The biggest NPL TAS game of the season to date is set to take place on Saturday afternoon at Valley Road when the Devonport Strikers take on the Olympia Warriors in the headline game of Round 21. Devonport and Olympia sit level on points heading into the game, but the Strikers have a game in hand and they sit on top the ladder due to a superior goal difference.
Both sides have been on long runs of form, with Olympia having won seven games in a row, and whilst the Strikers run of six wins ended last week, they still remain unbeaten in their last nine NPL games winning 7 and drawing 2.
Daniel Syson's crucial 95th minute equalizer last weekend against the Hobart Zebras has the Strikers in the box seat, as now even if they were to lose on Saturday, winning their remaining games would still ensure the title, which wouldn't have been the case had they not snatched that late point.
But the big game itself has been overshadowed somewhat, following the news that the Warriors have been found to have breached competition rules by playing Lucas Hill last Friday night against South Hobart. Unless the decision is overturned by the Independent Tribunal, they will forfeit the points they picked up from the game, which in all likelihood will eliminate their title hopes. It's a nuanced scenario and for the sake of the league and what has been a thrilling title race I personally hope that it does gets overturned on appeal, but given it's an ongoing matter I will leave it at that.
The scenario doesn't really change for Olympia, they had to win this game to keep themselves alive in the title race before this broke, and they still need to now. They just also need to win at a tribunal afterwards. It might add some extra fuel to the game, but it's fair to say that motivation wasn't exactly lacking for them prior to this. Expect a furiously contested game and if the Strikers win, then that will just about be all she wrote for the title race; regardless of the tribunal outcome. It will be the Strikers once again hoisting the NPL TAS trophy aloft.
Anyway to other games, and with every game taking place on the Saturday afternoon it's sure to be a busy one.
South Hobart will look to tune up for the FFA Cup as they take on Launceston City at Darcy Street. City will be riding high after their road win over the Lions last weekend and might be hoping to catch a South side with one eye on Wednesday's fixture. Ken Morton flagged that he will likely rest some players ahead of their clash with Marconi but also suggested that stylistically they will approach the game in a similar way. Their defence should get a good dress rehearsal for the powerful Marconi attack, with Noah Mies set to test out a central defence that may well be missing Oscar Thomas, who continues to battle an illness, with his status in doubt for the FFA Cup. Mies was back to his best against the Lions last weekend and as Mies fortunes have gone, so too have City's in 2019.
At Windsor Park, Riverside Olympic will be hoping to show how far they've come this season when take on the Glenorchy Knights. Their first game in the league came against Knights back in March and they lost 5-1, but have looked a much improved side since then and the recent additions of Chris Wademan and Ryan McCarragher have helped bolster the squad. If Riverside win this one then catching Knights for seventh place would remain a possibility, as it would cut the gap to 4 points with a game in hand. A Knights win would probably lock them into eight though, so this will be an important game for the Roos. The Knights can still finish as high as fifth but their main priority will be snapping their six game losing skid, with last weeks bye offering them the chance to regroup.
Finally at Wentworth Park, the Hobart Zebras and Clarence will meet in a significant game, contesting the Luke Cripps Shield. The Shield is played in memoriam of the popular former player of both clubs and it's always a big occasion. It's a wonderful initiative between the two sides and hopefully the game is played in the manner that defined Cripps career, which was giving absolutely everything on the pitch, but playing the game in good spirits. The Zebras defence will certainly be depleted, with Riley Dillon and Jan Chazru suspended and Ryu Yonezawa having departed the state. Hey, Walsh and Fagg loom as their most likely replacements, and despite those absences this is a game they will be expecting to take, having won 9-0 and 6-0 in their prior league meetings.
Saturday 27 July
South Hobart v Launceston City, 2:00pm, Darcy Street
Devonport v Olympia, 2:15pm, Valley Road LIVE STREAM
Riverside v Glenorchy Knights, 2:30pm, Windsor Park
Clarence v Hobart Zebras, 4:30pm, Wentworth Park 2