So it's one down, two to go in what is arguably Melbourne's biggest week of football of the season as we look to make it back-to-back Premierships. However when the regular season is all said and done and the finals are upon us, it will be probably be a little weird for most Melbourne Victory fans, as we won't be playing Adelaide United.

It is strange to think that Melbourne have only ever played Adelaide in their two finals campaigns for a rather impressive record of five wins and one draw, and of course two championships. With this is mind after Saturday night's match, a match that consigned Adelaide to their ninth consecutive loss, I began to wonder if the sting has gone out of much vaunted rivalry.

As much as I like giving it to Adelaide fans about how much we love beating them, some of the fun has gone out of it in recent times and our last encounter was another case in point.

After taking an absurdly early lead, Melbourne then spent the remainder of the half playing what can be described simply as terrible football. There was absolutely no cohesion whatsoever outside of that first 30 seconds.

In the past, Adelaide would have capitalised on such a performance but to be honest they weren't that much better themselves. It was a very much stop start first half and it was definitely not pretty to watch and was a tad boring, with the second half not much better. Even the little get together early on in the first half was a bit of a yawn.

I think it went a little something like this:
Melbourne player fouls Adelaide player. Adelaide players don't like it so rush en masse to remonstrate. Melbourne players follow suit. There is a bit of push and shove. Kevin Muscat stirs the pot. Matthew Breeze finally rocks up. Breeze finds yellow card in pocket and books Melbourne player. Play continues. Meh.

So I guess this is my call out to Adelaide to make our next encounter a little more exciting otherwise you will be dropped down the pecking order of most hated rivalries behind both Melbourne Heart and Sydney FC. You don't have to win, all I am asking for is a little more effort. For what it's worth, I don't even get nervous before Adelaide games nowadays.

Neil wonders who came up with the design of those Come Play! Shirts as they looked a bit ordinary, especially the one worn by the Victory.