South Hobart will head into post-season finals brimming with confidence fresh from receiving their second consecutive NPL Tasmania title.
Pete Edwards’ team will be awarded the champions’ trophy after their home game against Riverside Olympic and the coach is proud of a campaign which saw the team win 14, draw two and lose just one of their 17 fixtures to date.
“It's annoying about the one and it was an own goal as well!” he said of the Round-14 loss to South East United.
“We've been incredibly consistent all year. Our objective from the start of the year was to try and win the league and get back into Australian Champs. And so most of our focus has always been in comparison to those big mainland teams that we're about to come up against. That's helped us drive some really good standards and some good performances.”
South clinched the title with Saturday’s 3-1 defeat of Launceston City and hope to sign off on the regular season with another strong D’Arcy Street performance against Northern opponents.
“Riverside's the only team we haven't managed to beat this season, so far,” Edwards added. “So there's a bit of edge to it, but we also know the qualities that Riverside possess. So it's going to be an interesting game. We've got to be up for it. I'm sure there's a few different things going on in players' minds with the trophy and the celebration, so it's trying to channel all of that and make sure we do our job.”
Fifth place and the finals spot that brings is still on the cards for Olympic but they will need to beat the champions, improve their goal difference and hope Clarence lose at second-placed Kingborough.
“We’re not going there just to finish the season. We have one objective: we want to go to the finals too,” said coach Helder Dos Santos Silva.
“First of all we have to win and then Kingborough have to do a job on Clarence and we’re going to try our hardest against the champions from last year and now this year. It’s going to be a very interesting game.”
Seven wins represents Riverside’s best NPL season and the Portuguese tactician was pleased with the return.
“We found a team that was crumbling down, we’ve built it up, have good youngsters coming through - we’re very happy with that and this season was a result of that.
“I love Tasmania and I love the club, it embraced me and my family. I learned massively here and I’m very humble to have this experience.”
The eight-team McDonald's Women's Super League still has five rounds to go and the game of the weekend will see fourth-placed Kingborough host third-placed South Hobart.
Defending champions Devonport were defeated for the first time in nearly three years by Glenorchy last Saturday and with both these teams having postponed games still to play, their coaches were encouraged by Strikers’ loss of invincibility.
“I think it's fantastic and congratulations to Knights,” Lions coach Simon Edwards said.
“It's been a lot closer this season than last, so I think it was just a matter of time. It was coming, and it's good to break that hoodoo.”
South’s James Symmons added: “I think Knights beating Devonport last week opens a little bit of a gap there for us, between third and second, and with Knights next week and Devonport the week after, this one is really important for us to be in the running for that second spot.”
Asked if the title race was still on, Symmons pointed to Strikers’ 30-goal superiority over their competition. “Mathematically, yes, (but) goal difference would probably be the biggest issue there,” he said. “I think the goal difference would definitely just take that out of reach of the rest of the competition.”
The Lions have been relying heavily on Hannah Walsh, who has scored their last six goals, and Edwards hoped the English playmaker would continue to be a part of the club’s future.
“Hannah's a big part of the club and her performances of recent weeks have been fantastic,” he said.
“She's leading from the front. She's a huge contributor at the football club in the coaching space as well, and just a champion, really. So, I'm sure she'll be sticking around and contributing more over the next season.”
McDonald's NPL Tasmania, Round 18
Saturday, August 8
2pm South Hobart v Riverside Olympic, D’Arcy Street
2.30pm Ulverstone v South East United, Westside Park
2.30pm Kingborough v Clarence, Lightwood Park Kitchen Centre Park
2.30pm Glenorchy v Launceston United, KGV
2.30pm Devonport v Launceston City, Tassie Care Valley Road
McDonald's Women's Super League, Round 17
Saturday, August 8
12.15pm Devonport v Launceston City, Tassie Care Valley Road
2.30pm Launceston United v Riverside Olympic, Birch Avenue Kemlec Park
4.45pm Kingborough v South Hobart, Lightwood Park Kitchen Centre Park
Sunday, August 9
2.30pm Taroona v Glenorchy, Kelvedon Park