At today’s pre-game media conference, I asked Glenorchy Knights coach James Sherman whether his team would form a guard of honour for their opponents, Devonport City, before the two sides meet at KGV Park at 2.30pm.
Devonport City won the NPL Tasmania title last weekend with a 2-1 win over bottom-side Launceston City.
It is a practice followed all over the world and has been carried out in Tasmania before.
Sherman looked a little puzzled by the question and admitted he hadn’t even considered the matter. No-one, he said, had asked the club.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
The second-placed Knights are 6 points adrift of Devonport and a win would see them finish 3 points behind the champions.
How different it could have been, the Knights must be thinking. If only Knights had not lost 2-0 away to Kingborough, and if only they hadn’t lost 1-0 away to Devonport in a game in which they had more than enough chances to win.
Although the placings cannot be changed by tomorrow’s game, there is still much to play for. It’s almost a cliché to say that there is pride to play for.
But, that is true. Devonport will want to emphasise that they are worthy champions, while Knights will want to show that they could have been champions.
Both sides are expected to be at full strength.
Sherman said his side had built up momentum in recent weeks and he wouldn’t be making unnecessary changes as that could be disruptive.
He said he wasn’t focusing on next week’s Lakoseljac Cup semi-finals and would not be resting players.
Devonport are out of the Cup and have won the league, so they will be out to show what they can do with the pressure off.
South Hobart will need to beat second-last Riverside Olympic at South Hobart Oval at 2pm to make absolutely certain of finishing third.
If South were to lose, and if Olympia Warriors beat Kingborough Lions United away at Lightwood Park at 4.30pm, the Warriors would finish third.
Both these games are important, therefore, in terms of final league placings for 2020.
The remaining game is at Wentworth Park at 4.30pm when Clarence Zebras host Launceston City.
Clarence Zebras could drop to second-last if they lose and if Riverside Olympic beat South Hobart.
This should spur the home side on, but the visitors will also be motivated to notch a first win of the season.
So, although at first glance there is not much to play for this Saturday, a closer examination of the fixtures reveals several sub plots that should make for an exciting end to what was a unique 2020 NPL Tasmania league season.
NPL Tasmania schedule for Saturday, 24 October 2020
South Hobart v Riverside Olympic (South Hobart Oval. 2pm)
Glenorchy Knights v Devonport City (KGV Park, 2.30pm)
Clarence Zebras v Launceston City (Wentworth Park, 4.30pm)
Kingborough Lions United v Olympia Warriors (Lightwood park, 4.30pm)
NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 18 October 2020)
|
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
Devonport City |
13 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
24 |
8 |
37 |
|
Glenorchy Knights |
13 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
36 |
9 |
31 |
|
South Hobart |
13 |
7 |
1 |
5 |
29 |
23 |
22 |
|
Olympia Warriors |
13 |
6 |
1 |
6 |
30 |
24 |
19 |
|
Kingborough Lions |
13 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
23 |
32 |
18 |
|
Clarence Zebras |
13 |
3 |
2 |
8 |
18 |
32 |
11 |
|
Riverside Olympic |
13 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
16 |
32 |
8 |
|
Launceston City |
13 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
13 |
30 |
4 |
6 comments:
You don't ask the opposition to form a guard of honour. It's just the done thing. Not everything has to be pre-arranged or stage managed. It's just something that is done naturally as a mark of respect. Always has been. Please let's not have this be...Devonport didn't ask us or FFT didn't organise it and we run around looking for someone to blame. It's entirely up to Knights but please let's hang on to some traditions while we may...
Yes Walter, pride is on the line for many clubs today. Many a missed opportunity looking through the standings. Teams lost points when they should have won them and Devonport managed to keep most of theirs even though they are a very rural club. Riverside and Launceston are not as bad as their position on the ladder but someone needs to occupy the spots. Kingborough a big surprise this year taking points off of teams. Clarence was a massive disappointment this year. I expected so much more from them. It’s interesting that if their neighbours did not graciously give them 6 points, they would be occupying seventh. Not what I expected from the merge.
Pretty poor form by the Knights if they don’t form a guard of honour for Devonport and they shouldn’t need to be asked to do so. I’m by a no means a strikers supporter but check the last game last year between Devonport and South at Darcy St and you’ll see South did a guard of honour prior to the game ... so come on Knights let’s hope you do the right thing without needing an FFT directive you could be waiting a while
Shouldn't need to be asked to form a guard of honour for the champions... It's what should happen naturally. Pretty poor form if Knights don't do it.
Just watched one of worst performances by a South Hobart team in recent memory. There are a number of players who struggle with basic skills. Number 8 for South was not only poor but his emotional behaviour was kid like. Brennan is a shade of the player he once was and to be fair is now just taking another persons position.
Riverside defended well, but in all honesty it was South who were inept of ideas. the left forward in the last 20 minutes could get a cross past the first defender.
"Give them"? I think CZ deserved all 6 of those and earnt them.
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