Welcome to the Friday forecast for another week, with a top of the table NPL showdown set to headline this weekend's action.
The action begins on Friday night when the Glenorchy Knights take on the Kingborough Lions under the lights of KGV. Both sides will be keen for victories having lost in their last starts. The Knights have taken points from the sides below them so far, but fallen to the top sides and they will want to ensure that the Lions are in the former category. It will be the Lions first venture away from Lightwood Park where they have started with a run of four fixtures and also their first game in 2 weeks, so they should be fresh and up for this one. Knights have shown flashes of what they can produce but injuries have stung them and the Lions will fancy themselves to take advantage of an undermanned Knights defence. This should be a tight game and quite possibly an illuminating one for both sides fortunes moving forwards.
On the Saturday we have two Southern based sides hitting the road to travel up to Launceston. First up, Riverside welcome the Hobart Zebras to Windsor Park, in a game that should hit home how far the club has come. Early last season in the Round of 16 of the Lakoseljac Cup, the Zebras demolished the then Championship side 11-1, but fast forward 12 months later and they are now hosting them in the league. The Roos will be keen to bounce back after a disappointing trip to Warrior Park, where despite playing with an extra man for an hour, they succumbed to Olympia 5-0. The Zebras will be on the rebound too, with Dave Smith likely to be demanding a response after his side drew 2-2 with Launceston City in a game they should have won. They will need to be more clinical in this one, as the Roos will likely cede less scoring chances.
Launceston City are starting to click into gear and the past fortnight has seen them produce their best two performances of the season. Whilst that first win has thus far eluded them, they are trending in the right direction and it doesn't appear too far away. But can they make it this Saturday against the Warriors? Olympia have feasted on the likes of Riverside and Clarence in their past two games, scoring 14 times and not conceding. So expect a confident Warriors side and their in form attacking pair of Nkoso and Ryan to come expecting goals. City will need to be at their best if they are to take anything from a Warriors side who will be looking to make up ground on South Hobart and Devonport with the two set to battle it out on Sunday.
The Strikers have made a perfect start to the season in their title defence, winning five games from five to sit two points clear of South and having played one game less. This is the first time they will be travelling South to take on a title rival though and the most difficult game of their schedule to date. A former Canadian star, Raphael Reynolds is set to join soon, though not in time for Sunday's clash. South Hobart have already bolstered their squad with a Canadian of their own, as Isky Van Doorne returns to the state after a successful season last year at the Hobart Zebras. He adds further depth to the impressive riches Ken Morton has at his disposal, and made his return from the bench last weekend against Glenorchy Knights. That 3-0 win was South's fourth consecutive victory, as they continue to round nicely into form. A win on Sunday would see them moving into first place, and whilst early, there is no doubting the importance of this game in shaping the title race to come.
In the Women's Super League, the big match of the day has Kingborough hosting Olympia in a rematch of the Summer Cup Final. That was an epic game, with the Warriors scoring the win deep into extra time and suggests the two are fairly evenly matched. So far in the Super League, the Warriors have been the better performers and they are the early favourites for the league. Big victories over the 2 most recent Champions, in Hobart Zebras and Ulverstone has this side well on the way, but that Cup final should give them pause if they head into this game thinking they will continue on comfortably. Whilst the Lions were well below their best in the loss to the Zebras, a 2-1 loss away to Ulverstone is a commendable result and they were probably unlucky to not have taken anything from it. If they perform in a similar manner on Saturday, they've shown they can trouble the Warriors.
With Clarence and Ulverstone postponed, the only other game taking place is also on the Saturday and has Hobart Zebras taking on South Hobart. South are very much in a development year and so results like last week, where they were outgunned by the slick looking Warriors, are to be expected to a certain extent. Incremental improvement and periods within games may be the best way to judge their development, rather than raw wins. They will find it tough against a strong, mature side like the Hobart Zebras who rebounded from their first up loss with a convincing victory over the Lions.
NPL TASMANIA
Friday 5 April
Glenorchy Knights v Kingborough Lions, 8:15pm, KGV LIVE STREAM GAME
Saturday 6 April
Riverside v Hobart Zebras, Windsor Park, 1:30pm
Launceston City v Olympia, Buckby Landrover Park, 4:30pm
Sunday 7 April
South Hobart v Devonport, 2:00pm Darcy Street LIVE STREAM GAME
Women's Super League
Saturday 6 April
Kingborough v Olympia Warriors, 2:30pm, Lightwood Park
Hobart Zebras v South Hobart, 2:30pm, KGV