Tasmania’s statewide cup winners face intriguing tests as they return to league action this week.
While Women’s Super League leaders Devonport will look to continue their two-season-long unbeaten record on a trip to fifth-placed Glenorchy, Lakoseljac Cup winners and NPL Tasmania pace-setters South Hobart also take an unbeaten record into arguably their toughest test of the season at second-placed Launceston City.
South coach Max Clarke is aware of the challenge to keep his players firing a week after securing Australia Cup representation against one of just two sides to take points off his team.
“I was a bit conscious as a coach whether we were going to go into this weekend a bit lax where we’ve achieved something and take our foot off the gas or are we going to go the other way where it motivates us to kick on,” he said.
“I’ve had individual conversations with every player and it’s been a really good response - everyone’s excited for this weekend, they know how important this game is and how tough it’s going to be.
“We’ve kind of got the belief now that we can kick on and do great things, especially after the weekend. We’d like to think that this weekend can really spur us on to going on a really long run of unbeaten games and breaking away from the pack a bit.”
City remain the only team to pick up a point at D’Arcy Street, courtesy of a 2-2 draw in round three, and their coach Daniel Syson said his team are eager to build on that performance on their own turf.
The Devonport resident popped along to Monday’s Valley Road final still ruing his side’s missed opportunity having lost the semi-final to South East United.
“Ideally it doesn’t happen in a cup semi-final, but I think sometimes during the season you have a point where you move on and it’s a good lesson,” he said.
“It brought a few people down to earth in the changeroom and we went over that game, parked it and moved on pretty quickly.”
With third playing fourth as champions Glenorchy host Devonport, there is a golden chance for one of the top two to extend the gap over the chasing pack.
While South’s Kobe Kemp and Nick Morton have combined for 22 goals this season, City’s Thierry Swaby and Angus Taylor have amassed 24 between them and Syson knows the fixture is one of City’s biggest for years.
“When you look at the league table and the stats, we’re both very similar in goals for and against and probably the way we play too,” he said.
“It’s what you call a six-pointer I guess. If South win they get four points ahead, if we win, we’re two points ahead, so I think it’s a really important game in terms of the context of the season. You want to be involved in these games as a club and as players. The boys are excited and you should be for games like this.”
Five days after seeing off their closest rival South Hobart in the Women’s Statewide Cup final, Devonport head to KGV with coach Tom Ballantyne unsure what to expect from an erratic Knights side with three wins and four losses to date.
“They’re a typical young side, they’ve had some really good results and some poor results, that’s endemic of having young players, that lack of inconsistency,” he said.
“So no idea what to expect. They might be really good like they were a couple of weeks ago, they might be like they were in our first round when we beat them 5-0, so we’ll expect the unexpected.”
Reigning league best and fairest Whitney Knight and Japanese import Asuka Doi ran the show in Monday’s 5-2 cup final win, but Ballantyne said his team is already focused on the next prospective silverware.
“It was a really good performance and celebrations-wise the girls kicked on but I went back to bed, I’ve been sick for a week and a bit,” he said.
“We’ve still got a few sore bodies but we’re trying to get everyone fit and ready for the weekend.”
Fresh from a 3-1 loss to second-placed South Hobart, Glenorchy are ready to take on the WSL’s dominant side.
“We’re definitely going to embrace the challenge and see what we can bring to the table against Devonport,” said Knights centre-back Sarah Bolonja.
“They’re a very experienced side so I think it will be a really good challenge for our young players to see how we match up against them.
“I think technically our side is a very good squad. When we have the ball and do our certain plays, it looks very good and I think we can definitely challenge the top sides in this WSL competition this year.”
This weekend Launceston City will be marking Men’s Health Week round by shining a light on mental and physical well-being.
Events and initiatives throughout matchday include food, drink and conversation at a wellness room in the Peter Mies Pavilion and an invitation to Fill The Hill, encouraging match-goers to bring a mate, eat, drink, laugh and talk around the top-of-the-table game which kicks off at 4.45pm.
“It’s something that’s quite close to home for me,” Syson explained. “I think it’s really important that we work and live in these environments where we’re around boys and men so much that we see them more than your family and you can pick up on people’s moods. It’s just really important that people talk and you do your job as a mentor and make sure everyone’s ok in that space.”
NPL Tasmania
Saturday, June 14
2.15pm Riverside Olympic v Kingborough, Windsor Park
2.30pm Launceston United v Clarence, Birch Avenue
3.30pm Glenorchy v Devonport, KGV
4.45 Launceston City v South Hobart, Prospect Park
Women’s Super League
Saturday, June 14
1.15 Glenorchy v Devonport City, KGV
2.30pm Taroona v South Hobart, Kelvedon Park
4.30pm Riverside Olympic v Kingborough, Windsor Park
BYE: Launceston United