Former Dogs prepare as Bears

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Having played in countless Sydney derbies wearing Ice Dogs’ colours, Billy Cliff and Brian Funes will experience the derby in Bears jerseys for the first time tonight.

It wasn’t an easy decision for either player to move away from the Ice Dogs, with both having played their entire careers for Liverpool-based club.

After a season off in 2015, Cliff is one match into his return with his former rivals.

“It definitely wasn't easy stepping away from the team and the fans I had played with for so many years, but I'm really excited to find out what the game is like from the other point of view,” Cliff said.

Likewise, Funes was leaving behind a lot of his own hockey history when he left the Ice Dogs.

“It was a really tough decision for me because of the long history I’ve had with the club,” Funes said. “I’ve played 127 games for the Ice Dogs but I grew up playing hockey in the old Blacktown rink and watched the Ice Dogs win the Cup as I grew up [through the Blacktown Flyers system], so it was definitely a tough decision leaving the Ice Dogs.”

Between Funes and Cliff, they have more than 250 AIHL games for the Sydney Ice Dogs, so it’s safe to say they have a fair idea what they’re in for on the ice.

If the intense pre-season Wilson Cup games and Final are anything to go by, the game will be played physically and at a high intensity.

“After the pre-season games we’ve had I feel like it has intensified,” Funes said. “Neither team was pulling any punches during the pre-season games so I expect every game against them this season will be just as competitive.”

He expects the Bears’ Wilson Cup win to stoke the fire for the Ice Dogs and expects them come out fighting as a result.

“I think it does give this game a bit more motivation for them [the Ice Dogs],” Funes said. “I’ve been on both sides and I can tell you that neither team likes losing to the other so the fact that we now have bragging rights after the Wilson Cup would definitely give them more motivation to come at us harder this weekend.”

Cliff agreed, saying “the Ice Dogs always come ready to play with a fast and physical kind of game so I don't think it will be any different this time, especially after the Bears came away with the Wilson Cup.”
 
With physical hockey likely to be the order of the day, Funes is keen to state that ‘discipline’ will be key to winning the game, especially with the depth of the lines on the Bears’ bench.
 
“We have to play a physical game while staying out of the penalty box too,” Funes said. “If we can do that then we’ll be able to roll through all our lines and wear them down with our depth on the bench.”
 
While Funes and Cliff represent two of the longer serving Ice Dogs that now are in the Bears system, there are plenty of other ties between the two teams, with Vlad Rubes having been a mainstay with the Bears organisation until his move behind the Ice Dogs bench this year, and rookie Ellesse Carini switching to Liverpool.
 
Bears Head Coach Ron Kuprowsky won the Goodall Cup with the Ice Dogs in 2013 and will be looking to do the same with the Bears.
 
Both Cliff and Funes said Kuprowsky’s move to the Bears was a catalyst for their moves.
 
“[Ronny] was actually the main reason for the switch to the Bears," Cliff said. "He has already coached me to a Goodall Cup victory and I have always loved playing for him.”
 
“He definitely played a big role,” Funes said. “He put together the team that won the Cup in 2013 so I have faith in him and the rest of the Bears coaching staff that they can get this team to the Finals and win the Cup this season.”
 
There’s no doubt that no love will be lost between these two sides on Sunday evening, with recent history in the Wilson Cup suggesting we’re in for an intense game of hockey.