South Hobart vs Launceston City
Date: Saturday April 10
Venue: Darcy Street
Kick-off: 2:00 PM
2021 record: South Hobart: 2-0-0 (first in NPL TAS) Launceston City: 0-0-2 (seventh in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: South Hobart: Nick Morton (3) Launceston City: N/A
Preview:
This may look like a lopsided matchup on paper, but look a little deeper and it could be far from a walk in the park for South Hobart up against Launceston City. Despite opening the season with two losses there is plenty of reason for optimism for City, with narrow defeats to the defending champion Strikers and Summer Cup winning Lions. They will also enter this game in winning form after knocking off Northern Championship side Somerset in the Lakoseljac Cup last weekend. That is a result they can look to build from, and with coach Lino Sciulli preaching organisation and defensive structure his side will never be easy to beat. They will be up against the form side in the competition, though, as they will travel to Darcy Street to face a South Hobart side full of confidence. After handing Devonport their first defeat since 2019 last round, Ken Morton's men will return to their home ground ready to further push their title credentials. They have plenty of firepower and goalscoring threats, and with Nick Morton in top form early in the season they could blast through City's newfound defensive resolve.Key player: Kasper Hallam, South Hobart
After a breakout 2020 season that saw him score 7 goals in 13 games, Hallam has played his role well across two games this season but is yet to hit the scoreboard. Expect that to change sooner rather than later-- his pace could cause some serious issues for Launceston's defence, and he has become a lethal finisher in front of goal.Olympia Warriors vs Clarence Zebras
Date: Saturday April 10
Venue: Warrior Park
Kick-off: 4:30 PM
2021 record: Olympia Warriors: 1-0-1 (fourth in NPL TAS) Clarence Zebras: 0-0-2 (eighth in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Olympia Warriors: Kyle Vincent (2) Clarence Zebras: Matthew Pace/Riley Dillon/Samuel Boscoe (1)
Preview:
After a promising start to the season with an extremely young lineup, Olympia will fancy their chances back at home and against the Clarence Zebras in round three. It has been a tough start to the season for the Zebras, but they recovered from a heavy round one loss to put in a more respectable showing against the Knights last round. Senior players Matthew Pace and Riley Dillon have both performed well and hit the scoreboard, but they need to find some more support if they want to start putting some wins on the board. The ingredients have all been there for the Warriors early in the season, with a strong defensive display against Glenorchy in round one and an improved attacking effort against Riverside in their second outing. They could have scored a handful more against Riverside and looked dangerous every time they won the ball, and yet they barely mustered a shot against the Knights. Could this be the game where they put it all together at both ends and show what they're truly capable of?Key player: Austin Yost, Olympia Warriors
Yost was a spark off the bench for the Warriors last season, and he has taken on a bigger role early this year. After netting his first goal for the season last week he could be set to explode against a side that has struggled defensively.Riverside Olympic vs Devonport Strikers
Date: Saturday April 10
Venue: Windsor Park
Kick-off: 4:30 PM
2021 record: Riverside Olympic: 0-0-2 (sixth in NPL TAS) Devonport Strikers: 1-0-1 (fifth in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Riverside Olympic: Tom Prince/William Humphrey (1) Devonport Strikers: Nicholas Lanau-Atkinson (1)
Preview:
The Strikers find themselves in unfamiliar territory here, looking to bounce back after a league loss for the first time in almost two years. They will do so on the road against a Riverside Olympic team that has shown plenty of promise early in the season, giving both Kingborough and Olympia serious scares before falling just short. Back at Windsor Park for the first time this year, Riverside must sense that this is their best chance to claim points against the defending champions. Fletcher Fulton has been lively in both NPL games and looks set to take another step forward this season, but they will need all of his creativity and then some if they want to break through a Devonport defence that still looks to be the strongest in the league. The Strikers only conceded once in their loss to South Hobart last round, but they desperately need to find a way to score more goals after relying on their backline for much of last season. They belted 13 past the Northern Rangers in the Lakoseljac Cup on the weekend, with Joran Lamb scoring a hat-trick and braces to Nick Lanau-Atkinson, Brody Denehey and Joel Stone. Someone will need to carry that form forward into the NPL fixtures if the Strikers hope to regain their standing at the top of the table.Key player: Joel Stone, Devonport Strikers
Maybe this is too obvious, but the best players stand up in the big moments. With his side facing as much adversity as they have for years, it's the perfect time for Joel Stone to remind everyone why he is widely viewed as the best player in the state. He is unstoppable at his best, and a vintage performance could be the shot in the arm that the Strikers need.Kingborough Lions vs Glenorchy Knights
Date: Saturday April 10
Venue: Lightwood Park
Kick-off: 6:30 PM
2021 record: Kingborough Lions: 2-0-0 (second in NPL TAS) Glenorchy Knights: 2-0-0 (third in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Kingborough Lions: Adam McKeown (3) Glenorchy Knights: Nicholas Naden (2)
Preview:
This will be an intriguing matchup between two sides that have taken care of business so far this season, but that haven't yet been pushed to their limit. The Lions impressed during their winning Summer Cup run and have opened the NPL season with a pair of solid, if unspectacular, victories. They fell behind early against Riverside and took 75 minutes to score against Launceston City, but in both contests they claimed fairly comfortable wins at the end of the 90 minutes. Their offseason additions have already begun to pay dividends, with Andy Taylor and Kobe Kemp both hitting the scoreboard and bringing stability to a team that was searching for consistency last season. Their composure will be crucial against a Glenorchy side that can blow up a contest in the blink of an eye. After scoring a league-high 37 goals in 2020 they managed just one against a stubborn Warriors lineup before putting three past the Zebras last round. The Lions of seasons past may have been easy prey for such a potent attack, but the Knights will be in for a battle here away from home. If the likes of Alex Walter, Joffrey Nkoso and Nic Naden can get off the leash, though, they will be hard to stop.Key player: Kobe Kemp, Kingborough Lions
Kemp has proven himself to be one of the most versatile players in the league, spending time in the backline and the midfield while also getting onto the scoresheet against Launceston. In this matchup, he will have to lead by example if the Lions are to stifle the attacking threat of the Knights, whether that be from the middle or in defence. Either way, his work when not in possession will be crucial.