Welcome to the Friday Forecast ahead of Round 4 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League. After a week off for the Women’s Statewide Cup, attention once again returns to the league where the defending Champions Launceston United are once again the hunted, sitting on top by 2 points. It should be a familiar feeling for United, given it was the position they were in for the bulk of the 2022 campaign. Hot on their heels are Devonport and South Hobart as the title race continues to take shape across these early rounds.
Big Guns Avoid Each Other In Quarters
The Super League’s top four sides have all avoided each other in the Quarter Final draw of the Women’s Statewide Cup. It sets up the possibility of some blockbuster Semi-Finals though nothing should be taken for granted in the Cup. In the first of the fixtures we have a Northwest Coastal derby as Ulverstone take on Devonport and given it was the Strikers who replaced them in the WSL, expect a fired-up Reds outfit eager to try and cause the upset there. South Hobart have also drawn lower league opposition in the New Town White Eagles, but they are a side boasting former WSL stars Zoe Nichols and Kate Ollerhead, so they do have some quality in the squad to test them.
The other two ties are all WSL affairs, with a Safari Derby, as the Lions look to return to the final when they host the Clarence Zebras, a game will get a preview of this Sunday. Then finally we have Launceston United taking on Taroona at Floorworld Park, where the defending champions will be red-hot favourites to move on as they attempt to go back to back.
Pirates In Dire Need of a Positive Result as Strikers Come to Town
The Round will begin on Saturday afternoon with Taroona FC hosting the Devonport Strikers at Kelvedon Park.
There is no sugar-coating it, the first three weeks have been mighty tough for Taroona and the 9-0 hammering at the hands of South Hobart in their most recent game was alarming. Having had the week off for the Cup due to being drawn automatically through to the Quarter Finals, they have had plenty of time to prepare for the Strikers as they try to kick-start their season. Izzy Ottavi is a quality keeper, but she simply must be afforded more protection if the results are to improve. The sheer amount of shots coming in is overwhelming and concerningly against South Hobart, the positions they afforded those chances in were high-danger ones. Whether it requires a good old fashion bus parking or not, they simply must do a better job protecting their penalty area in this one.
Devonport aren’t likely to let up if they do start scoring early as they demonstrated in their brutal 13-0 dismantling of Riverside in the Statewide Cup. Their attackers clearly have a hunger for goals and will be eyeing off a side that has so far conceded 17 of them through three games as an opportunity to fill their boots. It won't just be speed machine Jazmin White the Pirates need to contain in attack, Maddy Payne has shown a penchant for the long-range stunners this season and is someone opposition sides clearly need to be closing down before she can let fly. You let her shoot from range at your own peril!
United Faces Toughest Challenge To Date
The game of the Round is undoubtedly at Floorworld Park on Sunday, where Launceston United plays host to one of their major title rivals in South Hobart. Any time these sides meet this year the stakes are likely to be high and we certainly saw some enthralling battles between the pair last season.
United have been perfect to start this season but probably face their two main title threats over the next two weeks in what will be a massive fortnight for them with Devonport to follow this. Their response to falling behind in the Clarence Zebras match suggests they are well up for the challenge. The midfield is working nicely with Lohse and Gilpin doing a fine job controlling play and supplying their dangerous attacking trio of Gunton, Smith and Marten. Not that Gunton has needed all that much supply, given she seems capable of conjuring the extraordinary every time she has a shy from long range. It’s been a red-hot start to the season for her.
The midfield battle here should be of the highest quality. South Hobart’s Pishon Choi, Lucy Roberts and Eve Swain is a formidable trio and to my eyes the best engine room in the competition. If they can get the better of the battle in the middle, it will go a long way to winning the match. If Jenna Farrow is ready to make her debut then that will fix an area of vulnerability against United's long-range shooting which Devonport exploited in their other recent clash with a contender.
This should be a cracking game and almost every single time two title contenders met last season, we ended up with high-scoring, thrilling games. So here is hoping that is a trend that continues into this season!
Lions and Zebras Clash at KGV
In the final game of the Round, we have a Safari Derby between the Kingborough Lions and Clarence Zebras at KGV, with Lightwood Park out of action.
Kingborough have offered an improved showing in 2023 after a disappointing 2022 campaign but they have still started 0-3, so are still searching for their first point of the season. Playing the competition’s top three sides has been a tough opening stretch, but they’ve been competitive in each of those matches, which is something they frankly weren't last year. The defence has looked more settled and if their dangerous duo in attack, Davis and Moutsatsos can be a little more clinical, then they certainly have a chance of upsetting the Zebras here. They've created some nice goal-scoring chances on the counter through the opening weeks, but just been unable to convert them.
Clarence have been impressive this season outside of a 15-minute period against Launceston United. Those kinds of lapses are to be expected with such a young side, but they won the Summer Cup, could easily have taken something from their trip to Devonport and so will be looking at this as a game they should be winning. Their best level looks to be good enough to go toe to toe with anyone, but it will all be about finding consistency for Chris Hey’s young brigade. There will undoubtedly be periods throughout the 90 where that level wanes and that is when the Lions will need to seize the moment.
WSL Team of the Month
Round 4 Fixtures
Saturday 15 April
Taroona FC v Devonport Strikers, 2:00pm, Kelvedon Park
Sunday 16 April
Launceston United v South Hobart, 2:00pm, Floorworld Park
Kingborough Lions v Clarence Zebras, 2:30pm, KGV