Let’s all embrace Adelaide
It’s time for Wellingtonians to embrace Adelaide, even if it did produce the most toxic Aussie gang since Ned Kelly’s bushrangers; cricket’s Chappell brothers.
For 90 minutes tonight, it will be time to set aside the egregious underarm delivery bowled in 1981 by Trevor Chappell to Kiwi batsman Brian McKechnie at the MCG, at the instigation of his brother Ian.
Yes, we know it has been only 43 years, but tonight it is time to briefly forgive Adelaide, not just forgive, but encourage, hold dear, cheer for and embrace.
Wellington Phoenix will claim their first A-League premiership if Adelaide United win their A-League finale against the Central Coast Mariners away tonight (9pm, Industree Group Stadium, Gosford, Sky Sport 7). Three months ago it was 4-0 to the Mariners, in Adelaide.
There are many reasons for our capital to embrace the capital of South Australia, a region whose inhabitants are known as Crow-eaters in Australia.
(Note: in your ardent support of Adelaide United, The Post does not encourage the eating or harming of crows).
Other reasons to cheer on Adelaide United: Edward Gibbon Wakefield was a key figure in the establishment of both cities, his South Australian Company setting up Adelaide, and his New Zealand Company, Wellington.
Wellington was named after the Duke of Wellington, whose British side famously defeated Napoleon and his French team in the playoffs at Waterloo in 1815.
Adelaide was planned by Colonel William Light, who served with the Iron Duke, and was said to be one of Wellington’s favourites. Wakefield also took part in the Napoleonic wars.
Colonially, Adelaide was settled by freemen – not convicts, like all those other Australian cities full of vagrants and bread-stealers. As such, Adelaide has a high church count, many built from stone imported from New Zealand.
What else? Adelaide is widely regarded as not the first choice when you consider travelling to Australia, nor is Wellington No 1 tourist destination in New Zealand.
In 2021, Adelaide was rated third most liveable city in the world by The Economist, with Wellington fourth. Maybe it was due to them being untarnished by tourists, though Auckland was No 1.
Both have sports stadiums close to the city centre, wine regions within cork-popping distance, and are of similar size, even if Adelaide is flat, well-planned, and has more reliable weather.
Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar in 2009 claimed Adelaide was a “piss-ant town”, and that club politics was to blame for the side failing to reach the finals.
In 2013, Prime Minister John Key declared
Wellington a “dying city”. Both he and Vidmar retracted their comments, but with the crucial match looming let’s bond, and use them for inspiration.
AFL tragic Hector Slade lives in Wellington, having moved here from Adelaide.
“I’ve chosen to live in both, so obviously they’re the best two cities in either country,” he told
Finally, here are the lyrics to the Adelaide United song, so you can voice your support to the TV. “We Are The Army, The Red Army, Oh We Are Mental and We are mad, We are the Loyalest, Football Supporters, That AUSTRALIA'S EVER HAD!”
All together now ...