Andrew Cooling 

The Offensive Juggernaut 

At times South Hobart have looked unstoppable this season, they have fired in a remarkable 69 goals in 14 cup/league games this year, coming in at just a shade under 5 goals per game. It's a record setting pace and they are showing no signs of slowing down after blasting eight past Launceston City on the weekend. A breakdown of their goals reveals that this South Hobart team almost resembles the ferocious beast from Greek Mythology, the multi headed Hydra. There are players all through their line up who can score goals, put too much of your efforts into stopping one and another head of the South Hobart hydra will get you. You have the dominant centre forward,  Alex Leszczynski leading the way with 19 goals, his physicality alone often overpowers defenders but it's his cannon of a right boot that does most the damage, the velocity he generates on his shots is staggering. Flanking him on either side are goal scoring wingers in Darcy Hall who has scored 6 times and Alfred Hess with 8. Hall is an excitement machine when he runs at defenders, and does his best work when he has open space ahead of him, whilst Hess runs his opponents into the ground and is one of the fittest players in the state, he never stops making runs and presenting options for his midfield.

And what a midfield it is. All of Morton's midfield trio are extremely capable of finding the back of the net. Nick Morton has scored 10 times, his dribbling skills and ability to curl the ball from the range make him a constant threat any time he gets on the ball in his own half. There is Jack Turner crashing the box, arriving late and offering a real physical threat who has scored 8 times himself. He is an injury doubt for this game, but such is South's embarrasment of riches that they will be able to call upon another goal scoring midfielders in Alex Walter as his replacement. The deepest lying of the three is Kobe Kemp, who has still managed to score 3 times. Kemp deals almost exclusively in long range stunners, his drives from a range are an added dimension that must be watched closely. If he gets too much room within 30 yards, he has the ability to pick out a corner, but it's his passing that remains his major strength and his ability to dissect defences generates so many chances for his side. Throw in the physical presence that a Dan Brown offers when he throws himself forward at set pieces, or the overlapping Liam Quaile who scored  a brace on the weekend and it's pretty evident that there are goal scoring threats right throughout the South Hobart side. Put simply, they can beat you with anyone, from anywhere.

Attacking from the Back

In Liam Quaile and Loic Feral, South Hobart posses two of the best attacking full backs in the state. Both excel at bombing down flanks, providing the overlapping run that allows them in behind defences and to get crosses into the area. It's yet another dimension that makes the South Hobart attack so dangerous.  This does put an added strain on the centre backs but fortunately South Hobart have plenty of quality in this position as well. Hugh Ludford, Dan Brown and Matthew Lewis are among the most experienced players in the side and they provide the cool heads required at the back. With Ludford and Brown both having battled injuries and suspension this season, it has been Lewis who has been the constant presence and his form has been strong this season in the middle after spending most of last season at right back. For all the talk of the brilliant attacking football South Hobart play, it can't be overlooked that in the league South Hobart have conceded just 8 times, only once more than the vaunted Devonport defence. They are very reliable at defending in one on one situations that occur when they do push players on. They are also very comfortable on the ball, it's a prerequisite to play in this side as Morton likes to have all his defenders confident playing out from the back. This is where the foundation of their dominance is built from, they control the ball and control the game. James Wilson is also called upon to be comfortable on the ball and can play as a sweeper keeper which allows them to play the higher line and dominate their opponents with pressure. When they implement the press, they can keep sides pegged in their own end for long periods of sustained pressure.

Leading the Line

Whilst they have threats all over, the biggest of these undoubtedly comes in the form of powerful front man Alex Leszczynski, who seems to be relishing his role as the lone striker in 2016. Having played second fiddle to Brayden Mann last season, Leszczynski has been down right dominant playing as the sole centre forward in a front three this season. Against Devonport he will lose some of physical edge he usually enjoys, given the size and strength of the Strikers centre backs, but there is far more to his game than raw power. He can provide the hold up play and link up with his midfield to bring them into the game better than anyone. Last time the sides met, nearly all of South Hobart's best attacks came as a result of Leszczynski dropping deep to receive the ball and helping play his midfield runners in behind the Devonport Lines. If he gets a chance you'd expect him to bury it, his right foot is lethal after all, but it may well be his hold up play and work with his back to goal that makes the biggest difference in this game. If he can draw a centre back out of position, lay the ball to one of his midfield creators in Morton or Kemp, it might just be the avenue to breaking down the tight defence of Devonport.

Chasing History

The two time defending champions are eyeing off a three-peat having been Tasmania's representative in the FFA cup the past two seasons. They know how to win these big games and they are masters of rising to the occasion. They haven't always come into cup games in the greatest form over the past few seasons but they always seem to lift for the occasion. They say winning is contagious and they have a locker room full of winners led by a coach who has more success than anyone. They have had a taste of life in the FFA cup and know just how big of a deal playing in it is. That taste could prove enough to drive a ravenous hunger to return to the national stage and make history in the process, no NPL club in Australia has qualified for all three editions of the tournament. Nor has any team won the Lakoseljac Cup three times in a row, meaning this could be a historic victory for South Hobart as they seek to win an incredible 6th Lakoseljac Cup in the past 9 years.

Road to the Final

Rd 16: South Hobart 3-0 Launceston City

QF: South Hobart 2-0 Hobart JEEP Zebras

SF: South Hobart 3-2 Olympia

Expected Line Up