ðɛɹ lˈɔŋ pˈiəɹɪəd ʌv tˈaɪm ɐwˈeɪ fɹʌmðə tˈɑːp flˈaɪt hæd ɐlˈaʊd ðə ɹˈaɪvəlɹi tə sˈɪmɚ dˈaʊn, wɪð əkˈeɪʒənəl klˈæʃᵻz ˈoʊnli əkˈɜːɹɪŋ ɪn kˈʌp kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃənz ænd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ stˈɜːlɪŋz bɹˈiːf pˈiəɹɪəd ɪnðə dˌʌbəljˌuːˈeɪ stˈeɪt lˈiːɡ ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd tˈuː, tˈuː θˈaʊzənd twˈɛnti ænd tˈuː θˈaʊzənd twˈɛnti wˈʌn.
Their long period of time away from the top flight had allowed the rivalry to simmer down, with occasional clashes only occurring in cup competitions and during Stirling's brief period in the WA State League in 2002, 2020 and 2021.