Sydney FC desperate to make most of home comforts in first grand final at Allianz Stadium since 2006

IF it’s true that you need to go through the bad times to appreciate the good, then the supporters of Sydney FC have earned the right to enjoy this weekend.

Will Sydney FC finish off a great season in style in front of their own fans?

IF it’s true that you need to go through the bad times to appreciate the good, then the supporters of Sydney FC have earned the right to enjoy this weekend.

For the first time in 11 years they will awake on grand final day with the prospect of a home grand final. It’s a long time between what they hope will be celebratory drinks on home turf.

It’s not the Sky Blues’ first grand final in 11 years, of course — twice Sydney have travelled to Melbourne in that time, winning the title once in 2010 and losing it in 2015.

But in both cases they were the underdogs, for hosting the grand final carries substantial advantages. The familiarity of the pre-match routine will be all the more enjoyable.

Will Sydney FC finish off a great season in style in front of their own fans?

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No doubt some of the Sydney fans will reflect on the highs and lows in the 11 years since Allianz Stadium was the venue for the A-League’s inaugural grand final, and Steve Corica’s carefully placed shot was enough to secure the title.

Under the current system Sydney could have hosted again in 2010, after they won the minor premiership on St Valentine’s Day. These days that would ensure home advantage in the grand final, but those were the days of the major and minor semi-finals.

Blame that pesky Archie Thompson, for his was the goal seven minutes from the end of extra time in the second leg that allowed Victory to win both the major semi and the right to host the grand final.

Blame Awer Mabil, too, for a goal also — oddly enough — seven minutes from the end of Adelaide’s round 24 game at Allianz in 2015 that shocked the Sky Blues and killed their hopes of climbing up the ladder past Victory and finishing first that year.

For a club that likes to bill itself as the biggest in Australia, 11 years is too long to wait to host the biggest game of the year, especially as Victory have enjoyed four such home fixtures in the years since.

The fact Victory (as well as Brisbane) have won three of those means Sydney are also aiming to square the ledger in terms of titles won, and stifle Victory’s claims to be the most successful A-League club.

The last time Sydney tasted title success was in 2010

Seven years is too long to wait for any silverware, especially given the years when realistically they didn’t even come first. Recalling the years like 2009 and 2013 when they didn’t even make the finals — as well as the dramatic moments like the ‘Farina Out’ banner of 2014 — will just sharpen the appetite to enjoy.

In the end, though, the result only becomes memorable if the right result occurs from Sydney’s point of view. After the season of dominance achieved so far, it is scarcely conceivable that they could fall short now and see Victory crowned as champions.

Logic says that dominance has been such that Sydney should be confident of victory, but all too often sport is rarely logical.