SA Showdown vs WA Derby - which rivalry is bigger?

[Magic Mike]

Arguably two of the best rivalries in modern day football.

Which one is the bigger rivalry?

 

[blitzer]

Living in WA the Eagles v Fremantle rivalry is huge. The whole city gets into it, hell even most of the neutrals pick a side. I think also it just feels like Eagles, Fremantle, Adelaide are all big clubs with Port Adelaide being a relatively small club that doesn't have as many supporters so that detracts a little bit as well. I wonder if I lived in SA if I would be voting differently though?

 

[Shupe]

Western Derby hands down. Two big clubs with a lot of hate for one another. Look at the history. The Showdown doesnt even come close.

 

[FGMPR]

Western Derby hands down. Two big clubs with a lot of hate for one another. Look at the history. The Showdown doesnt even come close.

I agree with the 'big clubs' bit, but Port's history with its attempt to **** the SANFL over when they were stalling their entry into the AFL led to a lot of hatred before Port even played their first (AFL) game.

I think I have that correct. I'm sure a South Aus poster will soon correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Wargreymon90]

ATM it would be the derby mainly because port and the crows are rubbish.

But back when players like chad cornes and McLeod were at their best, the rivalry between the two clubs was ridiculously fierce and definitely biggest rivalry in the country.

 

[MadBomberman]

Pretty surprised at the amount of people saying the Derby.

Adelaide vs Port though is always a spiteful match and would be one of the fiercest rivalries in the AFL.

When saying the biggest, I refer to the one which is the fiercest, not the size or that which the media promotes more. If you told me which grand final you would rather attend, then I would say Adelaide vs Port. I reckon the whole of SA would be in melbourne on that day. Funny how I don't prefer any over the other so I am a pure neutral in that one.

That said, West Coast vs Fremantle is a huge rivalry as well and wouldn't be sad seeing this grand final. This time though, I would go for Fremantle.

What would be the biggest interstate rivalry? West Coast vs Sydney? Essendon vs West Coast? Brisbane vs Collingwood? St Kilda vs Sydney? Never really thought of that. Probably would say the first as it is the most recent (although practically dead), but I think the other two were huge in their day.
Essendon vs West Coast had some great matches and reckon Etihad will be full when we play them in a couple of weeks.

 

[Coobk001]

Western Derby hands down. Two big clubs with a lot of hate for one another. Look at the history. The Showdown doesnt even come close.

Wow, you really have no idea how deep the hatred for Port is in this town do you.

The showdown rivalry is so bad that crows fans wont pay to come to the Port home game because it is such an intense atmosphere, and also they go out of their way not to come just so that Port wont get any of their money.

It's friggin ridiculous that Crows supporters would consider their hatred of Port more important than being present and supporting their team but unfortunately they do.

The Port vs South Australia rivalry has been going strong for over 100 years. Everyone either loves or hates Port in this state because of their success. I mean Port Adelaide before moving into the AFL had competed in half of the SANFL grand finals ever played, 34 Premierships, 35 runners up. Imagine how much you're sick of teams at the top, and now imagine if that was a permanent thing that never changed, and even worse imagine if it was always Port that was beating you in the grand final!!!

That's not even considering 1990 and Port's attempt to leave the SANFL, which is still considered as having created a huge divide which is only just healing 20 years later. That decision totally went against the ignorant SA mentality that we could stay as our own competition because we were just as good as Vic, and it ripped apart the comp, forcing the pre-mature and rushed creation of the Crows. Leaving amazing clubs like Norwood to languish in the SANFL forever.

Anyone who votes the Derby really has zero idea about SA footy heritage. Whilst I agree the Derby is extremely passionate and right up there, if you dont realise the rivalry of the showdown then you dont understand the pure Port Adelaide hatred in this town.


For the record whilst some people are saying the Power supporter base is tiny, it really isn't that bad. We came from a 10 team SANFL competition and had probably 25-30% of the total fan base of the SANFL. We're probably now somewhere around 35-40% which is pretty darn good when you are from 1 of 10 clubs (Note Woodville and West Torrens of course are now only one club bot 2 as they were pre-1990)

 

[Coobk001]

What would be the biggest interstate rivalry? West Coast vs Sydney? Essendon vs West Coast? Brisbane vs Collingwood? St Kilda vs Sydney? Never really thought of that. Probably would say the first as it is the most recent (although practically dead), but I think the other two were huge in their day.
Essendon vs West Coast had some great matches and reckon Etihad will be full when we play them in a couple of weeks.

That's a good question, Port and Freo have a slight link as both being the port cities. We also played them in a trial in 1995 too before we had a AFL licence, as part of a rivalry building exercise but I think it has all wittled away by now really.

Port v Bris is the only real rivalry we Port people have due to our similar trend lines over the last 10-12 years both being up the top and then coming down together after a GF against each other which was years in the making.

Overall though clearly Syd and WC have the greatest interstate rivalry, born of purely great games and of a couple amazing GF's.

 

[Waspy79]

The history of Adelaide's entry into the AFL at the expense of Port Adelaide (SANFL) who had initiated the push will always make the Adelaide v Port rivallry more meaningful than the western derby.

 

[TheFVK]

I've lived in both WA and SA and the rivalries are totally different.

The Western Derby is great, the whole city gets into it and it's turned into a great showcase for SA football. Lots of friendly office jibes and silly radio-show dares.

The Showdown is something else entirely.. the rivalry is spiteful, contemptuous and full of hate.. each supporter base would cut off their nose to spite their face. Frankly it's unhealthy and ugly.


That being said "bigger" is too ambiguous a term to answer this question properly.

 

[Coobk001]

I've lived in both WA and SA and the rivalries are totally different.

The Western Derby is great, the whole city gets into it and it's turned into a great showcase for SA football. Lots of friendly office jibes and silly radio-show dares.

The Showdown is something else entirely.. the rivalry is spiteful, contemptuous and full of hate.. each supporter base would cut off their nose to spite their face. Frankly it's unhealthy and ugly.


That being said "bigger" is too ambiguous a term to answer this question properly.

You just answere the question. One is a big rivalry, the other one is a ridiculously intense rivalry. I think that says it all. That's as big as you can get.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

I've lived in both states and theyre very different rivalries. There doesnt seem to be as much hate for the other team in the derby as there is in the showdown. in the derby its more pulling the piss out of freo for not winning flags.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Living in WA the Eagles v Fremantle rivalry is huge. The whole city gets into it, hell even most of the neutrals pick a side. I think also it just feels like Eagles, Fremantle, Adelaide are all big clubs with Port Adelaide being a relatively small club that doesn't have as many supporters so that detracts a little bit as well. I wonder if I lived in SA if I would be voting differently though?

To be fair most people from SA would feel the same about Freo. I've lived here most of my life and I don't think I've ever met a Freo fan. They've never done anything in the AFL to so they're viewed as a bit of an after thought. Probably the most irrelevant club in the AFL to someone from Adelaide.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

SA Showdowns have always been bloodbaths, more fights, more injuries and no one fired up the derby like Chad Cornes fired up the Showdown. A few years back Adelaide and Port played one of the best games of all time.

That was back in the days though.

 

[Blues098]

A bit like the Carlton vs Collingwood and Carlton vs Essendon rivalry

Carlton vs Collingwood being the bigger one like West Coast vs Fremantle

Carlton vs Essendon being the fierce one like Adelaide vs Port

I rate fierce higher than size so chose Adelaide vs Port. By bigger, do you mean better or which one is more heated? Or is this based on the size alone?

 

[Magic Mike]

Very good chance of West Coast and Fremantle meeting in a final this year.

Would the hype be bigger than that of the Dream Final back in 2005?

 

[Lifetime ban]

Would have to say Port/Adelaide. They hate each other. WC/Freo doesn't have that hatred of each other. More Carnival than battle.

 

[Vooligan]

The banter, posters, and general abuse between the two, clearly shows the hatred between AFC and PAFC. You have to attend a Showdown to fully understand how fierce the rivalry is, especially when the two teams are high on the ladder.

 

[Strangled Cat]

Never lived or even been to WA so I can't comment on the Derby personally, but all I can say about the Showdowns are that they are an avenue for every supporter who barracked for a side other than Port in the SANFL to get one back on them for over 100 years of domination. Do Eagles fans see the Derby as getting revenge on South and East Fremantle? The hatred IMO makes the Showdown bigger. I don't remember a pub full of WCE and Freo players getting into a punch on either.

 

[i am a logo]

I'd say the Showdown is. The Western Derby has always struck me as gimmicky and manufactured by the media, just like the "QClash" and the "Battle of the Bridge". The only reason the two teams hated each other initially was because West Coast were so successful while the Dockers were complete failures and the laughing stock of the AFL (obviously that isn't the case anymore). The Showdown has always been a very spiteful affair due to the whole SANFL backstory regarding the creation of the Crows & Port. One thing i've noticed though is Port and Freo supporters like to portray Crows and Eagles supporters as sort of upper-class chardonnay sippers, while they portray Port and Freo supporters as feral bogans. I don't think that's the case in reality though. Generally the AFL hasn't had senseless class wars like in Rugby League.

 

[The Blue Baggers]

I'd say the Showdown is. The Western Derby has always struck me as gimmicky and manufactured by the media, just like the "QClash" and the "Battle of the Bridge". The only reason the two teams hated each other initially was because West Coast were so successful while the Dockers were complete failures and the laughing stock of the AFL (obviously that isn't the case anymore). The Showdown has always been a very spiteful affair due to the whole SANFL backstory regarding the creation of the Crows & Port. One thing i've noticed though is Port and Freo supporters like to portray Crows and Eagles supporters as sort of upper-class chardonnay sippers, while they portray Port and Freo supporters as feral bogans. I don't think that's the case in reality though. Generally the AFL hasn't had senseless class wars like in Rugby League.

spot on ... if you accept the eagles & crows represent the wafl / sanfl when they joined the second club needed to have some history of its own to succeed

the port v crows clash has all the spite of port dominating the sanfl for a century and the other clubs merging to form one big club to take them on ....

not to sure abt second clubs in a state being invented @ afl headquarters .... like you said it seems manufactured to build these clashes up where there is no history

 

[Epilegs]

If the WA Derby was "bigger" than showdowns, I could not support football there for fear of my wellbeing.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Showdown easily.
In fact, I'd probably have Showdown as the biggest rivalry in all of Australia, in all the sports. (Almost said Southern Hemisphere, but some of those south American soccer rivalries are too big and fierce to ignore)

 

[Port Of Gold]

The hatred between
Fans borders on racism.
It is frightening.

 

[lmach]

Derby easily.