Some not-so friendly banter in the sheds last year is only fuelling the hatred between the two Sydney teams ahead of one of the most important BBL derbies between two competition heavyweights who are yet to get off the mark.
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The days of friendly banter are long gone between the Thunder and Sixers, with both sides featuring a stack of players from the NSW side.
The fuse for Saturday’s clash at ENGIE Stadium was lit 12 months ago when the Sixers walked into the away sheds and were confronted by posters of them being dismissed by Thunder players.
The stunt didn’t go down well, with the Sixers to use the posters and the loss to their rivals in the grand final qualifier as motivation to snap their two-game losing streak to start the season.
“There are always a few mind games being played,” Ben Dwarshuis said, with the Sixers quick hitting the winning runs in that fiery clash last year.
“We had a good laugh in the change room about it, and I guess if anything it’s motivation to go out there and try to beat them again.
“Coming off the back of two losses (our hatred of them is) probably a bit more than normal.
“We always want to take the two points off them when we play, but after a rough start to the season, we’re just looking to set the ship right and get a win on the board.”
Returning Thunder star David Warner hasn’t been afraid to engage in verbal wars with Sixers counterpart Moises Henriques, and he’d love nothing more than to heap more misery on the men in magenta.
“We just need Moises to chirp at us again and get the boys firing, so I’ll wait for those comments this week,” Warner said.
“For us, it’s about playing the best brand of cricket that we can and entertain and have that support from our fans.
“And look, if we can get another victory over them and make it 0-3, hopefully all of Sydney’s supporting us this year.”
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But Dwarshuis has other ideas.
“They’re 0-1 as well,” he said.
“So if anything, we’re hoping to make them 0-2.”
Sixers veteran Daniel Hughes was asked about the simmering rivalry that is now threatening to boil over.
“I don’t think it’s friendly banter anymore,” he said at the team’s media day earlier this month.
“I think there is actual – I don’t want to say hatred – but we do want to beat the Thunder.
“I feel like there’s only one Sydney team that should be playing, so when we come up against them, it’s like ‘let’s beat these blokes and show them who the best Sydney team is’.”
As Sydney sizzles through a summer heatwave, the action on Saturday night will be just as fiery with two desperate teams looking to get going.
The Sixers generally explode out of the blocks, but there’s no panic at the moment thanks to some advice from coach Greg Shipperd.
“We’ve got a simple process that we try to stick to,” Dwarshuis said.
“Greg is very set in his ways and he likes to play a certain brand of cricket that has led to us being so consistent over the years.
“There are a few areas we need to sharpen up on from the first two games. Once we get that right, hopefully we can get a string of wins on the board.
“T20 is such a momentum game, so if you can win one, it’s very easy to go on a roll.”
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