Match of the Round: Glenorchy Knights v Devonport Strikers
The biggest game in NPL Tasmania history is set for Saturday at KGV as the 2024 league title comes down to the final game of the season. The title has come down to the final day before in the NPL era, but never with the two sides in contention meeting head to head.
Indeed, these two sides were the central protagonists in the most recent final day title drama back in 2021, when the Strikers entered the final day on top, only to fall to the Kingborough Lions and see the title flip to the Knights. It’s the only time in the past six seasons that the Strikers haven’t finished atop the table, but if they are to make 6 titles in 7 years, then they will need to beat the Knights on Saturday, given they enter this match in second place.
Strikers coach Tom Ballantyne was happy to put the pressure on the Knights, claiming his side had nothing to lose.
“The guys have been really good this week, six weeks ago we were a long way off this, so to get within touching distance again has been really good from the players, they’ve got out there and done what they needed to do," he said.
"We go into this game looking at it as a bit of a free hit, knowing that it's the Knights' to lose, they’ve had the advantage most the season, they’re a point ahead of us so a draw suits them whereas we have to go out to win it.
"So we view it as a free hit, we can go out and try to attack it and win."
Ballantyne wasn’t too concerned with the 4-0 defeat his side had suffered in the previous meeting between the pair at KGV back in Round 14.
"That game was just kind of a perfect storm for us really," he said.
"We had a few players who in hindsight we shouldn’t have picked as they were carrying a few things, and it showed in the performance level.
"We had 2 players withdrawn the night before the game which changed what we had worked on that week, and it didn’t work, it backfired horribly."
Ballantyne felt his side knew what to expect from the Knights following the previous clashes.
"They’ve hit us on the counterattack very effectively, as they have most of the year. They play very fast in transition and that’s what we need to be ready for," he said.
"I think Knights will play exactly the same manner they’ve played all year against us. Counter-attacking, with speed on the transition and I don’t think that will change given they only need a draw. For us it's about going out there, putting our best foot forward and seeing what we can do.”
The Strikers' coach felt that squad depth was an area his squad might find a crucial edge in.
“We’ve had the end goal in mind the entire time," he said.
"We’ve picked sides based on the next game or game in a fortnight times for 6 weeks now. We’ve constantly been thinking ahead and planning for it.
"We’ve got a large squad that we can rotate and rest players, Knights have a smaller squad who’ve started 90% of the games, so they’ll be feeling more fatigued than we will be.”
His Knights counterpart James Sherman was relishing the opportunity that Saturday presented.
“It feels like it's been a really slow last month but we are really happy to be here now and looking forward to a great opportunity," he said.
Sherman drew parallels to the final day of the 2021 season as he previewed the contest.
“We were in a similar situation a handful of years ago and I would put this on par, obviously being a title-deciding game in the final game of the year makes it pretty big, but we’ve had a handful of big games in my time,” he said.
The Knights boss didn't think the 4-0 win at KGV in Round 14 gave his side any extra confidence but felt they were in a positive space ahead of the clash.
“I think we are confident most weeks regardless," he said.
"There is a bit we can take from the last fixture, but not a whole heap. Things have changed for both groups since then, so it's more a case of looking at what we think we will need to manage on Saturday and what we think we will need to be able to execute, particularly with the ball and in transition."
Sherman stressed his side was focusing more on themselves than the opposition in their preparation.
“They’ve got quality all over the pitch but our focus has been far more on ourselves than the opponents," he said.
"We feel we are good at a handful of things and we need to make sure we get those things right. Obviously, you need to be aware of a team that has the quality they do, which we will be, but we are a side that will look to show the qualities that we have.”
Sherman felt that maintaining the positive manner of their play style would be crucial.
"I think we’ve had a really strong campaign to get ourselves in this position," he said.
"We were in a similar situation to Devonport 5 or 6 weeks ago when we fell five points behind, but now we are the favourites for the league which I think is a credit to the playing group, so we just need to continue to play in that positive way on Saturday."
With Sherman set to wind up his tenure in charge of Knights at the end of the season, this will be the final time he coaches the side, and he admitted it would be a special way to conclude his time in charge.
“To finish with a double would be quite special," he said.
"It's hard to deny that it would be disappointing if we don’t finish as champions, but in the bigger picture, it is an opportunity to reflect on the great times we've had.
"Obviously we would like to come away as league winners, but I can't knock Deovnport if they do win it, to go the whole final round undefeated would mean they are deserving of it."
Elsewhere in final-day action, despite bowing out of the title race, there will be no shortage of eyes on D'arcy Street where Ken Morton will manage South Hobart for the final time. The legendary manager who won 8 league titles in his time in charge of South Hobart will look to end on a winning note when they take on Launceston City. Morton will retire as one of the greatest coaches in Tasmanian football history, having cemented a strong legacy with his years of contribution to the local game.
At Wentworth Park, the Clarence Zebras host Riverside Olympic and whilst both sides are locked into seventh and sixth place on the table respectively, both will be eager to end their seasons in a positive manner in a game both will view as winnable.
At Lightwood Park, the Kingborough Lions should be able to lock in a fourth-placed finish when they take on Launceston United who will look to end the year with a second victory following their recent breakthrough.
Saturday 7 September
Round 21
South Hobart v Launceston City, 2:00pm, D'arcy Street LIVE STREAM
Glenorchy Knights v Devonport Strikers, 2:15pm, KGV LIVE STREAM
Clarence Zebras v Riverside Olympic, 2:15pm, Wentworth Park LIVE STREAM
Kingborough Lions v Launceston United, 2:30pm, Lightwood Park LIVE STREAM