Central Coast Mariners round off the Isuzu UTE A-League 2025/26 season on Saturday evening, facing the Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium (5pm kick-off).
The Mariners have already ensured the infamous F3 Derby trophy will remain on the Coast thanks to prior results this season, but have a Premiers Plate party to crash on Saturday.
In extraordinary circumstances last week, the Mariners handed their fiercest rivals the Premiers Plate by defeating their closest challenges Auckland FC, with a monumental away performance in New Zealand.
The Jets will lift the Premiers Plate trophy on home soil tomorrow evening, but the Mariners will be looking to ensure they do it off the back of another F3 Derby defeat, and end our own season on a high.
SUPPORTER INFO: F3 DERBY ‼️
A reminder that full-season Members receive FREE entry at McDonald Jones Stadium via the Western Gates, with Bays 10–11 allocated to travelling Mariners fans.
A limited number of GA tickets remain available here.
🗣️ Moon’s emotional final pre-match presser
As previously confirmed by the club, Warren Moon departs the club at the end of the season after making the decision to return to his family in Queensland. He gave an honest and emotional press conference, explaining what the Mariners means to him.
An emotional final pre-match presser as Mariners Head Coach from Warren Moon 🥹💛#CCMFC | @aleaguemen pic.twitter.com/mOwn8sVraB
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) April 23, 2026
Also saying goodbye tomorrow is fan-favourite and Mariners Academy graduate Bradley Tapp, after we confirmed yesterday that the 25-year-old will depart the club upon the expiration of his contract, to pursue an exciting overseas opportunity.
Read more: Bradley Tapp to depart Mariners at end of 2025/26 season
🔥 Head-to-head history and Round 1 drama
A fiercely-contested rivalry has delivered some incredible matches in it’s 20-year history, none more so than Round One of this season’s campaign, as one of the most incredible minutes of A-League action ever saw us steal a 3-2 win at Our Paradise.
The Mariners have the better of the overall head-to-head record with 28 wins from 67 meetings (vs 20 Jets wins, and 20 draws), and the record at McDonald Jones Stadium is tied up with 11 wins each and nine draws.
The top scorer in the fixture’s history is Coastie icon Matt Simon who netted nine F3 Derby goals in his record-breaking Mariners career.
👀 Players to watch
In-form players to watch from either side include Ali Auglah, who has emerged as a World Cup hopeful for Iraq after an outstanding second-half of the season with the Mariners. Netting the winning goal last weekend in Auckland took the 24-year-old to five for the season, with three in his last four games.
Exciting team news for the Mariners’ is Miguel Di Pizio’s return to availability. Our number 10 was on target in that Round One clash, and had three goals and four assists to his name before an injury in our 0-0 draw with the Jets in February ruled him out until this week.
Your Mariners squad for Saturday's F3 Derby 😤
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) April 23, 2026
🤩 Miguel Di Pizio is available for selection for the first time since February
🌟 17-year-old Harrison Jablonski included in the extended squad for the first time #CCMFC | @aleaguemen pic.twitter.com/rt5PJdYncJ
On the opposition, a standout season from the Jets has earned them praise for their high-energy football under Mark Milligan, subsequently seeing them score 51 goals, which have been effectively shared around the team.
Clayton Taylor and Lachie Rose are Jets’ joint-top scorers with eight, young-gun Xavier Bertoncello has seven in his debut campaign, as does Eli Adams who has been arguably the star player of their season.
Looking to keep them out is Andrew Redmayne, the veteran keeper has rolled back the years with an outstanding campaign between the sticks, as he leads the league charts for saves and recorded his sixth clean sheet of the season in Auckland last week.
In front of him, Tapp will be looking to sign off from the Mariners with a strong performance and clean sheet, whilst full-back Lucas Mauragis would love to get one over on his old club.
Star of recent weeks, 18-year-old Jesse Mantell, will feature in his first ever F3 Derby, a fixure that will mean a lot to the born-and-bred Coastie.
