Friday, September 2, 2022

Not every issue in NPL is done and dusted yet with two rounds to go

Photo:  Devonport's Roberto Fernandez Garrido should finish as the NPL Tasmania leading marksman. [PlessPix]

 With the NPL Tasmania title done and dusted, attention switches this weekend to the fight for second spot and to the subject of the wooden spoon.

Three teams can still finish second.  They are South Hobart, Kingborough Lions United and Glenorchy Knights.

South Hobart and Glenorchy Knights should be reasonably confident of winning this weekend, while the Lions face a more difficult task away to fifth-placed Launceston City.

If all win, then the final day of the season next weekend will decide second place.

Fourth-ranked Glenorchy Knights meet second-last Olympia Warriors away at Empire Couriers Park at 8pm today and a win would put them in second spot and place pressure on South Hobart and the Lions to perform.

An Olympia loss, would unsettle the Warriors, but not unduly, as Riverside Olympic are hardly likely to come away from Valley Road with any points tomorrow.

The final day of the season is unlikely to be a the nail biter as Olympia will face Launceston City and Riverside confront South Hobart.

Both the Warriors and Riverside could lose those games, which means the status quo would be maintained.

I would venture to say it’s all a storm in a teacup and that Riverside are doomed to the wooden spoon and the Warriors will finish second-last, even if only by virtue of goal-difference.

I am a firm believer in the first-past-the-post system to decide the champions.

But, it would be nice to finish the season with something like a top-four series so that fans are eased into the off-season break rather than have the season end suddenly.

NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 27 August 2022)

TEAM

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Devonport Strikers

19

17

1

1

62

10

52

South Hobart

19

12

3

4

60

21

39

Kingborough Lions

19

12

2

5

50

32

38

Glenorchy Knights

19

12

1

6

43

22

37

Launceston City

19

8

2

9

33

43

26

Clarence Zebras

19

5

2

12

32

44

17

Olympia Warriors

19

2

0

17

20

67

6

Riverside Olympic

19

1

3

15

12

74

6

 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The South’s V Zebras game could be closer than what’s predicted. If Zebras can put in the same defensive effort they did with 10 men against the Knights it could be a good game . I know , I know we’re talking about probably the scrappiest defence in the league but they did show some good signs that day and with Walsh playing better each game they only need to convert the opportunities to be in it for a fair way

Anonymous said...

You are funny ,have they improved since Pullen took over no ,play a rubbish style of the game not pleasant to watch ,should be team building with youth not old men .
Get rid of the President and his mates,, install a decent coach ,for years now they haven't gone near winning .

Anonymous said...

September 3, 2022 at 6:34 AM --

SPOT ON !!

Anonymous said...

Yeah totally agree - such an old squad on the park - no kids in that team or on the bench week in week out - sone people really just like being negative without any knowledge of what they are talking about
Congrats on being so cleaver and using your big brains

Anonymous said...

They won't finish any higher than fourth with that squad.
Even their women's teams have dropped the ball what is happening over there.