Plenty of new faces look set to have an impact as the NPL Tasmania mid-season transfer window swings open.
Separated by just one place but nine points, Riverside Olympic and Glenorchy will lock horns on Saturday fielding a handful of debutants.
English duo David Owusu and Kingsley Eshun plus Korean Sungung Choi have made the short trip across town from Launceston United to Windsor Park while Knights welcome Jacob Calvert from Clarence and young American Michael Hatcher from University of Portland as Hugh Undy makes a welcome return from long-term injury.
Riverside coach Helder Dos Santos Silva is delighted with his new arrivals.
“They were available on the market so we signed them to come to Riverside and I expect them to start,” he said. “They are really good players and they’re going to bring the dynamic we’re missing.”
Glenorchy coach Brian Murphy was similarly upbeat about his new blood.
“Michael’s hit the ground running, he’s a very relaxed young man off the field and on the pitch he’s been showing us what he can do and I’m very happy with his progress,” he said.
“Hugh gives us a bit of a creative spark in midfield that we’ve been missing the last couple of weeks and Jacob will play at the back. He talks a lot and has a lot of leadership qualities which is something we’re missing at the moment. I think the three will add to our squad and help us push along.
“They’re all in contention this week. There might be a few surprises but all those surprises are there on merit.”
The last three rounds have seen Olympic pick up two wins while reigning champions Glenorchy reaped just a solitary point and with second to fifth place split by just a win there is a golden opportunity to make ground on rivals.
“This is an unusual place for Glenorchy to be,” Murphy admitted. “I don’t think we’re a fifth-placed side, especially with the players we still have, so I wouldn’t judge us now. It’s a building year. We’ve had to reevaluate where we’re at, losing the players we did.
“I want to build something that’s going to last the test of time and now we’ve a chance to do that and hopefully, come the end of the season we’ll finish in that top three.”
Dos Santos Silva said he had mixed emotions about a campaign which reached a high point with a 4-0 win at Clarence last week.
“We’re bedding in a new group of players. New players coming to the club need to gel with the culture here. It’s been difficult but we have to keep working hard and make sure we bring the right people through the doors. Our main objective here at Riverside is to grow.”
The two clubs’ Women’s Super League encounter represents another fifth-versus-sixth match-up, this time separated by six points.
Both teams are overdue a win with Knights coming off five straight losses and Olympic’s last three matches yielding no points and an aggregate scoreline of 0-18.
Riverside captain Meg Connolly said her team continues to learn after picking up one win (against Glenorchy) and two draws in its maiden statewide season last year and a second win from nine fixtures so far this year.
“We were always expecting it to be harder but we probably expected to be doing a little bit better,” admitted the tireless front-runner who previously dominated the regional competition goal-scoring.
“But we’ve got a young side so we’re aiming to get better each week, try and improve and be competitive. Each week is getting better but there are a few setbacks so sometimes it’s one step forward, two steps back at the moment.”
Connolly is also Football Tasmania’s community development officer for the North and North-West and sees a bright future for the women’s game in the state, particularly when the admission of Launceston City sees next season’s WSL equal the size of the NPL.
“I think it’s good that there’s going to be eight teams,” she said.
“I feel like it is going to be stretched, especially in Launceston with three women’s teams because there’s not heaps of girls playing yet, but it’s good to see Launnie City doing very well in the Northern Champs this season and getting the recognition they probably deserve with the program they’ve got there.
“So I do reckon it will be more competitive in the league and more challenging.”
NPL Tasmania
Saturday, June 28
2pm South Hobart v Clarence, D’Arcy Street
2.30pm Devonport v Launceston United, Valley Road
4.30pm Riverside Olympic v Glenorchy, Windsor Park
4.45pm Launceston City v Kingborough, Prospect Park
Women's Super League
Saturday, June 28
12pm Riverside Olympic v Glenorchy, Windsor Park
12.15pm Devonport v Launceston United, Valley Road
2.30pm Taroona v Kingborough, Kelvedon Park
BYE: South Hobart Football Club