When Central Coast Mariners go for back-to-back grand finals in the A-League men's competition on Saturday, some Jets fans will reluctantly cheer them on.
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The Central Coast and Newcastle often have a Springfield-Shelbyville type rivalry, but the regions do have strong football ties.
Central Coast resident Lachlan Lacy said he was "very happy to have our own local team to support" when the A-League began in 2005.
"Before that, my old man used to take us to see the Newcastle Breakers," he said.
Many players from the Coast play in the Newcastle league, and many Novocastrians have played for Coast representative teams in Sydney competitions.
Partisan Jets fans may wince at the idea of backing the Mariners in the grand final, especially given their club's ownership limbo and lack of recent success.
But others will throw their support behind their southern neighbours, rather than Melbourne Victory, as they bid for a historic treble of trophies this season.
Central Coast resident Theo Vlandis co-coaches Lake Macquarie City FC's under-14 and under-18 sides.
Mr Vlandis knew of at least one of his club's members, a Jets fan, who bought a ticket for the grand final.
"I gave him a Mariners hat," Mr Vlandis quipped.
"I think the Jets fans should support the Mariners for this game because they're a NSW team. It's NSW versus Victoria."
Nonetheless, Mr Vlandis confirmed that he "gives it" to the Jets fans at the Lake Macquarie club.
"Every time you mention the Mariners, they're negative towards us," he said.
"But they're also negative towards their own team at the moment."
Jets fan Ross Greig, of New Lambton, said "the Mariners might have a few Jets fans on their side".
"I'll be one of them," he said.
"We're 90-minute enemies, but we're all human beings and we all love the game."
Mr Greig "gives credit" to the Mariners for their success.
"They're not a big club with money. They don't have the football history that we have in Newcastle and the Coalfields.
"They're sort of showing us up."
Mr Lacy said a home final in Gosford "means everything".
"The whole family is involved in soccer - it's our life," he said, adding that daughter Lilium plays for the Mariners under-13 girls side.
The grand final will revive memories for Newcastle Jets fans, as their side lost a home grand final 1-0 to Melbourne Victory in 2018.
The game was controversial as the goal should have been ruled out for offside, but the VAR (video assistant referee) notoriously failed.
"I still have nightmares about Victory beating us," Mr Greig said.
The grand final will be broadcast on Ten and Ten Play. Kick-off is 7.45pm.
