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The composition of the top-four in the NPL Tasmania competition should be clearer after tomorrow’s games.
League-leaders Glenorchy Knights welcome third-ranked Launceston City to KGV Park at 4.30pm in an important game for both teams.
The Knights need to win in order to make sure of top spot, while Launceston City will be keen to show that their Lakoseljac Cup exit at the hands of Hobart United, a second-tier side, was just an aberration.
For City, this will show whether they will have a good season. A defeat could see them fall by the wayside.
Knights have a couple of injury problems. Austin Yost, a key playmaker in midfield and the scorer of some stunning goals, will be missing after dislocating a shoulder last weekend.
Captain Eli Luttmer suffered a leg injury last weekend and may be a doubtful starter.
The return last week of former captain Tyler Harrison was a huge boon for the Knights and his inclusion against City is important. He might play at the heart of the defence, but he is a huge danger at set-pieces and City will need to mark him closely.
Cade Smith showed he is worth a start rather than warming the bench after scoring twice against Burnie United in the Lakoseljac Cup last weekend. He can be an exciting player who tends to be underutilised.
Thomas Walpole, signed from South Hobart, must be frustrated at the limited playing time he is being given. He was signed from South Hobart for a reason. He is a promising young striker and deserves a start so that he can show what he is made of. If he continues as a substitute, he may well become disenchanted.
Second-placed Devonport Strikers host fourth-placed South Hobart at Valley Road at 2.30pm in what will be a huge test for both sides’ championship aspirations.
The statistics currently have Devonport as the leading scorers and also with the most miserly defence.
South Hobart will be well prepared with tactics and personnel to win this game.
Devonport could be without defender Kieran Mulraney and midfielder Aaron Kidmas, who both suffered head injuries last weekend when they collided in the air early in the 6-0 win over Clarence Zebras.
If they have been diagnosed with concussion, they may have to sit this one out.
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Both players continued after having their wounds bandaged, but Kidmas was replaced at half-time and Mulraney was substituted late in the game.
South Hobart must win if they are not to drop off the pace, so a top effort can be expected from the southerners.
Devonport have lost at Valley Road already this season, so the venue is not an impenetrable fortress.
Bottom-side Riverside Olympic are having a dismal season and have replaced their coach, but they were given a glimmer of hope last weekend when they won their Lakoseljac Cup game 1-0 against Hobart City Beachside.
They travel to Wentworth Park to face Clarence Zebras at 2.30pm.
Clarence Zebras are a different proposition to Hobart City Beachside and even though the home team are just 3 points ahead of Riverside in the standings, they should be too strong for the visitors.
Sam Tooze, who has scored two goals in four appearances, was substituted against Devonport last week.
He was signed from South Hobart to score goals and he has shown he can do that if given game time. The diminutive striker, whose great grandfather, Walley Barnes, captained Wales, must be given more game time to show what he can contribute.
Riley Dillon was played at right-back against Devonport but he should resume his place in attack against Riverside, where he, Matthew Pace and Tooze could present a formidable three-pronged attack against a side such as Riverside.
Clarence Zebras will be without captain Ryan Cook, who was sent off against Devonport after collecting two yellow cards.
Coach Franco Previdi should be back at the helm after missing the Devonport game, when the team was coached by the club’s technical director, Brett Pullen.
The remaining game of the round is at Clennett’s Lightwood Park on ANZAC Day (Monday), when fifth-placed Kingborough Lions United welcome second-last Olympia Warriors for a 6.30pm kick-off.
The Lions should win against an Olympia side that is in a major rebuilding phase.
Olympia came back from 3-1 down at half-time to beat second-tier New Town White Eagles 5-3 away last weekend in the Lakoseljac Cup, but this task will be much more difficult.
NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 9 April 2022)
| TEAM | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Glenorchy Knights | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 10 |
| Devonport Strikers | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 9 |
| Launceston City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| South Hobart | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Kingborough Lions | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Clarence Zebras | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| Olympia Warriors | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 3 |
| Riverside Olympic | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
Photo: Roberto Fernandez Garrido (right) presents a huge threat to South Hobart. [PlessPix]
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