Welcome to the Friday Forecast ahead of Round 19 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League season. We have reached the penultimate weekend of the season, which will feature the Lions looking to keep fourth-placed hopes alive against the Zebras, South Hobart continuing to push for an unbeaten season against Launceston United and Taroona calling in some reinforcements for a big game against the Devonport Strikers.
Last Chance For Lions In Safari Derby
The Round will begin on Friday Night with the Kingborough Lions taking on Clarence Zebras in a Safari Derby.
This is a must-win game for the Lions if they're any chance to achieve a top-four finish, as they currently sit four points adrift of the fourth-placed Zebras in fifth. The Zebras still remain firmly in the box seat for that final spot in the end-of-season Cup, with a game in hand up their sleeves in addition to the four point buffer. Any result other than a Lions win in this one and the top four is set.
If the Lions were to win though, that gap would be closed to a single point heading into the final week of the season, with a tough final-day clash with Launceston United to follow for the Lions. The Zebras have a midweek catchup game against Launceston United and a final day clash with Taroona to come. A win from either of those matches would also secure the top four finish.
The Zebras have been limping somewhat to the finish line, with a short bench last week and only fielding 10 players against South Hobart the week prior, though the draw that the 10 players somehow held out to claim in that match could well prove pivotal.
The Lions have been struggling themselves and have now tasted defeat in their past six outings, handing the advantage to the Zebras in the battle for fourth place.
Last time the sides met, a pair of stunning strikes from Georgia Burt and Graciella Baez saw the Zebras claiming a 2-0 win back in Round 14. Prior to that, the Lions had won 2 of their first 3 meetings this year, splitting the first two WSL clashes before the Lions won 3-2 in the Statewide Cup. So the season ledger is squared at 2-2 and they’ve been pretty evenly matched all season. We should get more of the same on Friday night.
Two Wins Away From Record: South Face Stern United Test
On Saturday at Birch Avenue, Launceston United entertains South Hobart as the two Statewide Cup finalists, and two most recent champions meet for the final time in the WSL this year.
South Hobart has looked a little more vulnerable the past two weeks since wrapping up the title. A 0-0 draw with a 10-woman Zebras was followed by a narrow win over Taroona, so they haven’t exactly been the eye-catching performances they were producing earlier in the year. Crucially they have still managed to avoid defeat however and are just two games away from an unbeaten WSL campaign. They will come against the second and third-placed sides on the ladder in a tough end to the season as they look to close that out.
Their defence was finally breached last week after 1000 minutes without conceding by Jessie Williams late header, but it’s the final third where they have just lacked a little sharpness, after Mamic had smacked in 8 goals in the final two weeks that the title race was still live.
So does that leave the door ajar for Launceston United to play spoiler and end their bid at an unbeaten season? Well this United side have shown in earlier meetings they know how to defend against South and they should be able to keep it tight at the back. Scoring goals on this South Hobart defence has been their issue. In four matches against South this season they haven’t scored once. 2-0, 0-0, 2-0, 1-0 are the scorelines of the four matches they’ve played out. So they’ve been in all of the matches, but simply unable to find a way through the miserly South Hobart defensive unit. Suffice to say if they are any chance this weekend then that simply must change.
Bolstered Pirates Look To Cause Boilover
In the final game of the Round, we head to Kelvedon Park where Taroona FC look to continue their late-season resurgence against the form side of the competition in Devonport.
Taroona have made another late-season splash, by strengthening their side with the addition of Adelyn Ayton for the final 2 weeks of the season. Ayton is one of the finest midfielders this state has produced in the last decade and has been plying her trade in the NPLW Victoria. An injury-riddled season has seen her leap at the chance to get some minutes in by playing the final fortnight with her former side in the Pirates. It certainly makes Taroona tougher to play against, we've already seen the impact Jessie Williams has had over the past month and now they have another major weapon in their arsenal.
Devonport will still head in as favourites though, they’ve been in fine form, unbeaten in their past seven outings, winning five of them and scoring over five goals in four of those matches. Their past three weeks have brought three dominant victories as they storm towards the finish line. They are locked into a second-place finish at this stage, so don’t have a heap left to play for but given the season Jazmin White has had, she could well be in the frame for awards and will be looking to finish the season strong.
Round 19
Friday 1 September 1, 2023
Kingborough Lions v Clarence Zebras, 8:15pm, Lightwood Park
Saturday 2 September
Launceston United v South Hobart, 1:30pm, Birch Avenue
Taroona FC v Devonport Strikers, 2:30pm, Kelvedon Park