We have reached the pointy end of the NPL Tasmania season and excitingly we head into the final month with one of the tightest title races in NPL history. With four rounds to go, just five points separate the top three sides, and they are all still to play each other one more time.
The first of those encounters arrives tonight, as ladder leaders Glenorchy Knights take on second-placed South Hobart, who sit 2 points behind them in a seismic battle that could well define the title race. If the Knights win, they would open up a five-point gap on top with 3 rounds to go, and with their favourable goal differential, it would almost certainly mean that they would need just 4 points from their final 3 fixtures to secure the league title. If South win, however, then they would displace the Knights on top and pending how Devonport fares on Saturday, there could be just 3 points between all 3 sides with 3 rounds to go! The stakes could not be higher for this hotly anticipated Match of the Round.
Adding further fuel to this enormous encounter was the big news story of the week that Knights coach James Sherman would be stepping down as coach of the Knights at season's end to pursue further opportunities.
Sherman agreed that winning the league would be a nice way to end his time in charge, but suggested it wouldn’t define the role he has held for the past 6 years.
“It would be a nice way to end it, we’ve also won the Cup during the year, so that’s a bonus, when we won that I felt some satisfaction without a doubt,” Sherman said.
“The players have known now for several weeks, so as to where things sit with them, it’s old news, but yeah it would be nice to win a title.
"I don’t think it will make much difference to my standing if we do or we don’t but at the end of the day, there is more to it than just winning things in terms of a long-term relationship with a club, but I suppose that’s for other people to judge.”
Sherman admitted tonight was a significant match, but he cautioned that 3 weeks was a lot of time for things to change following it.
“It would make a big difference to how the rest of the season plays out if we were to win, but I will add that at this stage of the season 7 weeks ago when we fell five points behind South Hobart, I think within 4 weeks we were 2 points in front and we have that same time frame now," he said.
"So it is a big game, but I don’t think it's necessarily a title-defining one in reflection to how this season has gone so far."
The two sides have met twice this season in the NPL, a 1-1 draw in Round 4, and South winning the more recent Round 11 match 3-2, with both matches played at D'arcy Street. Sherman said he felt the shift to KGV would prove significant.
“I think the venue also changes the match, when we played earlier in the year at D'arcy Street the surface can be difficult to move the ball, so the dynamic of the game completely changes,” he said.
Sherman suggested his side had been focusing largely on their own strengths in preparation rather than the opponents.
“They’ve certainly played some nice football in the last month and have some returning players who are coming into form, so there are some things there we must be aware of," he said
"But the focus has been on what makes us a good side and how we can try and exploit areas that we see South Hobart may be potentially vulnerable in, I mean there isn’t a lot, but that’s what is often the case in these big games at the end of the year.”
The Knights have been in scintillating touch since they last played South, winning all 6 games and scoring 32 times in the process. Imports Joshua Redfearn and Stefan Cordwell have been at the heart of that, producing some brilliant attacking displays. Sherman agreed they had been a big part of the side’s recent form.
“I would say they are certainly two of the better imports we’ve had, they’ve certainly had good seasons and both are starting to really click now," he said.
"The last handful of weeks, they’ve both really been sharp, certainly their eye for goal has been there and that’s something that will help us tonight.
"On Saturday just gone we were certainly clinical, and I would say that if you can have your best attacking players scoring some good goals, that’s an indicator that you’re coming into some good form, and it’s a good time to come into some for, but they’ve been consistent performers throughout the season and hopefully tonight is another example of that."
South Hobart Coch Ken Morton is no stranger to setting his side up for the big occasions and said it was largely business as usual for the side, despite the tightness in the standings and ramifications of the result.
“They’re always big games when South Hobart and Glenorchy Knights play each other because they are two good sides over the past few years, so when they come together it’s always a big clash for both sides," he said.
"In the overall picture, there are still 3 games to go after this, so a lot can happen but we take this one first and see how we go tonight.”
Morton felt his side had done well to remain in the title race given the injuries his side had suffered throughout the year.
“Trying to get a consistent XI on the park has been a challenge for us for most of the year, we have players on the way back who will get minutes, but how many of them can play 90 is something I cannot answer," he said.
"But hopefully we can get an attacking team out on the park and can go into the game into a positive manner, because we want to get on the front foot, try to win the game and really take it to Knights, who are in good form, they’ve been playing well and playing in a controlled manner.
"So it will be up to us to go there and try to disrupt their rhythm."
Morton was unconcerned about his defence's ability to handle the threat of the Knights' front line, after conceding three times against last-placed Launceston United last weekend.
“Not really (concerned), at that stage of the game we had started to make some changes and there were a few spaces there that we probably should’ve closed up better and also a couple of experienced players giving the ball away in bad areas," he said.
"So you would hope that in a big game like this against Knights that won’t happen, it will be more compact and we will be able to play a bit better than that."
As for the specific threat of Cordwell and Redfearn, Morton said managing that would be a combination of up-field pressure and defensive excellence.
“Probably [we have to] try and get some pressure higher up the field and stop the service coming into them - obviously our defenders are going to have to be good in 1 v 1 situations, they need to be compact behind the ball and let's see how we go," he said.
Morton didn’t shy away from the challenge that awaited his side, noting Knights had been in tremendous form and they had reviewed the game tapes.
"You certainly have a look and see what you can see, are there any weaknesses in their side, are there any players in your side that can perhaps exploit potential situations," he said.
"So we certainly have a look, but their last few games have been tremendous, including the trip to Sydney where they didn’t look out of place at all, but I think in any league around the world the top coaches all know each other pretty well and you’re all aware of what they do well,” he said.
Morton felt that whilst both sides would likely set out their stalls to attack, it didn’t necessarily mean a goal fest would follow.
“I think there could be goals, but it also could be tight as these big matches often are," he said.
"We will certainly look to play positively and get on the front foot; we are certainly going to go out and have a go at them and I am sure they will do the same to us."
In Round 18’s other action, the Devonport Strikers will be hoping for chaos on the Friday night, then to close the gap with a favourable home fixture against Riverside, before they close out the season with South Hobart, Kingborough and Knights in the final 3 weeks.
At Birch Avenue, Launceston United will not get a better chance for their first victory as they take on a Clarence Zebras side who have dropped their past five matches and appear vulnerable, despite having defeated United twice this season.
Whilst the Kingborough Lions would need an extraordinary series of results to get back in the race, they can keep a faint glimmer alive if they take the points against Launceston City in what should be an entertaining clash to conclude Round 18 at Lightwood Park.
Friday 16 August
Glenorchy Knights v South Hobart, 8:15pm, KGV LIVE STREAM
Saturday 17 August
Launceston United v Clarence Zebras, 2:15pm, FloorWorld Park LIVE STREAM
Devonport Strikers v Riverside Olympic, 4:30pm, Valley Road LIVE STREAM
Kingborough Lions v Launceston City, 4:45pm, Lightwood Park LIVE STREAM