Kingborough Lions v South Hobart,  Saturday 21 May, Lightwood Park, 2.o0PM

A first home game for new coach Ian Shaw, as he faces the unenviable task of trying to find a way to slow down a South Hobart side that ran riot last Sunday against the Warriors. When these two sides met earlier in the season, Morton’s men won by a comfortable margin of 4-0 and in truth if not for some Mark Grace heroics and South Hobart’s wastefulness it could have been much more. This game therefore should offer a good litmus test of how far the side has come under Broadbent, and now Shaw.

The squad will be bolstered by the signing of Sam Conway which perhaps already points to the Ian Shaw affect at the club. Attracting such a key signing, who can play either as an attack minded full back or as an out and out winger will give them another dimension out wide, which is an area they have struggled to generate meaningful chances from this season.  With as many as six players set to return from last week’s squad that fell 1-0 to Launceston, it should be a strong Lions side that takes the field.

Standing in their way is a South Hobart side that was simply sublime in the second half last week. Ben Hamlett’s impact in the second half signaled that they have yet another attacking weapon at their disposal. The fact the likes of Alex Walter and Alfred Hess can only find bench spots at the moment is an indicator of how just strong the depth in this side is. At the back Liam Quaile is set to return whilst Hugh Ludford is set to continue to miss with a foot injury.

The Lions have set themselves the lofty goal of closing the gap to the top four this season and if they are to make it, then they will need to make the Den a fortress. South Hobart will come in as comfortable favourites but the Lions can draw hope from Northern Rangers efforts last week that showed the bottom few sides are capable of mixing it with the league heavyweights on their day.

What The Coaches Said

Ian Shaw

“I was happy with the effort produced, whilst we had 6 players missing the lads stepped up and played with heart and determination,  just a few of the traits needed to be competitive.”

“The squad is looking stronger for the weekend and trained very well. The club has been able to pick up the services of Sam Conway for the remainder of the season, we are confident Sam will be able to add an extra dimension to the squad moving into the front third. Sam is joined by Lewis Verdouw who has returned during the summer break as he has been playing college Football in the USA. The only main injury concern is Jackson Nugent. Jackson will need a fitness test to confirm his ability to take part in the match and Nathaniel Taylor will return from a knee injury via the Challenge League this weekend.”

“South Hobart are very strong and play to their strengths, Leszczynski is versatile and can create opportunities for runners off the ball. I look forward to playing the top teams as it provides a great environment for players to evaluate their own abilities.”

“It will be a great game. South Hobart can destroy teams if given the room to play, we will need to improve if we are to fulfil our potential.”

“Weather is starting to cause issues at training and match day already so will need to factor into strategies applied to opposition teams.”

Ken Morton

“We played well in very difficult conditions against a stubborn opponent who didn’t give in.  On the day we controlled possession, played good football and positionally we were strong and in control.”

The team is ok.  We are training well.  This week we focused on shorter, sharper sessions.  Hugh Ludford is still out with an ankle injury and two weeks away. Darcy Hall with a hamstring and Kobe Kemp with a foot injury are slight doubts. Liam Quaile will return after receiving a one match suspension.”

“Kingborough are a good club.  They are going through changing times with their new coach settling in.  Young Chris Downes is technically a very good player, Cuthbertson a strong centre back but we must be aware of all their players and not allow them to settle on the ball.  I am sure this is going to be a tough, physical encounter with Cuthbertson and Pearce wanting to control things at the back.”

“Throughout the season the weather changes and yes it can affect games, especially wind which is a very difficult element to master.  We are fortunate to have an upgraded training facility which means we are able to train on a regular basis. “

 

Devonport Strikers v Olympia Warriors,  Saturday 21 May, Valley Road, 2.00PM

The new league leaders will look to maintain their hold of top spot on the table when they take on a reeling Olympia Warriors side at the Portress. Devonport caused a major stir back in round 2 when they upset the defending champions down at Warrior Park but should they make it two from two against the Warriors with a win here, few would be surprised. The expectations around both sides have shifted rather drastically over the past couple of months as Devonport have already created a gap of 9 points.

The Strikers are the most miserly side in the competition, having conceded just the 5 goals for the season with one of the competitions premier goalkeepers, Niko Giantsopolous keeping 5 clean sheets. Protected by a rock solid Centre back pairing of Zupo and Gratton and possesing reliable full backs in Smith and Mulraney, the Warriors may find breaching the defence a difficult assignment. The consistency of being able to put out the same players week in week out, with only Beau Blizzard currently unavailable has led to a cohesive, well drilled side that know each other’s games well and work superbly together.

By contrast the Warriors have seemingly been chopping and changing on a weekly basis which has made it hard for the players to get any sort of continuity. This has been by circumstance, not design, but it has made life difficult, especially at the back. There will be more change to the side this week with Canadian full back, Zachary Drake set to miss with suspension, leaving the Warriors vulnerable on the flanks, an area that South Hobart exploited last week, and Devonport do possess some speedy options in Mann, Gorrie and Denehey to exploit that here.

What The Coaches Said

Nick Owen

“We made it through last week’s game pretty easily in the end. The game was won in the first half and the players didn’t really get out of second gear in the second half. Early goals obviously helped us settle in to the game and made it pretty smooth sailing.”

“Beau Blizzard is 50/50 to return but we had the returning Miles Barnard in for him last week so there could be a selection dilemma ahead of the game. Miles didn’t set the world on fire but hopefully he shook the rust off and his game will improve and the fitness increases.”

“The win against Olympia in the first round of matches really boosted our confidence, but it is obviously a changed line-up since that game so we aren’t sure what to expect. Gavin Hoy is a class performer and tore us apart last year so we’ll have to keep a close eye on him but they still have quality across the park so we need to perform better than last week to get a result.”

“There has been a lot of rain up this way recently but our ground only gets used for games now since the artificial pitch has been in out the back. It could be a bit soggy but it won’t affect the game plan at all.”

Glen Mcneill

“I thought last week we were good but we did not make the most of the strong wind scoring only the one goal in the first half. So getting strikes on goal and being clinical have to be focused on this week.”

“Devonport are a very good side with few weaknesses. We will have to be at our best to compete with them. “

We will bring Mark Ortmann into the side this week for his senior debut. We are excited by his inclusion as I see him as one of the future stars of our league.”

“The weather is not something you can plan ahead for. It is the same for both teams.”

Northern Rangers v Clarence,  Saturday 21 May, NTCA 2, 2.30PM

A battle between seventh and eighth and an opportunity for both sides to create a bit of breathing room from the floor of the table. Clarence’s lone victory of the season came the last time these two sides met in a shootout of a game that ended 5-3. Rangers are still yet to notch up a first win of the season, but they know that this represents their best chance to date against a Clarence side that has been leaking goals in recent weeks.

Rangers have recovered from a turbulent start to the season and their 3-3 draw with Hobart Zebras at KGV last week was their best performance of the season. They fought back from 2 goals down to claim a point, with the Lanau-Atkinson brothers putting in strong performances and Nick conjuring up his latest goal of the season contender. His penchant for the spectacular continues to be a shining light for his side’s this season and now he is getting some support from the likes of Thannhauser, Palacio and Doherty, they look a much more dangerous side.

Clarence too are starting to put together a handy starting XI but the results have not come in recent weeks. With George Hallard set to miss, finding his replacement at the back will be crucial as Jablonski will once again be forced to shuffle his deck. Newer signings in the form of Choi and Aldridge appear to be shrewd acquisitions and if they can link up with the likes of Hedge up top and star man Nick Naden, wherever the star utility gets deployed, then they should be able to ask questions of the Rangers defence, but keeping goals out has been Clarence’s major problem, conceding some 22 times over the past month.

Both these sides have struggled to defend but have offered lively attacking displays this season, so goals are probably to be expected in this one, a reversal from the 5-3 that was played out down South would not be a surprise.

What The Coaches Said

Dane Hudson

“We did well last week against the top undefeated team. We won the 2nd half 3-1 so for our group it was great result.”

“Few bumps and scrapes but everyone should be ok for this week giving us a full squad to choose from.”

“Clarence will be a tough opponent as they were in the first round. They have not found a lot of success of late so they will be very keen to grab 3 points away from home.”

“It should be an entertaining encounter. Both teams have young groups craving success and struggling to find it.”

“Weather is no concern, it has an impact every year and you adjust accordingly.”

Alan Jablonski

“Last weekend was a very weird match.  We played some very good football in the first half, had more shots on goal and created more chances but were 4-0 down at half time.  The second half saw us under the pump a lot more but we only conceded the one goal.  We need to be much more clinical in front of goal.”

“George Hallard will be out for 4-6 weeks with an ankle and Hedge will hopefully be fit to play.  Ill also look to change the team around a little just to try and get the right structures in place.”

“Rangers are in top form the last few weeks so it’s going to be a big ask to take points away from the NTCA”.

“Pat and Nick Lanau-Atkinson are always a handful and the Townhouse can create and score at will so we will be looking to nullify their influence as much as possible.”

“The weather and pitch conditions are of no concern to us as football is a winter sport and soft grounds are a given."

Launceston City v Hobart Zebras, Saturday 21 May, Mitsubishi Park, 4.30PM

The two sister clubs with Juventus heritage meet in the game of the round at Mitsubishi Park. The hosts will be looking to register back to back wins for the first time this season after a solid display at home last week as they ground out a 1-0 triumph over Kingborough. Zebras meanwhile will be keen to bounce back after throwing away a 2 goal lead to Northern Rangers in a 3-3 draw that bumped them from the top of the table.

Launceston looked solid defensively against the Lions last week as new signings Martyn Jackson and Ryan Schofield, along with captain Toby Omenihu all put in particularly strong displays. With Dom Rossi and Hyato Ogusu back in the fold, Sciulli finds himself with many options at his disposal and the squad looks as strong as it has been all season.

Every bit of the Zebras much lauded depth will be tested this week with the likes of Moody, Harrison, Engels, Maiorano all missing through injury and Sam Conway defecting to the Lions. Chris Hey will be sweating on the fitness of James Sherman and despite Aaron Cairns being granted an ITC, he has been ill all week and will be unavailable to play till next week.

When they last met back in round two it was a tight tussle with Zebras taking out the win 2-1 on home turf. On the road at Mitsubishi park, minus a host of key players it will be a tough ask for them to get the win here. Before last week no side out of the top three had taken points from any of the sides in the top three. Rangers showed that it can happen and this looks like City’s best chance to date to claim a big scalp and make a big statement.

What The Coaches Said

Lino Sciulli

“Last week was a good performance, not polished enough in front of goal but it was fantastic to keep a clean sheet.”

“Greg Duffy still out but we have no other injuries and all others in the squad to choose from.”

“Top of the ladder so will be a tough one and they won’t want to drop points two weeks in a row. Quality all over but Huigsloot will be a challenge up front, Hey and Sherman in the middle but they are a threat all over really.”

“It will be a heavy ground against tough opposition so we will have to be on the ball. It will be a good challenge for us but hopefully we can stop their running game and do a bit of attacking ourselves.”

“Definitely (Weather impacting games) but it’s the same for everyone. I think our fitness is close but it will be more how we prepare with our mindset rather than ground concerns.”

Chris Hey

“Extremely disappointed we did not take the 3 points last week. These are the games that win / lose league titles and when you look at the scoring opportunities we had, the game should have been won well and truly by us.  We allowed them into the game.”

“ We continue to struggle and I am unsure of what we will be taking to Launceston.  The situation with Sam Conway is extremely disappointing to say the least but that is football. Mike Maiorano will miss due to the send off and Tyler Harrison & Henry Moody are still very doubtful.  Aaron Cairns has been ill all week. There are a couple of other issues but we won’t know what we have until most likely Friday.”

“Launceston City continue to go from strength to strength, last week’s result should have been by a bigger margin, so they have plenty of fire power up front and on a small pitch they will be difficult to break down.  We need to take all 3 point on offer this week, no excuses and we need to prepare ourselves for a hard and physical contest.  Bartlett has always impressed me as a player as does Dom Rossi who is still finding his way after a long layoff.  I think they have good players right through all lines, but the two I mentioned to me are the two we need to tag well.”

“Both teams have to play on whatever is dished up on the day, so the teams who adapts better will have the advantage.”