The top two teams in the McDonald's NPL Tasmania will provide a fitting conclusion to a thrilling campaign when they meet in the post-season Grand Final.
South Hobart and Devonport finished the regular season in first and second respectively and, after an entertaining four-week finals series, find themselves facing each other for the fourth time this year.
Both sides avenged Lakoseljac Cup penalty shootout defeats to Kingborough by beating the Lions during the series and head into the decider in excellent form.
South won both their league meetings (3-2 and 3-1) and finished that campaign with four straight victories while Strikers are on a run of five consecutive wins which included their 3-0 semi-final triumph at D’Arcy Street two weeks ago.
Goals from Jordan Payne, Brody Denehey and Josh Tollervey delivered that comprehensive semi-final win which South Hobart coach Pete Edwards said exposed some home truths.
“I think the way we approached that game mentally was probably not up to the standards we'd expect,” he said.
“We ended up with more shots, more possession, we just weren't clinical and we didn't have an edge to our game. I think maybe the fact that there was a second chance, the fact that there was a week off, the fact that the boys in that week off were celebrating a league win … there were a number of factors, I think, that led us to being not quite up to scratch, and I'm sure this weekend will be a very different story.”
Devonport coach Tom Ballantyne kept a close eye on last week’s Preliminary Final in which South defeated Kingborough 4-2 after extra-time.
“To be fair, I thought South were lucky in the Kingborough game, and probably unlucky against us,” he said.
“Kingborough should have buried them. They had two or three really good opportunities to go 3-1 up and didn't take it. But you make your own luck, don't you?”
Having finished runners-up in both league and cup, Strikers face the possibility of finishing the season trophy-less but Ballantyne said: “If you'd have said at the start of the season, you're going to make the Laka Cup final, you're going to finish in the top two of the league, and you can make the grand final at the end of the season, I think the club would have bitten your hand off for it. Whether we win all three of them, or win one of them, it's an achievement in itself to be there and thereabouts for all of them.”
All four games in the final round of the McDonald's Women's Super League take place on Sunday with Taroona and Launceston United level on points and both hoping to finish fifth.
The teams have identical records (W7, D2, L11) and while United have a 27-goal superior differential, the Pirates are coming off three straight victories finishing with a winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time against Riverside last week.
The sides have won one each of their previous meetings this season and both have two American imports including in-form strikers called Olivia responsible for a third of their goals.
Bekeleski, from Ohio, has 10 of Taroona’s 30 while United’s De Moraes, from California, has 28 in all competitions, behind only Devonport’s Jaz White in golden boot standings.
With Emily Funseth and Liz Fogarty also hailing from Montana and Florida respectively, Taroona coach Jason Hay said there will be a strong Stars and Stripes feel to the fixture.
“The first time we played, we made sure they met each other and said ‘G'day’, and I think they all get on pretty well,” he said.
Hay said the ladder standings also added extra spice to the match-up.
“This week, we're all very excited (because) we are, in a sense, playing a final as such. It turns out whoever wins this game is going to end up higher on the ladder, so that's exciting.”
United’s experienced captain Katie Hill described her team’s season as “a mixed bag”.
“I've actually been really pleased with some of our results and the resilience of the girls,” she said.
“Probably the most dramatic rebuild year I've ever had to deal with. The introduction of an additional team in the Northern Championship Women, as well as an extra Launceston side in the WSL, has been really challenging for numbers up here.
“It's seen us have to deal with a huge amount of changes, and personally, I think that we've handled them well.”
McDonald's NPL Tasmania Grand Final
Saturday, September 5
1pm South Hobart v Devonport Strikers, D’Arcy Street
McDonald's Women's Super League, Round 21
Sunday, September 6
2.30pm Riverside Olympic v South Hobart, Windsor Park
2.30pm Launceston City v Glenorchy, Prospect Vale Park Community Bank Deloraine & Districts Park
2.30pm Kingborough v Devonport, Lightwood Park Kitchen Centre Park
2.30pm Taroona v Launceston United, Kelvedon Park