WHEN a visiting VFL side flies in to play the Devils at North Hobart, it can be an alien and very testing environment.
But that won't be the case for the Western Bulldogs-aligned Werribee on Saturday because its new coach Simon Atkins is a former Tasmanian who knows the lie of the land and the pitfalls.
So, despite it being a top-versus-bottom clash, Atkins won't show his old state any mercy.
"The Devils haven't beaten Werribee since they were admitted to the VFL and we're determined to keep it that way,'' he said yesterday.
"I'm a bit surprised the Devils aren't doing better because they went pretty close to making last year's grand final.
"But we won't be under-estimating them because they upset last year's premiers Sandringham at North Hobart in round six and in most of their defeats they've been very competitive.
"While we're going OK we haven't been winning by big margins.''
The former Bulldogs and Fitzroy midfielder, who played with trademark long hair and sleeves and compensated for a lack of pace with lightning hands, continues a remarkably strong connection between the Bulldogs-Werribee alignment and Tasmania.
Atkins answers to Bulldogs coach and Tasmanian Rodney Eade, whose assistant coach is Chris Bond, a former Werribee coach.
And there are also four Tasmanians on the playing list in Jade Rawlings, Ben Harrison, Peter Street and Jesse Wells.
As if that's not enough, the Bulldogs' recruiting manager is Tasmanian Scott Clayton, former Bulldog Trent Bartlett the Devils' football manager and their runner for away games former Bulldog Matthew Croft.
By: DAVID STOCKDALE
Last Modified on 07/06/2005 10:20