Opinion Is the Showdown the Biggest Rivalry?

[CrazyJoeDevola]

Showdown 1.

Our response against the Doggies at Princess park was great.. Back in the day when u could meet the players after the game and neck a few pints (especially with D Jarman)

 

[Dirty Bird]

Sorry then, that would be the only one and I missed it! This weekends wasn't again. Likewise Freo Vs WC probably rarely seen outside WA and interstate viewers have missed some classic games.

It's quite bullshit.
GWS' first game against Sydney, I'm pretty sure was the first all non-Victoria game live nationally on fta tv (apart from finals) for the better part of a decade.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Victorian rivalries are based on ladder position and recent history.

The so-called Big 4 rivalries are manufactured marketing tools. Those clubs have true rivalries when they're actually playing for something - like all other Melbourne clubs. Since they meet so rarely in finals these days they're just well marketed games.

The SA & WA rivalries seem to always be played as such regardless of ladder position.

Nothing to do with the hatred developed over 110 years and countless finals and grand finals against each other. Just clever marketing.

 

[SgtSchulz]

Mike Sheahan has never been to either.

It shows through in his work.

Lol he interviewed Neil Balme on 'On the Couch' and the word "Norwood" or "SANFL" wasn't mentioned once.

 

[Righteo]

Probably about on par with the Derby in that it's basically dividing an entire state down the middle (yes there are people in WA and SA who don't follow either local team but it's still a small minority) and the hatred is about the same, it's just that SA seems to have a higher percentage of ferals so it seems "fiercer" to the casual observer. The games themselves though are generally better than the other rivalry games, the Derby has lost its lustre in recent years owing to a pretty lop-sided H2H record.

 

[W.C. Fry]

the Derby has lost its lustre in recent years owing to a pretty lop-sided H2H record.

Best derbies used to be Freo home games where lots of Eagles fans could attend. Now your home games are split the same as ours - 95% home side 5% away side. Doesn't have the same feeling.

 

[hutchy31]

Soccer rivalries are a whole different thing - grew up with the Old Firm in Scotland and nothing really comes close (maybe the Istanbul or Rome derbies from a violence perspective, but the underlying hatred is tangible on game day in Glasgow).

But I agree with the OP - this is the only game that feels like a traditional soccer rivalry when you watch on TV. It probably has to do with geography and bragging rights in a 2-team city that has historical context - the WA derby might get there in time but it needs to develop. Could happen in Sydney and maybe even Queensland, but they're obviously only starting out. No chance in victoria, too many teams.

The acid test is typically whether or not the 1 or 2 games you play against each other are more important than the actual competition itself. I know a number of soccer fans who need to think hard about whether or not they would be happy losing all derby games that year if it meant winning the league.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Probably about on par with the Derby in that it's basically dividing an entire state down the middle (yes there are people in WA and SA who don't follow either local team but it's still a small minority) and the hatred is about the same, it's just that SA seems to have a higher percentage of ferals so it seems "fiercer" to the casual observer. The games themselves though are generally better than the other rivalry games, the Derby has lost its lustre in recent years owing to a pretty lop-sided H2H record.

21-19 is lopsided?

 

[Norwood1878]

Lol he interviewed Neil Balme on 'On the Couch' and the word "Norwood" or "SANFL" wasn't mentioned once.

Same same when he interviewed Phil Carmen.

IMHO Shehans a knob and has zero cred.

 

[CrazyJoeDevola]

Soccer rivalries are a whole different thing - grew up with the Old Firm in Scotland and nothing really comes close (maybe the Istanbul or Rome derbies from a violence perspective, but the underlying hatred is tangible on game day in Glasgow).

But I agree with the OP - this is the only game that feels like a traditional soccer rivalry when you watch on TV. It probably has to do with geography and bragging rights in a 2-team city that has historical context - the WA derby might get there in time but it needs to develop. Could happen in Sydney and maybe even Queensland, but they're obviously only starting out. No chance in victoria, too many teams.

The acid test is typically whether or not the 1 or 2 games you play against each other are more important than the actual competition itself. I know a number of soccer fans who need to think hard about whether or not they would be happy losing all derby games that year if it meant winning the league.

Leeds V Man United.. hatred personified

 

[Dirty Bird]

Leeds V Man United.. hatred personified

Panathinaikos-Olympiacos and Galatasaray-Fenerbache say hi.

English rivalries are quite tame these days. More in the Carlton-Collingwood type of rivalry.

Having said that, since I started to get into Soccer, Leeds have been in lower divisions, so I am ignorant on this particular rivalry. But the rest aren't massive like the big Greek and Istanbul derbies.

 

[hutchy31]

Leeds V Man United.. hatred personified

Agree - wouldn't want to be in a pub near Elland Road wearing red on game day...

The problem is that the Man United side of the rivalry is lessened by their rivalry with Liverpool, and of course Man City. With the old firm it's all about those two, same with Roma and Lazio etc.

 

[CrazyJoeDevola]

Panathinaikos-Olympiacos and Galatasaray-Fenerbache say hi.

English rivalries are quite tame these days. More in the Carlton-Collingwood type of rivalry.

Trust me the Leeds, Man U hatred is still there.. But yes those knife wielding Galatasaray cowards are a nasty lot.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Trust me the Leeds, Man U hatred is still there.. But yes those knife wielding Galatasaray cowards are a nasty lot.

Please read my edit.
Was hoping I got in before it got further.

 

[CrazyJoeDevola]

Please read my edit.
Was hoping I got in before it got further.

 

[Cleric]

Yeah the hatred is real between Crows (good) vs PAP (evil). Its also not just the supporters that hate each other, the players do as well. The Ramsgate rumble where Roo bashed half of the Port side by himself, was an example of it. Also when PAP joined the AFL they cut a piece of of the turf from the spirital home of Alberton (before they changed their spirtial home to AO) and planted it into the turf at Football Park, the Crows players all went over to it and pissed on it. Yeah theres hatred alright.

 

[Norwood1878]

Probably about on par with the Derby in that it's basically dividing an entire state down the middle (yes there are people in WA and SA who don't follow either local team but it's still a small minority) and the hatred is about the same, it's just that SA seems to have a higher percentage of ferals so it seems "fiercer" to the casual observer. The games themselves though are generally better than the other rivalry games, the Derby has lost its lustre in recent years owing to a pretty lop-sided H2H record.

hahaha. I recently returned home from living in Perth for the last 3 years as a project manager over there and Perth has by far the most Frerals and Bogans and feral Bogans i've ever come across and i love the place.

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Haven't enjoyed a Derby since Ross took over Freo (missed a cracker by the sounds of it yesterday).

Showdowns are awesome. Bloody awesome. Get a DVD of the past four Showdowns, give it to any footy fan, and they'll enjoy it. So many quality players running around, on a world-class stadium. Dangerfield, Boak, Walker, Westhoff, Douglas, Ebert, Hartlett to name a few, plus more young guns than you can poke a stick at: Wingard, Crouch, Wines, Brown and Impey for example.

 

[walhawk]

Hawthorn/Geelong is the only one that still matches SA/WA.
More teams has diluted the Big 4 rivalries.

 

[Air_Chester]

Gives me an excuse to get fiercely behind Adelaide for a game, so I love the Showdown.

No point dick measuring on "my rivalry is bigger than yours" though. I love any game that brings out strong emotion and support and feels more important than it is on paper.

 

[Greasyrhys]

You lost, move on.

I know, congrats.

Although I certainly would not want a band like The Potbellies to perform at any of our games, should be saved for concerts.

 

[Hawkas1988]

I've always thought the Showdowns are easily more intense and entertaining than the WA Derbys. There just seems to be more hatred and craziness involved.

Don't get me wrong I have still liked watching the Derby's over time but I just feel the Showdown's mean more to the players and just an intense entertaining match 90% of the time.

I loved the early-late 2000's showdowns when both sides were talented and good sides with madmen like C. Cornes and Tredrea going nuts as well as McLeod and Riccuito turning it on.

I was always on the Crows side watching them as I hated C. Cornes, Tredrea, Primus etc (great players though) and I really enjoyed watching McLeod, Riccuito, Edwards etc go about it.

These days I'm pretty neutral as I really enjoy watching and like the current Port side. The Crows I have always liked probably due to those old players and now with big Tex, Danger & Sloane running around they are still fairly likeable.

Great rivalry and great clubs who I have respect for, loving the Adelaide Oval, well done SA.

 

[moogerfooger]

If you put a Norwood guernsey on the Crows players the rivalry is 136 years old.

and if your auntie had balls . . .

the current rivalry was born in 1990 when your club tried to piss on the SANFL but ended up pissing into the wind and into your own face.

it doesn't need any Magpies history to make it any stronger from a Crows perspective. its only Port supporters and Crows board members who are still living in the past.

 

[VolgaBoatman]

The showdown seems to be one of the biggest at the moment, but you wouldn't have said that a couple of years ago when Port weren't travelling so well. I think the best showdowns and derbys were when Josh Carr was still playing.

I always remember see the reaction of Eagles fans when their precious Ben Cousins was tackled over the boundary by Carr in 2007 when Freo won the Eagles home derby, those mid 2000 Derbies were the best ... hasn't been nearly as good since then.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I think the consistency of game quality/'epicness' is above that of pretty much every other rivalry in the league.

Every year, it seems at least one of the Showdowns is worthy of consideration in the top batch of games of the year.

Have you missed every Hawthorn/Geelong game for the past decade?

Port/Crows is a great rivalry but it is not in the same ballpark as Geelong vs Hawthorn. Not even remotely close in terms of the quality of game.