Olympia v South Hobart - Friday 8PM @ KGV 

An absolute blockbuster to kick off the 2016 PS4 NPL Tasmania season as the top two sides of the 2015 season clash in what is sure to be intriguing affair on Friday night at KGV.

South Hobart may have been crowned Summer Cup champions but they find themselves in the unfamiliar position of heading into the season without the favouritism tag; that label passing to their opponents in Olympia, something manager Ken Morton was keen to point out in his pre-game comments, declaring " With a much improved squad, with a new import Drake, and Hoy returning for another season, along with three quality signings from Bayswater in Perth, we are up against the favourites to win the championship.”

The Warriors were certainly not going to rest on their laurels following their breakthrough title last season and have been the talk of the town after that series of eye catching signings over the offseason. For them it is a case of the hunter becoming the hunted as they are now widely expected to repeat as champions following the high profile acquisitions of Borbor Sam, Zachary Drake, Jacob Collard and Lawrence Shuruma.

It will lead to a rather new look Warriors line up on Friday night with the big question being, can their new stars can gel in time? Despite their strong showing in a 5-0 demolition of Taroona in the Lakoseljac cup on Monday, it’s a factor that manager Glen McNeil admits will be key to his side’s fortunes.

“For a new team the players are getting a better understanding of the way we play each time we take to the park. On an individual player basis we are very good. Our challenge is to develop better teamwork and understanding of our roles.”

Olympia will likely line up as they did against Taroona, although they certainly won't be expecting South to be sitting as deep as Taroona did and can expect a lot more pressure on the ball carrier. Gavin Hoy played exceptionally in his new role as striker, with McNeill touting his ability to hold the ball up as the key behind this move. Behind him will sit a very lively and pacey three of Borbor, Shuruma and Wadawu. Jacob Collard, whom McNeill waxed lyrically about post game, will partner Shae Hickey in central midfield with Nick Mearns shifted to centre back to partner captain Jake Vandermay. The fullbacks Drake and Sammut both looked very accomplished against Taroona although Aidan Farquhar could be another option if they wanted to make any changes. A new goalkeeper is on the way, but for now Paradisis is expected in goals.

South Hobart too will have some new faces in their line-up, with French full back Loic Feral, goalkeeper James Wilson and the returning Nick Morton set to bolster a side that has maintained the bulk of its young core from 2015 although they do have two high profile departures in Kane Pierce and Brayden Mann.

Whilst Mann's departure will certainly be felt, it might lead to a more balanced formation, with Alex Leszczysnki set to lead the line in a 4-3-3. Last week he was flanked by impressive youngsters Darcy Hall and Albert Hess but some shuffling of the decks might occur here due to a mini injury crisis. This is being felt particularly in midfield, where South are likely to run into some issues. Morton has described Kobe Kemp as a 50/50 proposition whilst Jack Turner is unavailable following a red card against Launceston City which is now looking increasingly costly as Daniel Brown, who was trialled in defensive midfield last week is also rated just a 50/50 chance of playing due to a metatarsal injury. Nick Morton is a certainty to start but who will partner him in the middle of the park remains up in the air. Oscar Thomas will miss again and Connor Schmidt is still on the recovery path but a back four of Loic Feral, Matt Lewis, Hugh Ludford and Liam Quayle is still as good as anyone's in the league, demonstrating the impressive defensive depth Morton has at his disposal. James Wilson will be the man between the sticks and has big shoes to fill with Pearce’s departure. Morton was happy with his side in last week’s 3-0 victory over Launceston City and made it clear despite playing a stronger opposition this week; they will not sit back and be dictated to by Olympia.

“South Hobart are playing well as a team and we see our team play as a major strength and the ability to dominate possession and control the ball as key.”

Both managers have admitted their excitement heading into the contest and both are well aware of what is at stake with the chance to draw first blood in the title race.

“We are looking forward to it. It's good to get the first game under our belt and no better way than to face off against South Hobart. A good start is very important as a result against South would be a great start to the season.” said McNeill.

Morton too has his sights set on victory but conceded a loss would not prove decisive.

“We are very excited to be participating in the opening match of the season against last year’s champions. When you are playing last season’s champions and you can start with a victory it would be fantastic but a draw or a loss will not end our season as there are a lot of points to play for.”

 

Kingborough Lions v Launceston City - Saturday 12PM @ KGV

Following Friday night's blockbuster we have a super Saturday of action, with a triple header at KGV which begins with an interesting duel between the Kingborough Lions and Launceston City. There was not much between both of these sides in 2015 and on paper both appear to have strengthened their squads heading into 2016, with both targeting a top 4 finish this season.

Launceston were the big improvers of the 2015 season, heading into the year with relatively low expectations, they surprised most people with some impressive performances and eventual fifth place finish.

They showed off their new look defence last weekend against South Hobart, with new signings Mahoney and DeGroot playing in the heart of defence and last season’s stalwart Gregg Duffy shifted out to right back. Manager Lino Sciulli touched on the importance of his back four in his pregame comments, stating.

“The key for us is speed and a good strong defence hopefully because we may lack some key players compared to some clubs, we will need to be right on our game defensively. We may have a good attacking side at times but if we defend poorly and concede goals then we will lose more than we win.”

For 45 minutes they played brilliantly defensively and barely put a foot wrong against South Hobart, but they couldn't maintain it and made a number of poor errors in the second half that was perhaps indicative of a side that is still meshing having not played together all that often yet.

Sciulli acknowledged that some growing pains were perhaps to be expected at this early point of the year but hoped his chargers would be primed for round 1. "You always have doubts if you are ready or not but have done plenty of work in the off season.”

In an attacking sense Carlo Coppari looks a very lively customer who should give opposition defenders some serious problems, whilst a member of last year's team of the season Dom Rossi will once again be the key to his sides fortunes in midfield. With captain Toby Omenihu and Jervis Foley looking like they could form a solid central midfield pairing, there is plenty of reason for optimism for this City side.

Their opponents in this one, the Lions are primed for a big season according to manager Colin Robbins who has declared his squad raring to go.

“The squad has been training since early November 2015 for our round 1 game, the players; coaching staff and club have put in a huge amount of time and energy into getting ready for the game. We have a very determined and passionate group this season, and they are looking forward to the challenges we will face together in 2016 and also what we can achieve for the club. "

It will be a new look Lions side from last year and they have already enjoyed some early success, making the summer cup final and pushing eventual winners South Hobart to extra time thanks to a dramatic late flurry.

Having lost key players in Turner, Duncan, Verdouw, the Lions wasted no time in bolstering their squad ahead of the season adding a host of names including Shane Cartwright, Keiron Dale, Chris Downes, Daniel Gofton, Mark Grace, Adam Harms, William Stalker, Trent Pearce and Jason Voss into the mix as they sought to improve their options for the 2016 season. These arrivals have helped provide Robbins with a multitude of ways to set his side up and as such it is hard to get a feel for what their best XI is at the moment.

“Depth in the squad is much better this season; this will provide the coaching staff with alternative tactical options this season. Our key strength this season is our togetherness; the playing group set a clear trademark and standards on a preseason camp and following this has demonstrated playing as one and for each other during our preseason games, good signs for the season ahead.” said Robbins on the make-up of his squad.

They certainly have options but it was consistency that plagued the Lions in 2015, they looked like one of the top sides one week and a lower division side the next, you never knew which one was going to show up. Finding goals is going to be there major challenge this year, they have plenty of midfield and defensive options but at times in the pre-season had to resort to lobbing long balls down the pitch. The likes of Cowen, Downes and Gofton will likely have to carry the majority of the load in at attacking sense and certainly have the potential to do just that.

Both managers were full of praise for each other and anticipated a tough game to start there season

“Kingborough are a good team well organized, they have some good recruits and are going to be tough to penetrate especially seeing we are at KGV and it will be our first match there in 2016. Said Sciulli whilst Robbins was equally as complimentary saying

“Launceston City showed the league last season they have grown out of their easy beats tag from couple of seasons ago, the team is strong defensively and have a hunger to battle hard for a win."

Both sides know that this is a winnable game and the type of match they need to be winning if they want to be fighting for that top 4 finish so expect fireworks in this one with both teams desperate to start with a victory.

 

Clarence v Devonport - Saturday 2PM @ KGV

If everyone is tipping you as a dark horse, does that therefore strip you of dark horse status? Because if every man and his dog is claiming this team can surprise people and be a top side, then surely it's no longer a surprise if they do just that? Well that's the scenario facing the Devonport Strikers who have become somewhat of a fashionable pre-season tip to be the big risers of the 2016 season. The return of Joel Stone and Brayden Mann and a pair of imports in Joe Zupo and Niko Giantsopoulos have sent tongues wagging, not just in the North West of the State with extremely high hopes held for this squad. Whilst many are tipping them as the dark horse, it's clear they recognize themselves as one of the stronger squads in the league, the with the word coming out of the club, a resounding message of

"Anything less than top four will be seen as a failure with the squad we have. The key to pushing for a title will be our away form. If we can win on the road we’ll be pushing for the title."

Assistant coach Nick Owen said the squad was looking forward to starting the campaign against Clarence.

“We are excited about seeing whether or not our new playing style will stand up week after week in the league proper. “They (Clarence) will throw everything at us as they did in the practice match. They will be physical and we have to be good enough to work our way through that scenario. I have no doubt they will be up for a fight so it is important that we finish our chances when they come. Every result in the league is important. A good start might mean less to do at the business end."

The new signings of Mann and Stone will help cover the loss of Michael Holden who has departed for Melbourne Victory and the attacking threat they offer when combined with breakout star of their 2015 campaign Beau Blizzard sees them packing plenty of fire power up front, which coupled with the advantage that their home ground "The Portress" offers, will make the road trip one of the toughest in the competition for rivals sides.

Confidence is high amongst the group according to Owen, as they start that title push on the road with a winnable game against the newcomers.

“We looked good in the second half against Knights and that should give the boys the confidence to take on Clarence on the weekend.”

Clarence Utd are under no illusions of the step up they are about to face according to manager Alan Jablonski.

“We are extremely excited, nervous and anxious. There's a bit of 'deer in the headlights' going on at Clarence but we don't make excuses and will give every game our best shot. It's just exciting for the club and its supporters to be back in the top flight where we belong.”

The sides met two weeks ago in the Summer Cup, with Devonport prevailing 1-0 on that occasion and it is perhaps the type of low scoring result Clarence will consistently be looking to grind out this season with the strength of the squad certainly in defence, attacking options are comparatively lacking with some of the more seasoned rosters of the league.

“Our strengths are determination and a never say die attitude. We have good goalkeeper stocks and our defensive players are quality. All of which I’m sure we'll need this first season.” Said Jablonski

The majority of the squad will be the same players that played in the lower division last season but they have managed to pry away some talent from rival sides, signing Adam Hedge from Kingborough, Grant Malcolm from Zebras and Andrew Robb from Metro. The biggest signings were undoubtedly the English duo, George Hallard and Rich Heath as marquee signings that will need to make an immediate impact if Clarence are to be competitive at the higher level this season. 2016 probably represents more of a building year for Clarence, as they try establish themselves in the league but they certainly won’t be making things easy for any of their opponents.

Replace the old adage about a cold wet night at Stoke, with a cold wet night at Wentworth Park and you get the picture of how Clarence will look to set up this year, but on the slick playing surface of KGV this week against an attacking powerhouse like Devonport, they will certainly be facing a baptism of fire.

 

Hobart Zebras v Northern Rangers, Saturday 4PM, KGV

While all the talk has been on Olympia, Hobart Zebras have quietly gone about assembling a very strong roster ready for an assault on the 2016 title. Last year was viewed as a season of missed opportunities for the Zebras and nothing less than silverware will suffice this season according to Chris Hey.

“Looking forward to it, I think it is going to be another fantastic season I think we can win the league. It’s a massive year for the club. When we get everyone on board, there will be no excuses for us not being in the hunt for silverware.”

The Zebras side may have suffered a big blow with the loss of one of the league’s best centre backs last year, the impressive youngster Tyler Harrison but they still maintain a very strong core including stars of the completion like Jayden Hey and Kurt Engels and have made a couple of big signings of their own adding Henry Moody, Luke Huigsloot and Michael Maiorano into the fold.

A lack of firepower early in the season was a clear weakness last season but the signing of Luke Huigsloot looks to be a significant one, addressing a clear need and together with James Sherman and Adam McKeown, Hey suddenly has multiple quality attacking options at his disposal. If their defence and midfield can match last season, then they should have too much to handle for Rangers in this one.

The preseason results might not have gone their way but Hey was nonplussed and believed it was not indicative of what to expect from his chargers this season.

“We are still developing the squad, Graham Wright is coming back and we have some fresh faces to gel into the squad. We still have players to come in and have an impact. Pre-season form probably doesn’t suggest too much about where the team is at.”

Their opponents Northern Rangers have endured a torrid offseason, losing a raft of key players including the reigning Mitsubishi medallist Yitay Towns. In addition to Towns the likes of Nic Swirad, James Wilson, Adam Edwards, Alex Rossetto, Joel Sanderson and Kenta Yamane, who were all regulars in the side last season have all departed, leaving Dane Hudson with some major holes to fill.

He has sought to do this by bringing in overseas imports Michael Monticcio, Luigi Cordova and Connor Doherty, whilst Hudson is tipping local product Mark Cristy, who is returning after a year out from a serious injury to be like a new signing for him. Promoting the club’s youth prospects to fill the remaining gaps in the roster appears to be the plan, with Hudson tipping Joel Griffion and Zac Cross to step up from the under 18s and do a job for him.

Hudson admits he faces an uphill task to repeat the improvement his side has shown last season but is excited for the challenge it presents.

“We have acknowledged as a group that this season will bring us challenges but we are committed to meet those challenges and be successful. Everyone is on deck and ready to go. We have had a disappointing preseason with injury and results but the season proper offers new opportunities. “

Despite the loss of some key personnel there are still some class players in the Rangers line up that are more than capable of delivering results for the Northerners. The likes of Pat and Nic Lanau Atkinson, Harry Thaunhasuer and Tenzing Andersen are all fine players that are now the key leaders of the club and will need to be at their very best if they are to cause a boil over and beat the Zebras on their home turf.

Hudson knows it will be tough for his side to get anything out of this one but stressed the importance of starting strong to help lay the foundation for the rest of the season.

“Zebras are tough opposition any time of the year, but there are no easy games. To get something out of each of the first three or four games would be a great start and help build some confidence in our young group.”