adelaide a ‘pissant town’ and stating that United would ‘never win anything’. Within a fortnight, he was proven right as Adelaide again had to settle for a runners-up medal. The match itself was soured when Brazilian striker Cristiano was controversially sent for an elbow off in the opening ten minutes, match commentator Robbie Slater immediately saying ‘he’s (referee Matthew Breeze) ruined the game’. A red card to Danny Allsopp in the second half proved to be just as controversial. The winner was one of the best Grand Final goals, as Tom Pondeljak blasted one in from distance on the hour mark. All in all, the red card controversies soured the game, but it capped off the most intense portion of the Original Rivalry of two teams that were dominant in this era.
10. Central Coast Mariners 0-1 Newcastle Jets – 2007/08
An F3 Derby Grand Final will be hard to recreate considering recent dominance by the competition’s wealthier sides, but when it happened it delivered. It marked the end of the career of an Australian football legend, as Tony Vidmar played his last game, but it was one to forget as it was his mistake that allowed Mark Bridge to score what would ultimately be the winning goal. Bridge blasted the ball past ‘best friend’ Danny Vukovic to bring the toilet seat to Newcastle, but that wasn’t Vukovic’s most memorable involvement. When Central Coast was denied a penalty for a clear handball from James Holland in the penalty box in injury time, Vukovic hit the arm of referee Mark Shield and was sent off, an act that eventually resulted in a nine month ban and saw him miss the 2008 Olympic Games.
9. Western Sydney Wanderers 0-2 Central Coast Mariners – 2012/13
Years before the Sky Blues won the championship at Commbank Stadium the Red and Black Bloc brought Wanderland into the heart of Sydney as the Wanderers attempted to win the A-League’s ultimate prize on its first attempt. The atmosphere was electric – 40,000 fans clad in Red and Black doing the Poznan while 2-0 down being a highlight – the Mariners upset the apple cart to win their first Grand Final after three failed attempts. While the Mariners finally ended their curse, it truly felt like Australian football had a new superpower at this point, the red and black juggernaut may have faded in recent years but this was the day that the competition’s Grand Final curse left Gosford to find a new home in Paramatta.
8. Melbourne Victory 3-0 Sydney FC – 2014/15
At the time Melbourne was aggrieved to not be able to play this game at (what was then known as) Etihad Stadium, but the atmosphere at Docklands could not have matched the electric noise inside AAMI Park as 29,843 fans packed it to the brim. Victory dominated the game, Besart Berisha rising to the big occasion as usual while fan favourite Leigh Broxham sealed the victory to the delight of the Melbourne faithful. The pre-game rendition of ‘Stand By Me’ gives chills to this day while arguably the most memorable moment occurred post-game, when Frank Lowy (who was 84 years old at the time) took a tumble and David Gallop opted to make sure the trophy was safe instead. Remarkably Lowy walked away unscathed, however the Sky Blues walked away from this one battered and bruised.
7. Sydney FC 1-1 (4-2 on pens) Melbourne Victory – 2016/17
The passion, rivalry and all-round hatred of the Big Blue at its absolute best. The only time the Sky Blues hosted a Big Blue final, it brought in the highest rating Fox Sports audience for an A-League game of all time. In front of a partisan crowd, Berisha again stood up early as he opened the scoring, but this time it was Sydney’s fan favourite Rhyan Grant who levelled the scores. It was a fantastic advertisement for the league, an end-to end-contest with tackles flying in, soundtracked by one of the best atmosphere’s Sydney Football Stadium has seen. Eventually penalties would once again be needed to split the sides, and just like in 2010 Sydney won 4-2 in the shootout to break the hearts of those clad in navy blue. Fittingly Johnny Warren Medalist Milos Ninkovic scored the winning penalty, starting what would become a reign of dominance for the Sky Blues.
6. Brisbane Roar 2-1 Western Sydney Wanderers – 2013/14
Orange Sunday III might be the lowest down on this list but it was still an all-time classic. At the time it was the most watched game in the history of the competition, with Fox Sports and SBS (who showed the game on delay) having a combined peak viewership of 1.29 million. The Wanderers were desperate to make up for the previous year’s loss to the Mariners, while a third crown for the Roar in four seasons would make them the most successful team in A-League history. It was Brisbane’s two grand final heroes who scored the vital goals, Besart Berisha equalising late on before Henrique won it in extra-time. As usual the Wanderers’ travelling support made it a final with a brilliant atmosphere but once again they left without the taste of victory.
