PROUDLY bROUght tO YOU bY - Pride. Power. West. · PROUDLY bROUght tO YOU bY ... out with The Wanderer 24 PArrAmAttA: ... It was a rude awakening to the hopes of defending

PROUDLY bROUght tO YOU bY

TWENTY-NINTH EdITIoN • sEasoN 2013/14 SEMI-FINAL

VS CENTRAL COAST MARINERS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SEASON 2013/14LA ROCCA vs MOntgOMeRy

LEGEND OF THE WEST: MARk SCHWARzER

WAndeReRs: MORe thAn fOOtbALL

PARRAMATTA: THE HOME OF FINALS FOOTbALL

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03

05 From the ASSIStANt CoACh... assistant coach and Western sydney legend ante Milicic with his thoughts before his final home match at Pirtek stadium

07 NewS AND VIewS Tonight’s match at a glance with on this day, score wrap-ups and more

08 SeASoN 2013/14 a second place finish, Champions League debut and finals football: what a season it has been

13 PlAyerS to wAtCh Iacopo La Rocca and Nick Montgomery

14 legeND oF the weSt: mArk SChwArzer Mark schwarzer’s journey from Western sydney junior to socceroos legend is a fascinating story of a local boy come good

16 toDAy'S mAtCh Brought to you by amart sports

18 wANDererS: more thAN FootbAll The Wanderers are built on a foundation that is more than simply what happens on the field

21 SPot the DIFFereNCe Can you spot the five differences this week?

23 tAke FIVe wIth ... dean Heffernan takes some time out with The Wanderer

24 PArrAmAttA: home oF FINAlS FootbAll While Pirtek stadium started life as a rugby league venue it is often forgotten that it was sydney’s major football ground for many years

26 brINgINg your FootbAll bACk NRMa Insurance are proud to be associated with the Western sydney Wanderers and the Western sydney region

28 #wANDertweet Thanks for sending off #ono21 in style!

the views in this publication are not necessarily the views of the NrmA Insurance western Sydney wanderers FC. material in this publication is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the written permission of the NrmA Insurance western Sydney wanderers FC. All photography courtesy of getty Images, george Suresh, Steve Christo, Sydney olympic FC and Football NSw.

thIS week ... VISIt wSwANDererSFC.Com.Au & SIgN uP to the weekly wANDerer

Follow uS @wSwANDererSFC

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wSwANDererSFC.Com.Au

We’ve had a good couple of weeks in both asia and the Hyundai a-League and everyone

knows what’s on offer today; a trip to the Grand Final. after the disappointing performance in last year’s showpiece it’s a good chance to make amends and confirm a successive appearance which is what this group of players deserve.

We won’t need any extra motivation for the match as we always focus on ourselves first and foremost. We’re in a good space at the moment with no injuries, the group training well and everyone focussed and high on confidence after our recent results. There’s no better way to finish off our home season than with a victory in front of our fans.

I’m extremely proud of the two seasons that I have spent here. We all know as a start-up club how difficult it is to get not only a team ready but a whole club ready.

The way it’s all come together with the infrastructure in place; the staff working well and the Westfield W-League and Foxtel National Youth League teams that we brought together means we’re in a good way looking forward and qualification to asia for next year is another stepping stone to making Wanderers bigger and better.

Even though I’m leaving, Western sydney will always be the club I support.

Ante Milicicassistant Coach

It’s another big game for us at home where we’ve got a great record against our friends Central Coast Mariners who we played in the Grand Final last year.

From the ASSIStANt CoACh...

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07

HYUNDAI A-LEAGUE Round 26 sat 5 apr Pirtek stadium Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Juric 61’) brisbane Roar 1 (Miller 31’)Round 26 sat 12 apr aaMI Park Melbourne Heart 2 (Engelaar 34', Hoffman 72') Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Topor-stanley 27', santalab 81', Hersi 86'')

AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Round 5 Group Stage Tue 15 apr Ulsan Munsu Football stadium Ulsan Hyundai 0 Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Bridge 61', santalab 80')

rouND wrAP-uP

NewS & VIewS

wANt more wANDererS FC?VISIt wSwANDererSFC.Com.Au

& SIgN uP to the weekly wANDerer Follow uS @wSwANDererSFC

Courtesy of andrew Howe @AndyHowe_statto26 april 1998 saw what was to be the last ever NsL finals derby between

the two biggest Western sydney rivals Marconi and sydney United (Croatia) at Parramatta stadium. Marconi took the honours in the two-legged 1997/98 Elimination Final with Francis awaritefe scoring a goal in each match and goalkeeper ante Covic keeping two clean sheets, the stallions taking out the tie 2-0 on aggregate. over a total of five NsL finals matches between the two rivals from 1985 to 1998 Marconi won all but one, including the unforgettable 1988 grand final at Parramatta stadium. The 1988 NsL decider finished 2-2 after 120 minutes with Marconi winning the shoot-out.

oN thIS DAy...

we hAVe AN All tImegoAl DIFFereNCe oF

IN the hyuNDAI+13Hi, our names are Chris Zakhary and amanda

Eskander and we are a part of the Guardian Funerals Wandercrew. We were informed by our uni (University of Western sydney) that the Wanderers were looking for volunteers and we thought what a fun and enjoyable way to gain experience in our field of Exercise & sport science.

We were right as being part of the Wandercrew this season has been both fun and exciting! With Chris being a football player and amanda loving everything sport, volunteering for the Wanderers this year has been something to look forward to each week.

There's only one team we sing for, WaNdERERs!

guArDIAN FuNerAlS wANDerCrew member oF the week: ChrIS zAkhAry AND AmANDA eSkANDer


At PIrtek StADIum

A-leAgue

08

wANDererS FC VS CeNtrAl CoASt mArINerS


09

Reaching this stage for a second successive season after the maiden season’s dream

run to the final speaks volumes of the quality of the coaching and playing group.

The fact that Pirtek stadium is once again hosting a sold out semi-final demonstrates the growing love story the club shares with the people of Western sydney.

such feats come hand in hand with an ongoing adventure into the Round of 16 in our maiden aFC Champions League campaign* and a bright horizon looming in terms of club ownership.

all these serve as evidence to the stability, continuity and ambition of the club. all are ingredients making up arguably one of the soundest sporting institutions currently in australia.

What a season it has been for the Western sydney Wanderers.

on the park, the start of the home and away season very much reflected our first year in the competition – a quiet yet steady beginning backed up by a blistering run of form.

Round 1 served up a repeat of last year’s Grand Final, but this time debutant Tomi Juric’s late equaliser denied the Mariners a second successive victory.

That was backed up by another 1-1 draw at the first home match at Pirtek stadium for 2013-14 against Wellington in front of a vocal 16,000+ strong Red and Black army.

In the eyes of many, Wanderers season truly got under way in front of a record crowd of over 40,000 at a sold out allianz stadium.

First half goals from Iacopo La Rocca and shinji ono earned a dominating victory over the eternal cross-town rivals, kicking off a streak of four consecutive wins as adelaide, Heart and Victory fell to efficient displays by Tony Popovic’s men.

Round 7 was a shot back down to Earth as the Wanderers were undone by a vibrant Besart Berisha at suncorp stadium despite outplaying the Roar for large periods.

The loss to Brisbane spelled the way for another run of two draws – against Wellington and Melbourne Heart.

Unfinished business was the word around town ahead of the Round 11 pre-Christmas clash with then

fourth-placed Central Coast at Pirtek stadium.still hurting from last year’s 2-0 Grand Final loss and

unable to exact revenge on the Mariners in Round one, Wanderland braced itself for a night of epic proportions.

The home faithful were not left disappointed as a brilliant Tomi Juric goal and strike by Youssouf Hersi downed the Mariners – now led by Phil Moss following Graham arnold’s departure to Japan.

The memories of the night at allianz stadium were well behind the Wanderers now as they eyed off Brisbane’s top spot.

Juric continued cementing his reputation as one of the most promising young strikers in the league with a mesmerising scissor-kick goal while Wanderers record at Pirtek stadium stretched to 11 matches.

a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Melbourne Victory followed but the New Year kicked off in the worst way possible.

Everything that could go wrong did in a disastrous last half-hour of the match against Wellington Phoenix who overturned a Mark Bridge goal to score three times in a late smash and grab job at Pirtek stadium.

It was a rude awakening to the hopes of defending the Premiership against a rampant Brisbane and one from which Popovic’s boys bounced back from spectacularly the following week.

The second sydney derby of the season proved just as memorable as the first as Western sydney’s defence was nothing short of brilliant

story by stan Uzunov @StanUzunov

Tonight’s semi-final clash against Central Coast is a mammoth occasion on many fronts for the NRMa

Insurance Western sydney Wanderers.

SeASoN 2013/14


11on a night when substitute Brendon santalab pounced late on to snatch a 1-0 victory.

Just as the side looked capable of catching runaway leaders Brisbane, two consecutive defeats away to Melbourne Victory and adelaide put a fork in the road on the home stretch with 12 matches to play.

a 3-1 home victory over Perth on australia day restored the mood at Wanderland but further draws against Newcastle and crucially, Brisbane themselves, left the side with a gruelling task of chasing down the Roar.

Fans’ attention turned to continental fronts in February as Western sydney made their debut in the aFC Champions League.

The home clash against south Korean superpower Ulsan Hyundai did not bare any fruit but the 3-1 loss was a prelude to a memorable maiden campaign in the competition.

March 2014 proved to be one of the most difficult in the Club’s short history with a crowded match schedule crippling the side through three league losses, one draw and a sole win against Perth.

Undoubtedly the one that hurt the most was the away loss to sydney, the first since the Clubs’ first meeting last year.

If Wanderers were experiencing a form slump in the Hyundai a-League, it was not showing in the Champions League as consecutive 1-0 victories over Guangzhou Renhe and Kawasaki Frontale put Western sydney right in the mix to progress from the group.

Back home, the signs were alarming as the finals series approached and second spot and a guaranteed home final was ours to lose.

But great teams respond when the heat is on and a morale boosting draw at home to Brisbane set the way for a thrilling final round 3-2 victory over Melbourne Heart at aaMI Park.

Eleven wins, nine draws and seven losses meant second spot was sealed ahead of tonight’s opponents.

*dependant on last tuesday’s result against guizhou Renhe.

See you At wANDerlANDgo to wswanderersfc.com.au

look lIke A wANDererPurChASe From ANy oF our merCh outletS

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LA ROCCA MONTGOMERY

SHOTS

29 17

TOUCHES PER MATCH

14

8

57

57

TACKLES WON

CLEARANCES

73.1%79.1%

WANDERERS FC VS CENTRAL COAST MARINERS

PLAYERS TO WATCHCOVIC THEO

MINUTES

9 6

PASSING ACCURACY

2070

1980

DUELS WON

CLEAN SHEETS

72.7%

64.1%64.9%

100%

WANDERERS FC VS BRISBANE ROAR

PLAYERS TO WATCHLA ROCCA MONTGOMERY

SHOTS

29 17

TOUCHES PER MATCH

14

8

57

57

TACKLES WON

CLEARANCES

73.1%79.1%


PLAYERS TO WATCH


13


Iacopo La Rocca Midfielderborn in Rome, Iacopo made his name in Italy and

switzerland before joining Wanderers in september 2012. Iacopo made his debut against Newcastle in Round six of the 2012/13 season and scored his first goal for the club a week later against Perth Glory.

Nick Montgomery MidfielderA sheffield United legend, Montgomery made over

400 appearances for the Blades including stints in the English Premier League. a combative midfielder with a sharp passing game, Montgomery was an integral member to the Mariners 2013 Championship success.


14

legeND oF the weSt: mArk

SChwArzerstory by Brad Hutchings @bradHutchings_

Mark schwarzer’s journey from Western sydney junior to socceroos

legend is a fascinating story of a local boy come good.


15

Schwarzer’s esteemed career started just a goal kick away at Marconi stadium after joining the

junior ranks at Penrith club Colo Cougars. schwarzer turned out 58 times in the National soccer League for the stallions in his four year spell at the club.

a bigger stage awaited schwarzer in 1994 as his talent took him to Germany with dynamo dresden for his first overseas contract. Mark spent two seasons in Germany with dresden and also FC Kaiserslauten, only making his way onto the pitch six times for the Bundesliga clubs.

Mark’s next move was then to England where he become a household name. a brief spell at Bradford City paved the way for his move to Middlesbrough where he established himself as one of the finest shot stoppers in the English game.

schwarzer became a club legend at Boro, representing the club 446 times to leave him in eighth position in the club’s all-time leading appearance charts. Mark’s time at the Riverside was hugely successful, lifting the 2004 League Cup and being a part of the clubs run to the 2006 UEFa Cup final. His 11 year spell in Teesside saw him become the longest-serving foreigner at the one club, breaking the previous record held by dennis Bergkamp of 315.

schwarzer left Middlesbrough a club legend in 2008, moving to Fulham. 172 appearances later in the south of London, Mark’s next move was to city rivals and English powerhouse Chelsea at the start of this season.

along with his stellar club career, his heroics in the shirt of the Green and Gold made him an aussie football legend. The all-time leading socceroo appearance holder with 109 caps, schwarzer’s performances for the socceroos are the stuff of folklore, particularly his two saves in that penalty shootout win against Uruguay in 2005 during the World Cup qualifier play-offs.

Mark schwarzer’s career is one of the most decorated in australian football and it all started in this very region.

COACHTony PoPoVIC

ASSISTANT COACHESante MILICICRon CoRRY

SUbSTITUTESOFF

ON

OFF

ON

OFF

ON

FULL TIME SCORE

SQUADS b¨ ¨ 01 ante CoVIC Goalkeeper¨ ¨ 02 shannon CoLE defender¨ ¨ 03 adam d’aPUZZo defender¨ ¨ 04 Nikolai ToPoR-sTaNLEY defender¨ ¨ 05 Michael BEaUCHaMP defender¨ ¨ 06 Jerome PoLENZ defender¨ ¨ 07 Labinot HaLITI Forward¨ ¨ 08 Mateo PoLJaK Midfielder¨ ¨ 09 Tomi JURIC Forward¨ ¨ 10 aaron MooY Midfielder¨ ¨ 11 Brendon saNTaLaB Forward¨ ¨ 13 Matthew sPIRaNoVIC defender¨ ¨ 14 Kwabena aPPIaH Forward¨ ¨ 15 Yianni PERKaTIs Midfielder¨ ¨ 16 Josh BaRREsI Midfielder¨ ¨ 17 Youssouf HERsI Forward¨ ¨ 18 Iacopo La RoCCa Midfielder¨ ¨ 19 Mark BRIdGE Forward¨ ¨ 20 Jerrad TYsoN Goalkeeper¨ ¨ 21 shinji oNo Midfielder¨ ¨ 22 dean HEFFERNaN defender¨ ¨ 23 Jason TRIFIRo Midfielder¨ ¨ 26 Jaushua soTIRIo Forward¨ ¨ 30 Thomas MaNos Goalkeeper¨ ¨ 29 Mark CINdRIC Forward¨ ¨ 31 alusine FoFaNaH Midfielder¨ ¨ 32 daniel aLEssI defender¨ ¨ 35 daniel MULLEN defender


16

Grab a pen and write down your own record of the game.

toDAy'S mAtCh

PRoUdLY BRINGs YoU

LADDER* *Ladder correct at completion of Round 27CLUb P W D L F A GD PTS

1 BRIsBaNE RoaR 27 16 4 7 43 25 18 522 WEsTERN sYdNEY WaNdERERs 27 11 9 7 34 29 5 423 CENTRaL CoasT MaRINERs 27 12 6 9 33 36 -3 424 MELBoURNE VICToRY 27 11 8 8 42 43 -1 415 sYdNEY FC 27 12 3 12 40 38 2 396 adELaIdE UNITEd 27 10 8 9 45 36 9 387 NEWCasTLE JETs 27 10 6 11 34 34 0 368 PeRth gLORY 27 7 7 13 28 37 -9 289 WeLLiNgtON PhOeNix 27 7 7 13 36 51 -15 2810 MELBoURNE HEaRT 27 6 8 13 36 42 -6 26

LEGENDP Played W Wins D draws L Losses F Goals For A Goals against GD Goal difference PTS Points

SUbSTITUTESOFF

ON

OFF

ON

OFF

ON

FULL TIME SCORE

COACHPhil Moss

ASSISTANT COACHESWayne o'sULLIVaN

SQUADS b¨ ¨ 01 Justin PasFIELd Goalkeeper¨ ¨ 02 Joshua RosE defender¨ ¨ 03 Marcel sEIP defender¨ ¨ 04 Zachary aNdERsoN defender¨ ¨ 05 Brent GRIFFITHs defender¨ ¨ 06 John HUTCHINsoN Midfielder¨ ¨ 07 Nick MoNTGoMERY Midfielder¨ ¨ 08 Mitchell dUKE Forward¨ ¨ 09 Marcos FLoREs Forward¨ ¨ 10 Nick FITZGERaLd Forward¨ ¨ 11 Liam REddY Goalkeeper¨ ¨ 12 Hayden MoRToN defender¨ ¨ 14 storm RoUX defender¨ ¨ 16 anthony CaCEREs Midfielder¨ ¨ 17 Michael NEILL defender¨ ¨ 18 Matt sIMoN Forward¨ ¨ 19 Bernie IBINI Forward¨ ¨ 20 Mile sTERJoVsKI Forward¨ ¨ 21 Tom sLaTER Midfielder¨ ¨ 22 adam KWasNIK Forward¨ ¨ 24 Eddy BosNaR defender¨ ¨ 25 KIM seung-yong Midfielder¨ ¨ 26 Isaka CERNaK Midfielder¨ ¨ 27 Glen TRIFIRo Midfielder


17

Grab a pen and write down your own record of the game.

toDAy'S mAtCh

PRoUdLY BRINGs YoU

LADDER* *Ladder correct at completion of Round 27CLUb P W D L F A GD PTS

1 BRIsBaNE RoaR 27 16 4 7 43 25 18 522 WEsTERN sYdNEY WaNdERERs 27 11 9 7 34 29 5 423 CENTRaL CoasT MaRINERs 27 12 6 9 33 36 -3 424 MELBoURNE VICToRY 27 11 8 8 42 43 -1 415 sYdNEY FC 27 12 3 12 40 38 2 396 adELaIdE UNITEd 27 10 8 9 45 36 9 387 NEWCasTLE JETs 27 10 6 11 34 34 0 368 PeRth gLORY 27 7 7 13 28 37 -9 289 WeLLiNgtON PhOeNix 27 7 7 13 36 51 -15 2810 MELBoURNE HEaRT 27 6 8 13 36 42 -6 26

LEGENDP Played W Wins D draws L Losses F Goals For A Goals against GD Goal difference PTS Points


18

wANDererS: more thAN FootbAll

story by Chad Bennett @Chadzzbennett

Community engagement seems to be a catch-phrase that every sporting body in australia wants to hang their hat on but at Western sydney

Wanderers the statement is much more than just words.

Upon his appointment in 2012, Executive Chairman Lyall Gorman put community

engagement at the core of the club, saying that it will be “the strength of this new club and how it can set new benchmarks in football.”

Two years on and it is clear that the vision Gorman outlined is well on the way to becoming a reality.

This season has seen Western sydney Wanderers players make over 300 player visits and more than 3000 children have

participated across over 230 football clinics.In conjunction with NsW Minister for Citizenship and

Communities Victor dominello and the PCYC, Wanderers launched the Western sydney Youth Football Project.

The initiative provides young people from multicultural communities the free use of football pitches for 12 months and with nearly 250 youths involved, the Club will continue the project and hopes to see it self-sufficient within two years.

The club’s involvement, however, stretches


19far beyond what happens with the ball.

Their ‘Two Halves’ program, which involves 45 minutes in the classroom and 45 minutes on the pitch, serves to highlight the parallels of football pathways with life pathways.

It dovetails well with the Wanderers literacy program in which players read books that are then distributed throughout schools in the region while the club’s support of White Lion helps disadvantaged youth reintegrate into the community and look for career options.

The Club’s focus is on helping youth in the region and their anti-bullying campaign that will be ramped up next season only reinforces that.

This season has also seen both Brendon santalab and dean Heffernan promote organ donation during donate Life Week with Heffernan even signing up himself while shot-stopper ante Covic got behind White Ribbon day as an ambassador against domestic violence.

When Western sydney Wanderers was born two years ago Tim Thorne was, along with Gorman, John Tsatsimas and Tony Popovic, one of the first people on board.

In his role as Community Football Pathway development Manager it is up to Thorne to ensure that what the club is doing in the community goes above and beyond what is expected.

“The big difference for us is that our programs are not just tokenistic,” he said.

“We’re working with University of Western sydney to go and assess every single program we conduct because if it’s not actually making a difference then we shouldn’t be doing it.”

Thorne recounted a recent experience where,

following an offer from the club, the family of a deceased Western sydney Wanderers member asked the club to attend their funeral.

He and assistant Josh Hunter did attend and said the feedback from taking the time to go along had been extremely positive.

“I think that’s the core difference in what we’re doing - we’re out there on the ground in the community, what we’re doing is real, it’s not paperwork, it’s just not a media moment,” he said.

Judging by the conviction in his voice there is little doubt Thorne genuinely understands just how crucial

weekly ClINICS

book IN Now

CommuNIty PArtNer 2013/14

go to wswanderersfc.com.au

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20the off-field work the club performs actually is.

Not just for a one-off good news story or a program that can be looked back on later, but for the long-term future of the club.

“The big thing for me is that no matter what we are doing, it’s important that as a club we understand that everything is integrated,” he said.

“How our team performs - not whether they win or lose, but how they perform - is important; if they go out there and give their best, give everything they’ve got, we know that we’ll get the support.

“If our players go out there and represent us well, that’s really important.

“The programs we do inside the community as a whole that go past football, it’s important that they’re real, they’re not tokenistic and that they really make a difference.”

despite the progress that has been made in only two years Thorne stresses that it is just the base of the foundations in the Wanderers five-year community engagement plan.

“For me, the direction of where this goes is that it remains absolutely at the core of the club,” he said.

“Because of that the club will be successful and will be continued to be supported whether it wins or it loses.

“and that’s a truly big club - one where the fans turn up no matter what because we stand for more than just football.”

go to wswanderersfc.com.au

DoN't mISS PowerChAIr

SAturDAy 10 mAyVS SyDNey PFC

keVIN bettS StADIum mouNt DruIttkICk-oFF 2Pm

21

spot the five differences between these two photos.

SPot the DIFFereNCe PROUDLY bROUght tO YOU bY

23


tAke FIVe wIth DeAN heFFerNANWanderers defender and resident funny-man dean Heffernan sits down for this season’s final edition of Take Five.

aRE YoU sTUdYING, IF so WHaT aRE YoU doING? Looking to get back into Uni and finish my Bachelor of Commerce degree

IF YoU WERE sTRaNdEd oN aN IsLaNd WHaT WoULd BE YoUR THREE EssENTIaL ITEMs? a spear, a lighter and a photo of my kids

WHaT WoULd YoU BUY WITH YoUR LasT $50? Lotto

WHEN YoU WERE GRoWING UP WHo oR WHaT dId YoU WaNT To BE? Indiana Jones

YoUR EaRLIEsT MEMoRY Is? Getting a skateboard for my birthday and my brother rode it before I did so I cried for hours

WHaT Was YoUR FaVoURITE TV sHoW as a CHILd? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

WHaT Is YoUR FaVoURITE BaNd/ MUsICIaN? I like all music but Red Hot Chilli Peppers are the best

WHaT Is YoUR FaVoURITE FILM? Zoolander

WHaT YoU doN’T FINd aMUsING…? Getting fines at training from Mark 'Mushroom Head' Bridge

WHo WoULd BE FIRsT VoTEd oUT aNd WHY? Brendan santalab, he has really bad breath. His nick name is Tic Tac at training

WHICH TEaMMaTE WoULd YoU REFUsE To RooM WITH aNd WHY? Jerome Polenz because he has better hair than me and I don't like it.


24


25

story by Joe Russo

Pirtek stadium in Parramatta will today host another finals match in football almost a decade after Perth Glory defeated Parramatta Power 1-0

at the same venue in front of 9,630 spectators.

It was May 2004 and that grand final was the last ever game of football in the National soccer

League (NsL). The code went into hibernation in australia before, almost two years later, Frank Lowy and his team at Football Federation australia unveiled the Hyundai a-League.

While Parramatta stadium may have opened in 1986 with a game of rugby league when Parramatta Eels’ steve sharp scored the first ever top grade try at the venue, it is often forgotten that it very quickly became a football venue of note too.

In the 1986 grand finals, played over two legs, sydney olympic – then coached by former 1974 socceroos defender Manfred schaefer – defeated adelaide City 1-0 thanks to a wonderful Chris Kalantzis goal.

Kalantzis took off his shirt and celebrated by running around Parramatta stadium. In those days there was no booking for doing such a thing. sadly though for sydney olympic supporters the club lost the return clash at Hindmarsh stadium in adelaide 3-1 for the title to slip through their grasp.

In 1988, australia’s Bicentennial Year, two classic Western sydney clubs Marconi and sydney Croatia played out a 2-2 draw in a memorable grand final at Parramatta stadium.

Marconi then prevailed on penalties and their legendary captain, socceroo Tony Henderson, scored the winning penalty which was to become his last ever kick in top-flight football as he retired that day.

The following two grand finals in 1989 and 1990 were both at Parramatta stadium and it was Marconi against their old rivals sydney olympic.

In 1989 the Berti Mariani coached Marconi prevailed 1-0 in the last of the winter grand finals. Less than a year later in 1990 the two teams were at it again in front of over 26,000 spectators and this time sydney olympic turned the tables and won 2-0. It was to be their first ever NsL title and their bridesmaid tag was finally shed.

Three years later and Parramatta stadium was at it

again in 1993 when it hosted the grand final between Marconi and adelaide City. Coached by former socceroos boss Frank arok, the Western sydney outfit prevailed 1-0 in front of over 13,000 spectators. It was the halcyon period for Marconi and arok described the club as “the aC Milan of australian soccer.”

adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth hosted grand finals before the decider returned to Parramatta stadium in 2001. This though was not a memorable clash when Wollongong City Wolves defeated south Melbourne 2-1 in front of just over 13,000 spectators.

Wollongong had secured their second consecutive NsL title under the guidance of Nick Theodorakopoulos and Ron Corry (now the Wanderers goalkeeper coach) respectively.

However, the NsL was falling apart and fans vented their anger at the presentation ceremony by booing soccer australia officials who allowed the game to be played in the middle of the day on a sunday to suit television requirements.

The television coverage was also poor. The aBC covered the game live and immediately cut the broadcast after the game. It was low key stuff that bordered on the Vaudeville.

and then finally there was 2004. Two of the newer NsL clubs couldn’t attract much interest in their championship decider. The Nick Theodorakopoulos coached Parramatta Power were narrowly defeated by a gallant Perth Glory. It was an ignominious death of the code at the time in australia before the resurrection.

Pirtek stadium today is a vastly different venue in terms of atmosphere.

The ground may have started life as a rugby league venue that hosted home games for the Parramatta Eels but it too was a stage for many famous football battles throughout the years.

Today it is definitely a football venue, the home of the Western sydney Wanderers.

This is Wanderland!

PArrAmAttA: home oF FINAlS

FootbAll


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at NRMa Insurance we are incredibly proud to support the Western sydney Wanderers as they continue their history-making journey to become beacons for the australian a-League and their community.

After storming into the championship decider in their inaugural year, the team has continued

to impress on the field, thanks in no small part to the support of their fans from the heartland of australian football, Western sydney.

at NRMa Insurance we've continued to work closely with the Western sydney Wanderers to develop local initiatives such as the NRMa Insurance Ball amnesty campaign, where over 3,000 people swapped their used balls for a new NRMa Insurance Western sydney Wanderers football. This year our amnesty trailer has appeared with players at various community events, where we have run coaching clinics and skill testers to add to the experience. all donated balls were gifted to local charities for youth programs.

This initiative will continue in conjunction with the Western sydney Wanderers Community team throughout the year, to provide the residents of Western sydney the opportunity to participate.

In addition, we’ve also continued our commitment to bring football back to the heartland with the unveiling of the NRMa Insurance ‘Your Football’ Grants. We are only half way through our Grants program so you have the opportunity to apply for a Grant over the coming months. Under this program, local clubs, schools or

community groups can apply for grants to fund initiatives such as new kits, coaching clinics, or facility upgrades.

This year we had the amazing opportunity to get behind the scenes with the Wanderers and create ‘West side stories’, our four part series that explores how the experience of local and international players, the volunteers and the backroom staff whose support has helped shape the Wanderers and the difference they have made.

The fourth episode to be released shortly, will take a look at the Team behind the team, giving us a look at all the staff that help Tony and the players.

We thank our customers and employees who fill the NRMa Insurance bay at every home game and share in the excitement generated by the Wanderers and their fans.

We are proud our employees stood shoulder to shoulder beside the Red and Black Bloc fans when NRMa Insurance matched donations and helped raise $45,000 for families impacted by the october bushfires.

We are privileged to work with the Western sydney Wanderers and their fans as they embrace the pride and passion that has re-energised the game and the local community.

Visit nrma.com.au/wanderers to find out more.

brINgINg your FootbAll bACk

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wANDererS FC VS CeNtrAl CoASt mArINerS

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#wANDertweetWe asked you to send #ono21 off in style and you did. Thank you!

@notsesileafc

@danielle_sen @davefisher74

@futboltec

@Adoueihi

@eckball

toP PIC


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#wANDertweetWe asked you to send #ono21 off in style and you did. Thank you!

@scareykoji @suz_wsw

@tonirae91

@nitabitaaa

I N T

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30NAMING RIGHTS & MAjOR PARTNER OFFICIAL PARTNERS

CATEGORY PARTNERS

FOUNDATION PARTNERS

bUSINESS PARTNERS

See you NeXt tIme At wANDerlANDgo to wswanderersfc.com.au

oN behAlF oF eVeryoNe From theNrmA INSurANCe weSterN SyDNey wANDererS

memberShIPS For the 2014/15 SeASoN ComINg SooN

thANk you

Documents

PROUDLY bROUght tO YOU bY - Pride. Power. West. · PROUDLY bROUght tO YOU bY ... out with The Wanderer 24 PArrAmAttA: ... It was a rude awakening to the hopes of defending