THE Newcastle Jets have lost the past three F3 derbies against the Central Coast Mariners and have recorded just one win over their arch enemy in the past two seasons.
It is a statistic that home-grown Jets striker Archie Goodwin is desperate to correct.
The Jets begin take two of the A-League against the Mariners in Gosford on Sunday.
Adding to the high stakes is the introduction of the F3 Derby Trophy. A core drill sample has been taken from the freeway, halfway between Newcastle and Gosford, and mounted on a trophy which will be contested over the three games each season.
Newcastle tyro Goodwin, a born-and-bred Novocastrian, grew up cheering for the Jets and booing the Mariners.
"I was a little supporter in the crowd when I was younger who always went to the home games and away games," Goodwin said. "It was always my favourite match of the year, the derby against the Mariners.
"I've never really liked the Mariners, so to be able to play against them now, and get my chance to make an impact, hopefully we can get the win, because I think we've got a really strong team."
Goodwin first played against the Mariners in his sixth A-League game, as a 16-year-old, and it remains a cherished memory.
"It was my starting debut, and I got an assist, and we won 2-0," he said. "So it's definitely one to remember."
That win on June 1, 2021, was the Jets' most recent triumph over the Mariners.
Last season, they lost all three encounters by a combined score of 8-3.
The 2022-23 season-opener between the neighbours was washed out after a storm transformed the ground into a lake. It will be played on December 21.
Jets coach Arthur Papas, who is yet to win a derby, said securing three points and putting a smile on the face of fans was a priority.
"What is important for us, is that we go down there and play our football, we represent the community the right way, and if there is a trophy at the end of that, fantastic," he said. "The most important thing is three points. And it is so important for our supporters. We want to make sure when they are putting that effort in to support us, they leave the ground knowing the Newcastle Jets team has given everything."
The A-League is resuming after a four-week recess for the World Cup.
The Jets have used the period as a training block and have worked on their fitness and combinations. They also played friendlies against Melbourne City (1-all), Macarthur (3-all) and Sydney (5-2 loss).
"If you believe in preparation and process and putting work in, we have been able to do that during this period," Papas said. "We have played a lot of football. We couldn't be in a better place for the restart. They have exciting players but so do we. I'm backing our guys to put in a really strong performance."
The Mariners welcome back Garang Kuol, Jason Cummings and Danny Vukovic after their heroics with the Socceroos at the World Cup in Qatar
Kuol and Cummings have each netted two goals for the Mariners and provided five assists between them, but Papas is confident the Jets can restrict the dynamic duo.
"I expect them to have a good feeling about what they have experienced," Papas said. "We have focused on the things we always focus on. We put a hell of a lot of work into those areas. It is about building relationships between players, between lines and making sure, as a team, that we understand when to be aggressive high up the ground, and make sure we protect spaces in behind. They have their threats and so do we."
The Jets are on six points from five games, a point behind the fifth-placed Mariners.
The derby is the first of four games for Newcastle in three weeks - a period that could shape the remainder of the season.
"The challenge is that the A-League has gone on a break for a month and you are restarting," Papas said. "Does that have an effect on teams building momentum and continuity. Some teams feel that they approached the break in a good space and wouldn't have wanted a break.
"Other teams may have looked forward to the break for the opportunity to work on certain things. That will show itself over the first three or four games. Of course picking up points is important, otherwise you fall too far behind and are playing catch up."
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