Since the opening days of the competition, the two clubs have battled constantly and delivered many instant classics that live in the memories of fans.
In preparation for another instalment, we’ve dived through the archives and pulled out our top five greatest wins in the rivalry.
#5 – 2-0 win, Semi Final 2007-08
What an evening this was at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Although the Semi Final tie didn’t end in our favour (more on that later), the first of the legs was played out in front of almost 23,000 fans, and didn’t they enjoy it.
The electric crowd caught alight when Adam Griffiths scored the early opener and as the intensity between the two teams grew over the course of the match, so did the atmosphere in the stands.
Five minutes before the final whistle, Joel Griffiths struck home a penalty leaving the home fans ecstatic with the belief that we were on our way to our first Grand Final.
#4 – 2-1 win, Round 3, 2012-13
In 2012, another firecracker of a derby took place at McDonald Jones Stadium as marquee signing Emile Heskey made his first appearance in the rivalry.
The game started hot with Ruben Zadkovich receiving a yellow card within the first minute, and Trent Sainsbury getting one as well just minutes later when he gave away a penalty. Ryan Griffiths tucked it home to give our team the lead, and it doubled midway through the second half courtesy of the big, former Premier League striker, Heskey.
Emotions were high with many yellow cards handed over following the goal, before Bernie Ibini scored for the visitors to send nervous shockwaves through the 15,000+ crowd.
With momentum against them, our Jets were able to hold on for a famous, gutsy derby win.
#3 – 5-1 win, Round 1, 2017-18
To begin the 2017/18 season, the team travelled to the Central Coast, passing a Mariners-commissioned sign that read “the best road in Newcastle, is the one out of it”…turns out it was the motivation our team were after.
Despite having a slow start after Asdrubal scored in the first five minutes, from there it was all Jets.
Former Mariner Roy O’Donovan nabbed a penalty, and then scored two more afterwards to finalise a first half hat-trick, and a 3-1 half-time lead.
Joey Champness and Dimi Petratos put the icing on the cake late in the second half scoring a goal each and solidifying a wonderful day for Jets fans far and wide.
#2 – 8-2 win, Round 27, 2017-18
We 8-2 bring it up again (sorry, force of habit), but this day at Central Coast will go down in Jets folklore and is almost deserving of top spot.
In the final regular season match of our Grand Final qualifying season, our Jets dominated like never before in the F3 Derby with goals galore.
After 24 minutes, it was already 3-0 thanks to goals from Champness, O’Donovan and Riley McGree.
Connor Pain grabbed a goal just before half-time, but after the break, we fired back with more goals. McGree turned out two to confirm a hat-trick, O’Donovan scored a second, and Lachlan Jackson grabbed his first goal too.
Mariners got a second consolation when Trent Buhagiar scored, but not even a minute later, Petratos was in for a goal of his own to end a very eventful night on the Coast.
#1 – 1-0 win, Grand Final, 2007-08
What else would be #1? To this day, it’s still remembered as one of the greatest in Club history and it’s just so happens, it took place against our arch rivals on the neutral ground of Sydney.
After seemingly booking a spot in the Grand Final after the first leg of the Semi Finals, our team were toppled by the Mariners in the second leg forcing us to go through a thrilling Preliminary Final extra time win.
We took that momentum into the big dance, and it proved to be one of the more exciting Grand Finals over the course of league history.
The two went back and forth, and as the scores remained level and goalless, tension only grew – on the field, and off it.
The pivotal moment came in the 64th minute when a Mariners mistake at the back allowed Mark Bridge to capitalise and attack the goal, swinging in a ball from outside the box, and around Danny Vukovic in goals.
Jubilation ensued and the team were able to hold onto their slim lead despite chaos unwinding on the stroke of full time that saw multiple yellow cards brandished, and a red card as well.
What a day.
