F3 Derby
The F3 Derby is an association football rivalry between Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets. It is the longest standing derby in the A-League Men. The rivalry originated due to the team's relative geographical proximity, with the Mariners located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, the Jets in Newcastle, immediately to the north. The two clubs were also the only two clubs from outside capital cities in the inaugural A-League seasons, which contributed to the rivalry.
| Location | Central Coast / Newcastle (Australia) |
|---|---|
| Teams | Central Coast Mariners Newcastle Jets |
| First meeting | 7 May 2005 Oceania Club Championship Mariners 0–0 Jets |
| Latest meeting | 2 March 2024 A-League Men Jets 0–1 Mariners |
| Next meeting | 27 April 2024 A-League Men Jets v Mariners |
| Broadcasters | Paramount+, Network 10 |
| Stadiums | Central Coast Stadium, McDonald Jones Stadium |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 63 |
| Most wins | Central Coast Mariners (25) |
| Most player appearances | John Hutchinson (31) |
| Top scorer | Matt Simon (9) |
| Largest victory | Central Coast Mariners 2–8 Newcastle Jets (14 April 2018) |
The teams first met in the Australian qualifying tournament for the 2005 OFC Club Championship, in what was the Mariners' first ever competitive game (the Jets having formed five years prior). Both sides have played in all seventeen seasons of the A-League, and the teams also met on occasion in the now-defunct A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup. The rivalry was particularly strong in the 2007–08 A-League, where the teams occupied the top two positions in both the A-League regular season and its finals series. The teams have played a total of 63 times in league and cup matches since 2005, of which Central Coast have won 25, Newcastle have won 19, and 19 have been drawn.
The derby is named after the former name of the Pacific Motorway, which connects the two cities. The name has been retained despite the Motorway now being officially known as the M1.