Tasmania’s major Statewide Cup finals offer fascinating but contrasting scenarios over the King’s Birthday long weekend.
In traditional footballing clichés, the two match-ups represent one David versus Goliath encounter and a clash of the titans.
In the Lakoseljac Cup, six-time winners South Hobart are chasing their first triumph since 2019 - having been losing finalists four times in the last decade - against Southern Championship giant-killers South East United in their maiden final, who are hunting a third consecutive NPL victim.
Meanwhile, the Women’s Statewide Cup decider unites the State’s undisputed top two teams, Devonport and South Hobart, who have steamrollered through the competition, scoring 38 goals between them, and sitting first and second respectively in the Women’s Super League.
Both games are being played on Monday at Valley Road, where Devonport will also open their impressive new Gordon Rimmer Stand.
As the grandson of Milan Lakoseljac after whom the men’s cup is named, South Hobart’s Bradley Lakoseljac is understandably excited to grace his second final.
“It’s pretty massive and gets more special every time,” he said.
“I’m obviously representing my family every time I play in this and it’s a really cool memory I have of my grandfather, so it is pretty special. It’s not often you play finals in your career, so you get a bit more appreciation of the scenario.”
Max Clarke’s men beat Southern Social League outfit Barnstoneworth (3-0) and NPL rivals Riverside (4-0) either side of a dramatic quarter-final showdown with Devonport where they needed extra time to win 4-3.
Captains Nick Morton and Rex Maddock will both be looking to continue their record of scoring in every round, but Lakoseljac said they were not taking the reigning regional champions and current ladder-leaders lightly.
“They’re a really good team and have players with a lot of experience in NPL over the years. We’ve done some homework on them. We’ll go in with our principles and try and get the job done," he said.
United were five minutes away from exiting the competition to Southern Championship rivals Hobart City before winning 5-2 after extra-time and have since beaten Clarence (3-0) and Launceston City (2-0) in a fairytale run. Dwayne Walsh has scored in each round, including that priceless late equaliser way back in March.
Yet to play away from their Sorell home, Adam Shackcloth’s team are thrilled to grace the final and the enticing prospect of representing Tasmania on the national stage of the Australia Cup.
Captain Nic Zammit said: “Since that final whistle went against Launnie City, the whole group has been ready to go and we’re chomping at the bit to get to Monday.
“It’s infectious at the moment. The whole club has really gelled together and we’re excited to do the club and the community proud. It’s an exciting time in the club’s history.”
Zammit said United were aware of the daunting task facing a South Hobart side still unbeaten this season - and a club represented in all four Statewide finals (facing Glenorchy and Devonport respectively in the under-18 women’s and under-21 men’s Statewide Cup finals at KGV on Saturday).
“As the last season or two have gone by, we’ve gone from being the hunter to the hunted, so we’re looking forward to reverting back to being the hunter. We are the underdog but we’re looking forward to taking it up to the powerhouse that is South Hobart," he said.
“We’ve shown to the Tassie football community that we’re as good as anyone on our day. We’ve had some fantastic results in the opening couple of rounds, but that all counts for nought and it’s a clean slate leading into this final.”
South Hobart will revert to being the underdog in the Women’s Statewide Cup final against a Devonport side who are reigning WSL and Cup champions on a run of 32 wins from their last 33 games and enjoying home ground advantage.
Hailing from Seattle, Strikers’ experienced goalkeeper Michaela Mitchell has played in her native US, plus Ireland and New Zealand, and swiftly learned the importance of Tasmania’s showpiece women’s match-up.
“I’ve definitely been around long enough to get it now,” she said. “Every club I’ve been at there’s always one rivalry and even from my first day here, South Hobart was that game. You can feel the energy around it.
“It’s going to be a special day for sure, especially with the opening of the grandstand as well and being a home game for us, looking to get that back-to-back trophy is huge.”
In her second season with Strikers, Mitchell will have a personal fan club at the final.
“My parents watch every game on the livestream but I actually pick them up from the airport tomorrow so they’ll be at this game in person," she said.
Strikers are yet to concede a goal in their Cup defence, beating Olympia (17-0) and University (4-0) while enjoying a quarter-final forfeit from New Town White Eagles.
Coach Tom Ballantyne praised his no.1 and predicted another close encounter just a few weeks after his team edged the round-seven clash 2-1.
“Michaela brings experience, she’s a great leader, understands the game really well. She’s just a fantastic person to have in the club,” he said.
“It should be a really good game. I’m just hoping we can open the grandstand with another good spectacle of football."
South Hobart have also been faultless in this season’s Cup, comfortably seeing off Ulverstone (9-0), Launceston Utd (4-1) and Glenorchy (4-0), with former Devonport forward Jaz White scoring six goals in the process.
South player Danielle Kannegiesser said silverware would be a welcome addition in veteran coach Ken Morton’s first season in charge of the women’s team.
“I’m sure Kenny would love to add it to his trophy cabinet,” she said.
“It would be so amazing. The girls have really come together as a unit and there’s a lot of fresh cohesion in the team. We’re still gelling as a unit whereas Devonport are a little bit more united as a team, but it’ll be awesome.”
Monday, June 9, Valley Road
12pm Women's Statewide Cup: Devonport v South Hobart
3pm Lakoseljac Cup: South Hobart v South East United