Originally published in November, prior to Adelaide United’s 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory, KEEPUP revisits Stefan Mauk’s insight into the Original Rivalry.
Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory. It is one of the standout fixtures in an Isuzu UTE A-League season, and one players from both sets of teams look out for when the schedule is released.
The ‘Original Rivalry’. It originated in 2005 and developed into must-watch football, with plenty of spice, entertainment, drama and noise from Adelaide and Victory fans.
Just look back to the infamous clash between former Adelaide United head coach John Kosmina and Victory legend Kevin Muscat at the Docklands, where tempers boiled over when Kosmina grabbed Muscat by the throat after he was knocked off his chair by the latter in an iconic moment in 2006.
That really set the tone for a rivalry that remains a feisty affair. But just what is it like to be involved in such a contest as Adelaide prepare to welcome Victory to Coopers Stadium on Saturday night?
Adelaide-born attacker Stefan Mauk is no stranger to the rivalry, having spent two spells with the Reds – most recently this year before he departed for Japanese outfit Fagiano Okayama in January last year.
Mauk told KEEPUP: “For a player, the Original Rivalry is the game you look forwarded to playing the most!
I always look for that when the fixtures are announced. Adelaide fans always turn out in numbers and you feel it as a player that they want to get one over on the Victorians!
“As a young fan from Adelaide this was the game that I always was asking my parents to go to, not just because of the match itself but the atmosphere that’s created.
“You know the challenges are going to be flying in from both sets of players and it’s not always the best playing team that wins but rather the one that wins the fight.”
Going head-to-head with Victory away from home?
As much as Mauk enjoyed clashing with Victory in the Coopers Stadium caldron, the 27-year-old took great satisfaction from silencing the Melbourne fans on the road – he scored a memorable double in a 3-1 win at Marvel Stadium in March 2021.
“Same goes, it’s the best match to play in. They have a large fan base and it’s the match we have the most fans at,” Mauk said.
I think I like playing even better in Melbourne because there is nothing better than beating them in their own backyard and being able to celebrate with our supporters base while getting booed by them.
“But you do know, if they get on top and you aren’t right to match them with the intensity or you get scared to make a mistake… the away crowd will be on top of you for the second they sense this and it’s game over after that!”
