When the A-League was transformed from theory into reality on a chilly August night in 2005, it was impossible to have certainty over what would become of the newly founded competition. The game, of course, possessed great potential, but in Australia domestic leagues also came with some negative history.

As curious fans flowed through the turnstiles in Newcastle that evening, they were handed clapping sticks to help generate some noise and vibrancy within the stands, while those looking to kick-start active support worked hard to recruit newcomers before they took their seats. How foreign this now seems in comparison to this week’s unrest and subsequent active supporter boycott.

While debate will no doubt rage for some time over the boycott issue, it highlights just how far active support has come in the past decade in terms of organisation and influence.

On the field, a well-executed Carl Veart header won the game for Adelaide in that opening clash, but one of the more enduring memories was of Jets captain Ned Zelic using his studs to nonchalantly roll the ball behind him into the path of a team-mate to initiate an attack on halfway. It was a rare moment of welcomed flair – let’s call it individual brilliance.

There was an eerily similar moment this weekend when Henrique flicked the ball to Shane Stefanutto. The growth of the game on the pitch was evident when that showy pass was completely overshadowed by the quality of play that surrounded it.

Indeed, the football on display as Western Sydney Wanderers edged out Brisbane Roar 2-1 on Saturday was breathtaking – far beyond anything seen in those early days of the A-League. The first half in particular was full of intricate interplay as both sides shone with attacking intent, while the likes of Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Jade North demonstrated the fine art of defending.

The Wanderers’ midfield of Andreu, Dimas and Mitch Nichols eventually claimed the three points on offer, as the latter curled a glorious strike into the top corner midway through the second stanza. But Brisbane’s trio of Corona, Matt McKay and Thomas Broich were not entirely outclassed.

Broich’s off-balance, perfectly-weighted assist for Jamie Maclaren on 35 minutes was only matched moments earlier by the swivelling hips of Andreu, who showed unerring composure to set the Wanderers on their way with the opening goal, finished off by Mark Bridge.

Nichols settled matters with his stunning 25-yard shot with 11 minutes remaining, and celebrated with fans on the sideline, while the active support bays at Pirtek Stadium remained vacant and lifeless. What would otherwise have been a wonderful moment shared between players and supporters instead conveyed a feeling of emptiness. Western Sydney’s joy at reaching the top of the table with their sixth straight win had been tempered.

It was a scene which echoed Alex Brosque’s celebration in Sydney FC’s 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets 24 hours earlier. After scoring the winner, the Sky Blues’ skipper ran to where The Cove normally stand and pointedly embraced the few who remained behind the goal at Allianz Stadium.

The victory – Sydney’s first in five matches – was no less than Graham Arnold’s men deserved, as they bossed the midfield for large portions of the contest. It was, however, an unhappy night for marquee man Filip Holosko, whose alarming lack of confidence in front of goal could have cost his team points on another occasion.

The visitors had chances to equalise through substitutes Nick Cowburn and Braedyn Crowley late on, but the Jets ultimately had to settle for the same result as in that very first A-League match 10 years ago. In truth, Newcastle were always going to struggle without Nigel Boogaard, Daniel Mullen and Leonardo. They simply lack the depth of clubs with deeper pockets.

That’s of course not an issue for Melbourne City, who recorded a second successive win, becoming the first side in A-League history to score five or more goals in consecutive matches with their 5-1 triumph over Central Coast Mariners.

The combination of Aaron Mooy, Harry Novillo and Bruno Fornaroli is becoming more and more menacing as the weeks roll on, and City could yet be a title threat if that talented trio can remain on the pitch together throughout the season. The Mariners, though, remain as patchy as the turf at North Harbour Stadium.

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat had every right to fume over the pitch in Auckland, while his Wellington Phoenix counterpart Ernie Merrick will be counting his blessings that his side escaped with the 2-0 win – and zero anterior cruciate ligament injuries. It was the sort of unacceptable surface which perhaps wouldn’t have surprised in 2005, but which has mercifully become scarce in recent times.

Muscat rightly launched a stinging attack after the game, saying: “In this day and age to play elite professional sport on that … they’ve got something wrong. That is substandard for elite football. It’s as simple as that.”

“We’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of playing on a few cricket pitches but apart from the cricket pitch the rest of the surface is OK. The last time I checked, grass is a pretty vital ingredient for a game of football. Unfortunately there was none there today.” 

Muscat wasn’t the only one who couldn’t believe his eyes on Saturday, as television viewers could have been forgiven for thinking their sets had flicked over to black and white during the fixture. A needless clash of white and light grey kits made an ugly spectacle on a bumpy pitch even harder on the eyes.

Meanwhile, the rocky times may be over for Adelaide United after their 1-0 defeat of Perth Glory on Sunday. The Reds lifted themselves off the bottom of the pile courtesy of a second minute Pablo Sanchez strike which, in turn, consigned the Glory into last place – albeit with a game in hand. Active supporters in Adelaide made their point by marching out of Coopers Stadium at the half-hour mark as the club registered its lowest home attendance in A-League history.

This week’s protests by fans offered an ideal opportunity to reflect on the league’s changes over the past decade. But it was also a factor in producing one of the most bittersweet rounds since the competition’s inception. Stands across the country were sadly left bare, while the pitches were brimming with talent.

There may never be another week like it. For the sake of the game’s ongoing evolution, let’s hope that means rifts will have been mended as the football itself continues on an upward trajectory.