Zebras and Olympia to fight out Women's Super League title

Photo:  Hobart Zebras' Madi Graham (left) and Zoe Nichols at today's pre-game media conference [PlessPix]

The Women’s Super League title will be decided at KGV Park on Saturday when leaders Hobart Zebras meet second-placed Olympia Warriors at 2pm.

The teams are level on points, but Zebras have a superior goal-difference and so need only a draw to win the 2019 title.

“We’re looking forward to Saturday in what I only hope is a great game of football highlighting the talent of women's football in Tassie,” said Zebras coach, Chris Hey.

“We have had a settling couple of weeks after an intense 5-week period where we played Kingborough and Ulverstone twice and Olympia in that five weeks.

“Both squads are completely different in their set-ups, Zebras having the experience of age, and Olympia having a young group who have predominantly come through the TIS/NTC programs and are technically skilled and well drilled.

“Both squads have game-changing players who will need to be watched and these players, I believe, will need to be shut down and their impact limited, especially if Zebras are to win on the day.

“Olympia have a heavy reliance on Madi Chambers, Bonnie Davies and Olivia Bomford in the front-third and, last time we played, we found out how devastating those players can be, so we need to learn from that for this match-up.

“Olympia also have players across the park who can step up on the day and score.

“You look at their list and there are many players who have scored goals throughout the season.

“My group are well-balanced and hungry for another title and I am proud of what they have achieved to date.

“We have been working on a couple of areas and win, lose or draw, I know my players will leave nothing on the park in their efforts to win the title.”

Olympia coach Alastair Russell is also looking forward to the contest.

“I am really relaxed and looking forward to the game on Saturday,” Russell said.

“My team is very inexperienced compared to Zebras with only four having played regularly at this level before this season.

“I am also a rookie parent volunteer coach and when you throw in the long-term injuries we have had to high-quality players such as Hannah Johnson, Josi Mamic, Bianca Parker and more recently Hailey Marino, I couldn't be happier or more proud of the squad than I am today.

“We go in as underdogs, and rightly so, but we will give it a red hot go and try and play with skill, composure and high intensity.

“If we do that, then we give ourselves a chance of being champions on Saturday evening.

“The bigger picture, though, is how important a really good game is between two excellent sides as a showcase for Tassie Women’s football.

“We can't wait!”