Launceston United and Kingborough have been tasked with trying to end Devonport’s five-year run of success in Tasmania’s Statewide Cups.
Having won the last two Women’s Statewide tournaments plus three Lakoseljac Cups before that, Strikers have made cup final day their own and could yet land a double unprecedented in recent years.
After overseeing two league and two cup triumphs in both genders since 2022, Tom Ballantyne will take charge of Devonport teams in back-to-back showcases on Monday knowing history is on the KGV table.
“Of course, it's huge,” he said. “For the men, it means round of 32 (Australia Cup qualification), for the women, it'd be three in a row and for me, it'd be my sixth.
“It's massive all round and it would mean we have a full trophy cabinet again. We've got two empty plinths in our trophy room at the moment.”
Having won five of their seven Lakoseljac Cups in the last decade, Devonport comfortably overcame Taroona (7-0) and Clarence (3-0) this season but needed extra-time to see off Glenorchy 4-2 in the semi-final.
It was a similar story for Jon Fenech’s Lions who defeated Riverside (4-0) and Barnestoneworth (8-0) before also needing extra-time to knock out holders South Hobart on penalties in a thrilling semi.
Losing finalists in 2000, 2015 and to Glenorchy in 2024, Kingborough are yet to win the Lakoseljac Cup but Fenech is confident of building on a run of nine straight wins since his team lost 1-0 to Devonport in round four.
“I'm privileged to be the coach of this club, but it's not just about me, it's about the whole group,” Fenech said.
“I think we're trying to change the mentality of this club. We wanted to break the top three last year, we did that, now it's about changing mentality and going on and winning something, and if I can be involved in helping the club do that for years to come, I think that'll set us up in a good way.
“But we're more than just one final, we're trying to build something here. We'll win something at some point. Hopefully it could be Monday.”
Fenech said the semi-final result had given his players belief.
“It was a real test for us. South Hobart have been the benchmark team for the last couple of years and we haven't beaten them for at least two years. A lot of young players came into the group this year and stood up in that game. To get over the line against South gives us confidence and just shows that we are able to compete at this level.
“We've never won a trophy before. We've never had the opportunity to represent Tassie on that national stage. Having the chance to play for that, it's exciting. Everyone around the club is excited, but we know how hard it's going to be.”
Strikers’ record is even more remarkable in the Women’s Statewide Cup having not lost a game in more than three years - a 5-2 semi-final defeat to South Hobart on May 20, 2023.
Supported by back-to-back unbeaten WSL campaigns means the team has not tasted defeat since September 9, 2023 - also to South (0-1).
Keeper Michaela Mitchell supported the idea of a women’s Australia Cup to give the team more nationwide recognition.
“Having that next place to go would be awesome,” she said. “Being able to test ourselves, to go to the mainland and see what we can do over there, play in different leagues, would be really cool.”
Mitchell said there are plenty of players in the team who have never experienced defeat at senior level.
“They don't know what it means. It'll happen one day, it's inevitable, but I think that's probably been our biggest challenge this year, how do we motivate some of these girls that don't know what it's like to lose, they don't know that feeling.
“We definitely feel the pressure, so that's definitely a big motivator. We want to stay at the top, and we do feel that target on our back.”
In this season’s cup, Devonport recorded comfortable wins over Clarence (6-0) and Riverside (8-0) followed by a tight 2-1 semi-final defeat of Glenorchy with the ever-reliable duo Asuka Doi and Jaz White on the scoresheet.
Standing in Strikers’ way is a Launceston United team keen to revive a strong record of their own in the competition.
The Birch Avenue brigade made three successive finals at the start of this decade, losing to Olympia in 2021 and South Hobart in 2023 but defeating Kingborough 3-1 in between with long-serving full-back Laura Dickinson scoring twice.
Having seen off South Hobart 3-1 in this year’s semi-final on the back of big wins against University (11-1) and Kingborough (8-2 aet), United are keen to send their Brazilian/American striker Olivia De Moraes off on a high.
The 19-goal sharp-shooter will play her last game before heading back across the Pacific to complete her degree in mental health and school psychology and fellow import and housemate Liz Fogarty said the team could not be more motivated.
“Olivia is just an incredible human, an incredible footballer, and she's got an incredible brain so she's going to get her doctorate degree which we are so excited for,” she said.
“I think the girls are really rallying around that. I'm kind of closing my eyes, crossing my fingers. Maybe if I lock her in the house, she can't get out. I've tried to suppress that as long as possible. So we're just eyes focused on Monday.”
Fogarty also said her team was not daunted by Devonport’s formidable form.
“I've heard a lot about that and about the trophies in the past, but at the end of the day, they put on their kit and they tie their boots just like us.
“I don't think intimidation has anything to do with it. It's just girls playing football at the end of the day.”
Statewide cup finals, KGV
Monday, June 8
9am Women’s Under-18s Statewide Cup: Glenorchy v Taroona
12pm Women's Statewide Cup: Launceston United v Devonport
3pm Lakoseljac Cup: Kingborough v Devonport
5.30pm Men’s Under-21s Statewide Cup: Kingborough v South Hobart