"Maybe they can even pick a team now, because there's nothing being played over there - and by the looks of things there's nothing that's going to be on the horizon for a short while yet, at least," Le Fondre told the Herald. "I know Turkey and Russia's still playing [both leagues have since been postponed], but everyone loves a football fix and they get it anyway they can. A bit of broader appeal for our game here is a good thing. I'm looking forward to it." This week, one of the world's most popular sports podcasts even dedicated an entire segment to the A-League. Melbourne-based journalist Jonathan Howcroft dialled into The Guardian's Football Weekly to explain why the competition was still running, why Milos Ninkovic will be the player to watch in the derby, and why the A-League's transfer market is nicknamed the 'mutual termination window', among other uniquely Australian idiosyncrasies. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video For casual observers, there's also new personalities to meet like Daniel Georgievski, the hot-headed Western Sydney Wanderers defender who looms as one of the main supporting characters on Saturday. Georgievski hasn't played since his red card for lashing out with his boot at Marco Tilio and his subsequent tunnel dust-up with Sydney coach Steve Corica in the last derby a fortnight ago. How the world has changed since then. His concern is that a derby without fans won't be anywhere near the same, for those playing just as much as those watching.

Daniel Georgievski clashes with Sydney FC players during a controversial end to the last derby two weeks ago. Credit:Getty Images "There's no words that can describe what that atmosphere is like and that's why this week is so weird," Georgievski said. "Because you know that they're not allowed to be there and you know that the game's going forward, so there's not going to be that extra lift. It's going to feel like a trial match. Sport is a religion, it's something you look forward to on the weekends and now you're not allowed to ... everything just feels disjointed. Daniel Georgievski "As professionals, we still have to do our job, and unfortunately we have to adapt to this world crisis where everyone's super worried and buying 200 freaking toilet paper rolls. Nobody is having a normal job, whether it's working in an office or doing concrete." Before football was totally shut down in Europe, fans tried to show their support by gathering outside of closed stadiums and singing at the top of their lungs so players could hear them.

Georgievski doesn't exactly want the Red and Black Bloc to risk theirs and the community's health to copy that, but if it happened, he said: "I wouldn't mind it, personally. I could see them doing it. Unfortunately if there's more than 500. they'll have to get separated but if it does happen, that's diehard fans showing their support. Loading "Sport is a religion, it's something you look forward to on the weekends and now you're not allowed to ... everything just feels disjointed." Le Fondre expects a "weird" feeling too, but that won't stop him from throwing everything he has at the Wanderers - and not just because the Sky Blues need two more wins to officially clinch the A-League premiership. "We've got a few wrongs to right," he said. "They've got the better of us twice this season but we've played some good stuff and the atmosphere's been outstanding in both of them games.