Even when North goes west, fans still rate their side the best
THOSE rusted to the seats at North Geelong say the easiest way to judge attendance at a Warriors game is to see how far the cars are parked up Gibbons Rd.
And going by that yardstick, close to 1000 people would have packed Elcho Park to watch the Warriors play South Melbourne in their first home game in Victoria’s top-flight for almost 20 years.
“When they park all the way up to Bacchus Marsh Rd you know it’s going to be a big crowd,” former president Ivi Deak said.
And going by the reception North Geelong’s players got at the end of 90 minutes, you’d have thought the 3-0 result was actually in the home team’s favour.
But that’s the passion of the north folk. They stick with their boys come rain or shine.
“We try to be as vocal as we can,” Deak said. “Regardless of what happens we sing from minute one. We let them know we’re there for 90 minutes.”
This was a game the North Geelong faithful wanted to savour.
Almost two decades is a long time to wait to get back in the big league — and the Warriors were determined to celebrate their comeback regardless of the 3-0 loss to one of Australian soccer’s powerhouses.
“We used to pay money to watch these guys and now they are coming here to play us,” Deak said.
“You have to pinch yourself. We are enjoying being back. We’ve got to embrace it while we can and make the most of it.
“Regardless of the result, the place is going to go nuts.”
As Sunday league player and supporter Luke Pinjuh said: “It’s absolutely massive. There’s such a buzz.”
The only line longer than the row of parked cars was for one of North Geelong’s famous cevapi rolls at half
time. The Greek clubs may have their salivating souvlakis, but the Warriors give them a run for their money.
For those who aren’t great at reading the Croatian on the canteen menu or don’t want to attempt to pronounce the words, you can get cevapi topped with either cabbage or onion.
“They’re the best you can buy without a doubt,” Pinjuh said.
“The opposition fans love them just as much as we do. You can’t go wrong.”
It’s the ultimate feed for the North Geelong supporters, who huddle up next to the players’ tunnel to support their heroes.
Their chants — in a mix- ture of English and Croatian — lift the team to another level.
One of those popular chants, roughly translated to English, goes: “At Elcho Park, at Elcho Park this side of Geelong. We chant, we chant for North Geelong”.
Most of the supporters have their own little areas, and some, like Ivan Didulica, try to keep away from the crowd to watch the match with a bit of silence.
Didulica has been around the club 25 years, spending four years in the senior ranks as a player.
He knows the effect a vocal home crowd can have on performance.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” he said.
“When the fans sing and carry on it pumps the players up for sure.
“As a player you can control your destiny. As a supporter you are more nervous for the team.”
The passion
is ingrained and the Warriors faithful stick together.
It has always been that way, according to Pinjuh.
“I reckon everyone has got that passion for the club. You don’t get that with the ALeague,” he said.
“For us it’s just there. It’s not made up. It’s not plastic. It’s genuine.”
As a youngster, he grew up with stories from his dad about the travelling support for junior games. “Back in the day they’d get busloads of people watching under-14s in the finals,” he said.
“It just shows the passion for the club that has been here from day one. People fought hard to build this place. It’s hard to explain it.”
Robbie Zadworny epitomised the fight the Warriors showed against a classier South Melbourne side when he crashed down in the box clutching at a cramping leg.
He’d run himself ragged despite the scoreline.
The 3-0 loss to South Melbourne and the 2-0 Round 1 loss to Bentleigh may be repeated a couple of times this season as the Warriors find their feet in the league.
But Elcho Park will keep rocking despite the results, as long as the players complete the fans’ one non-negotiable.
“As long as our team fights hard, that’s all we expect,” Didulica said.
“We are happy if the players give 100 per cent.”
‘Regardless of what happens we sing from minute one. We let them know we’re there for
90 minutes.’ FORMER WARRIORS PRESIDENT I VI DEAK