Saturday could potentially determine who gets to rule Tasmania on the football pitch as well as in parliament.
As the state heads to the ballot box, two perennial leaders will square up to decide where the power lies.
Since the formation of the state league in 2013, South Hobart and Devonport have been Tasmania’s dominant teams, winning nine of the 12 titles between them as well as a combined seven runner-up finishes.
They meet again at D’Arcy Street sitting first and third respectively with South still on course for an unbeaten campaign and flying high on eight straight wins since the sides drew 2-2 at Valley Road in round eight.
Max Clarke’s men also won their Lakoseljac Cup quarter-final encounter 4-3 after extra-time and sit seven points clear at the top of the ladder having won 15 and drawn two of their 17 fixtures.
The coach admitted he could not have dreamed of a better maiden campaign at the helm.
“After pre-season I felt quite confident but then first game of the season against Kingborough I think we went 1-0 down in the 60th minute and I thought this isn’t going to be as easy as maybe I thought,” Clarke recalled.
“So I’m super grateful to be in the position we are, but at the end of the day we’ve got eight games left plus the cup and if we don’t win the league it’s probably going to be a worse feeling so it doesn’t really mean anything to this point.”
South will have at least one eye on Wednesday’s Australia Cup tie against South Melbourne with another league game against Kingborough to follow three days later, so Strikers coach Tom Ballantyne knows it’s a good time to challenge the leaders and Lakoseljac Cup winners.
“We were talking this week about what we would do,” he said. “If we were in the same position as Max we’d probably rest a few players because they’re nine points clear of us and seven clear of (Launceston) City, so this is probably a game you could afford to drop points in.
“And looking at how South Melbourne are going we reckon we could probably beat them, so South would reckon they could probably beat them. So if I could choose which one I could afford to lose in the league between us and Kingborough (next Saturday), I’d pick this one.”
Ballantyne recalled being in the same position when his Devonport team also qualified for the national competition.
“That’s what we did when we played Wellington Phoenix, we rested a few key players in the game before that knowing at that point we were about the same as South are now ahead.
“I’ve been there twice before with teams that were this far clear in ’23 and ’22 and both years took a game to rest players.
“Can Alex Walter play three games in a week? Can Kobe Kemp? Probably not, so which games do you pick as the one they don’t play?”
Although without versatile veteran Alfred Hess who is coaching at nationals, Clarke welcomed his selection headaches.
“There’s been a lot of umming and ahhing through the week about who’s able to do it and who’s not and who’s more suited to which game. It’s probably been the biggest thing I’ve had to think about this week,” he said.
“Obviously, I got a fair bit of stick at the start of the year for signing lots of players but it’s for these moments that I did it.
“We’re fortunate to be in that position and I’m glad I did that now when I’ve got lots of players to back it up.”
Strikers are on a run of three straight wins, during which American striker Colin Innes has scored six goals, and Ballantyne knows this is a pivotal match in the title race.
“Everyone’s beatable. We’ve come closest to South, a lot of teams have copied what we’ve done against them. Look at last week, Riverside tried exactly what we tried against them and came close.”
Ballantyne said whatever happens, the title race will not be decided this weekend and could yet go down to when the teams meet again on the final day of the season.
“You never say it’s over until it’s over,” he said.
“Just look at last year, we were dead and buried at the same time and came down to the last game of the season having to beat Knights and didn’t quite get it done. We play South in the last game of the season this year, it could come down to that. It could become a very interesting last weekend of the season.”
State election day is also set to witness the aptly-titled “Battle of Franklin” as Clarence and Kingborough square up at Wentworth Park.
All proceeds from the game will be donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia whose CEO Anne Savage said: “We’re tremendously grateful to the Clarence Zebras and the Kingborough Lions for supporting men in the local community impacted by prostate cancer.”
Glenorchy and Launceston United clash having both gone five games without a win while neighbours Launceston City and Riverside have each won three of their last five going into their derby at Prospect Park.
NPL Tasmania Round 14 (Women’s Super League bye)
Saturday, July 19
2pm South Hobart v Devonport, D’Arcy Street
2.30pm Clarence v Kingborough, Wentworth Park
4.30pm Glenorchy v Launceston United, KGV
4.45pm Launceston City v Riverside Olympic, Prospect Park