Just when you thought the F3 Derby rivalry couldn’t get any better, the Mariners and Jets conspire to unveil this.
The two great rivals have unveiled a trophy made from a piece of guard rail taken off the motorway that separates the two clubs, to play for in the Liberty A-League.
Central Coast Mariners have returned to the Liberty A-League for the first time since 2009 – and it’s only fitting that the Gosford club kicks off the 2023-24 campaign with an F3 Derby clash against Newcastle Jets.
To celebrate the occasion, the piece of guard rail taken from the M1 motorway, formerly known as the F3, has been used to create the unique trophy both sides will play for at Industree Group Stadium on Saturday night.
BUY TICKETS TO A-LEAGUES FIXTURES IN 2023-24!
SIGN UP FOR A-LEAGUES FANTASY AND TIPPING!
The creation of this unique trophy comes one season after the inception of a similarly bizarre piece of “silverware” for both clubs to play off for in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, after a concrete core drill sample of the motorway was dug up to form the centrepiece of the men’s trophy.
INS AND OUTS: 2023-24 Liberty A-League Transfer Centre
As the new trophy was unveiled, Central Coast Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp said the unique trophy was symbolic of “one of the most captivating derbies in Australian sport.”
“There is no doubt that the F3 Derby holds a special place in A-League folklore and now we get to bring that passion around the rivalry to life in the Women’s game,” he said.
“I’ll be honest, we were torn as to what the A-League Women’s F3 Derby (trophy) should look like and I want to thank (Jets executive chairman) Shane Mattiske and his team at the Jets for once again being passionate about working together to create something that, over time, will be very special for everyone at both clubs to compete for and celebrate.”
BUY TICKETS TO A-LEAGUES FIXTURES IN 2023-24!
SIGN UP FOR A-LEAGUES FANTASY AND TIPPING!
Mattiske added: “The F3 Derby is one of the greatest rivalries in Australian Sport and we’re looking forward to seeing our Women’s team carry that rivalry back into the Liberty A-League this Saturday.
“I know that the whole club is looking forward to bringing the trophy back to Newcastle at the end of this series.”
The trophy will be awarded to one of the two clubs after two regular-season games in 2022-23; the winner of this season’s best of two series will become the inaugural holder.
For this season only, if both team’s win one match, it will then be awarded to the team with the best goal difference. If both teams have scored an equal number of goals, it will go to an away goals rule.
In the rare scenario that there is an equal aggregate of away goals and results at the end of the first two games the clubs will hold a penalty shootout that does not affect the A-League Women ladder.
BUY TICKETS TO MARINERS v JETS IN THE LIBERTY A-LEAGUE!
LOVED THE WORLD CUP? Here’s how to enjoy the Liberty A-League Women incl. FREE tickets for U16’s
Under 16? Go FREE! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE LIBERTY A-LEAGUE PASS
JOIN YOUR CLUB NOW: CLICK HERE TO BUY A LIBERTY A-LEAGUE CLUB MEMBERSHIP
