Tasmania’s men’s and women’s champions will complete memorable double campaigns at the same venue on Saturday in a fitting climax to the statewide season.
Three months after Devonport’s Valley Road staged the state’s senior cup finals, it will also witness the crowning of both league champions.
Strikers have the added incentive of a second-straight unbeaten season as they celebrate their Women’s Super League title on home turf three against their closest rivals and the team they beat in June’s cup showpiece.
And while South Hobart women are destined to finish runners-up in league and cup, the club’s men can savour going the extra step in both having already added the NPL Tasmania title to their Lakoseljac Cup victory.
The new-look Valley Road is all set for the pivotal contests after which both league-winners will be presented with their trophies along with the Strikers’ victorious under-21 side.
Although Strikers’ women have a postponed fixture to follow at Riverside next Wednesday, they stand on the precipice of a near-perfect campaign (15-1-0) having only dropped points in the 3-3 draw with South in round 13.
Their two-year run included a 36-game winning streak and assistant coach Sam Hardy said there are some players in the team that are yet to taste defeat.
“It would be huge for us,” Hardy said of the possible unbeaten campaign. “I think it’s unheard of in any football to go unbeaten for that long.
“It’s been a really great season all round off the back of last season when we had such a successful time as well.
“I don’t think you ever get fed up singing the club song because it means that you’re winning. It’s pretty awesome that we’ve been able to continue that legacy that we’ve built from last year. To have continued this run after having some changes to our team from last year has also been super impressive.”
Despite seeing former striking figurehead Jaz White go on to score 31 goals for their closest rivals, Hardy said Strikers were confident they could maintain their dominance under English coach Tom Ballantyne.
“I’ve played football for a very long time and I’ve never had a coach like Tom before,” she added. “His passion for football that’s never dying and the ability to work with a group of people where everyone is different and they all need different things to succeed on and off the pitch. He has done that very well and it shows on the pitch with our winning ways. He is fantastic at being adaptable and he’s very approachable.”
Despite a record of 13 wins, two draws and two defeats, South Hobart are destined for a second-place finish. Full-back Ruby Batchelor said they will always be motivated for a top-two clash and rematch of the Statewide Cup final which Strikers won 5-2.
“Devonport games are never an easy feat but we always like to finish seasons on a high,” she said.
“For us it’s all about mentality when it comes to Devonport. We know we’re a strong side but a lot of it is the mental side of the game and the attitude that Devonport bring onto the field is next level. We always try and match it but sometimes I think they beat us in mentality a bit and I think that showed on cup final day.
“A 36-game winning streak says enough about them. They’re an amazingly strong side and I think their commitment to each other is their greatest attribute. They are always very together on and off the field and it’s really good to see a side that can do that.”
Batchelor said veteran coach Ken Morton would definitely be motivated to try and go one better.
“Noone likes to finish second especially when we’ve been so close for so long. It’s a tough knock for Ken because he really came into the WSL space looking for that win. But I think we’re all still pretty proud to finish second and so … next year!”
South were delighted to see influential playmaker Pishon Choi make a goal-scoring return from an ACL injury last weekend while Hardy said Strikers would be doing everything possible to keep free-scoring duo Whitney Knight and Asuka Doi at the club.
The boot is on the other foot for South Hobart in NPL Tasmania where Max Clarke’s team can enjoy the period between completing a league and cup double and representing the state in the upcoming national championships.
Assistant coach Josh Dingjan guaranteed there would be no championship hangover.
“The boys have been immense this week in preparation for this game and it’s a credit to them to hold themselves to such a high standard considering the league is already done,” he said.
“We’ve won the league but are going to treat this as a regular fixture because we still want to finish the season on a high.
“It’s always an exciting fixture. I don’t think there’s been a boring Devonport-South Hobart game for quite a long time and that speaks credit to both teams having been top of the table for so long.”
With just a solitary loss to second-place Launceston City depriving them of the “invincibles” tag, South (16-3-1) have twice drawn 2-2 with Strikers this season while also squeezing past them in a seven-goal Lakoseljac Cup extra-time thriller.
Plans are already being made for the national champs and Dingjan heaped praise on Clarke’s monumental maiden season at the helm which yielded three trophies and multiple national commitments.
“Max has been fantastic in his preparation from the off when we started preparing last October. The playing group has really bought in which is the biggest thing for any first-time manager to have. I think it’s a credit to him and to the team that we are where we are.”
Fourth-placed Devonport (10-5–5) could still reach third if results go their way but defender Connor Parke admitted the campaign had not reached the high standards of a team which won six of the last nine titles.
“It’s been an inconsistent season, definitely not what we’re used to,” Parke said. “But looking back it’s only been moments here and there that have cost us points. So although it’s not the standards that we’re used to, we’re also not that far away.
“So it’s been a disappointing season, but we know what we can sort.”
Having played NPL since 2019 with a season off last year, Parke said South had shown championship characteristics.
“They’re a good team. They’ve been consistent. They showed signs of a winning team - they’ve won so many late games. They’ve found a way which is frustrating but the sign of a good team. But I think they’re beatable. We’ve drawn twice and should have come away with three points in at least one of those games.”
With every other league position already locked in, Saturday will be a stark contrast to the drama of last season’s final day when Devonport travelled to eventual champions Glenorchy knowing either side could win the title.
“I remember watching it on YouTube from the UK - it was a frustrating game to watch from a Devonport perspective,” Parke added.
“You could call it a dead rubber but any game against South you always want to win. We’ve done pretty well against them this season - we lost in the cup but the other two we felt we should have won.”
Glenorchy beat Clarence 5-1 in their rearranged fixture at Kingborough on Wednesday night.
A quickfire double for Riley Dillon plus goals from Andres Lagos Verduga, James Costello and Tom Walpole saw off Zebras who replied through a Nick Westenberg cracker.
In addition to Riverside hosting Devonport next Wednesday at 8.15pm, the WSL’s other remaining postponed fixture will see Launceston United welcome Taroona to Birch Avenue the following Saturday at 12.15pm.
McDonald's NPL Tasmania
Saturday, September 6
2.30pm Riverside Olympic v Launceston City, Windsor Park
2.30pm Devonport v South Hobart, Valley Road
2.30pm Launceston United v Glenorchy, Birch Avenue
2.30pm Kingborough v Clarence, Lightwood Park
McDonald's Women’s Super League
Saturday, September 6
12.15pm Riverside Olympic v Taroona, Windsor Park
12.15pm Devonport v South Hobart, Valley Road
12.15pm Launceston United v Glenorchy, Birch Avenue
BYE: Kingborough