Just the two games in the Women's Super League this weekend in a catch up weekend for the competition. It will be a battle of the Reds at Wentworth Park, as Clarence host Ulverstone and a Safari Derby down at the Den between the Lions and Zebras.
Perhaps crucially after this weekend the Zebras and Warriors will have played the same amount of games giving a clearer picture of where things stand on the table, but that still won't quite paint the full picture. Lets break down the run home for both sides before that final day clash between the pair at KGV. It shows just how important this week's game may yet prove.
1st- Olympia 35 Points
Clarence (A)
Ulverstone (H)
Clarence (H)
South Hobart (A)
Kingborough (H)
2nd- Hobart Zebras 31 Points
Kingborough (A)
Ulverstone (A)
Kingborough (A)
Ulverstone (H)
Clarence (H)
South Hobart (A)
So even after this catch up game, the Zebras must play Ulverstone twice, where as Olympia have Clarence twice. The other crucial thing for Olympia is that their two toughest games in that run are both at their Warrior Park fortress, where they have a 6-1-0 record and have played their best football. So the Hobart Zebras cannot bank on them dropping any points. This means to stay within 3 points of them on their final day and keep things in their control, they can't afford to lose any games. They can afford 1 draw which could see it coming down to goal differential on the final day, presuming both sides win out. There is of course no guarantee that happens, but it does show that Olympia's victory last weekend has them firmly in the drivers seat for the title, and that the Zebras have little margin for error as they head to the Den this week.
Awaiting them will be a Lions side who have been in some good form recently, defeating Ulverstone on the road, coming close to beating Olympia in a 3-2 loss and comfortably accounting for Clarence 5-0 last weekend. Before that they lost 4-2 to the Zebras at KGV, which hasn't been a happy hunting ground for them against this opponent, also losing the Cup Final 3-1 and Round 2 clash 4-0. They are more suited to the Lightwood Park ground though and this will be the first time they meet at the venue this season. They've generally played their best football at the Den and certainly the Zebras will need to improve on their performance from last weekend, or at least be far more clinical in front of goal. If they were to start slow again, as laid out above, it could spell doom for their title aspirations.
In Saturday's earlier game Ulverstone head down to take on Clarence for the second time in three weeks. That game a fortnight ago was played up on the Coast and ended 6-0 in favour of Ulverstone, with an 8-0 scoreline in their prior meeting at Wentworth Park. After putting in some encouraging performances earlier in the season, player unavailability has hit Clarence hard as the season has worn on and the results have taken a downward turn. It will be about damage limitation for them, whilst Ulverstone will look to create separation from Kingborough in the battle for third place. It's also a big chance for Jazmin White to all but seal the Golden Boot. She already has what appears a winning gap of 8 goals, with her 26 goals leading Allie Berry on 18, and another bag here would surely put it beyond any doubt. After scoring 38 goals in 21 games last year, she now has 26 in 13 this season, scoring at an even faster rate which didn't seem possible. It makes it 64 goals in 34 WSL games over the past two seasons, a truly phenomenal return for the League's most lethal marks-woman.
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White has 64 goals in 34 WSL games- Solstice Photography[/caption]
White has 64 goals in 34 WSL games- Solstice Photography[/caption]