SOUTH HOBART TEAM PREVIEW

DEVONPORT TEAM PREVIEW

LAKOSELJAC CUP FINAL PODCAST WITH BRAYDEN MANN AND MATTHEW LEWIS

TOP TWO TO COLLIDE IN DREAM FINAL MATCH UP

Andrew Cooling For Slice of Cheese

South Hobart meet the Devonport Strikers in a mouthwatering match up that sees the top two sides in the NPL TAS preparing to lock horns for the 2016 Lakoseljac Cup. For the winner, silverware and a place in the FFA Cup awaits, so the stakes could not be higher as the two form sides in the state prepare to do battle. South Hobart enter the game eyeing off a three-peat, no club has ever won three Lakoseljac Cups in a row, nor has any NPL team in Australia played in all three editions of the FFA cup, so they stand on the precipice of history. Standing in their way, a Devonport side that sits atop the NPL table and remains the only team to have beaten South Hobart so far in 2016. They remain the only side to have stopped them from scoring in a match as well, when they defeated them 1-0 at Darcy St back in round 5. Outside of that game, South Hobart have scored a remarkable 69 goals in 13 matches, which is a testament to the strength of the Devonport defensive unit to be able to halt them on that particular day and a reminder of how potent South Hobart can be.

Whilst this game may well pit the highest scoring side in the NPL up against the side with the tightest defensive record, to describe this is an irresistible force meeting an immovable object does a disservice to both the attack of Devonport, (second best in the NPL) and the defence of South Hobart (also second best in the league). Quite simply these are two outstanding football sides that are incredibly strong in all facets of the game and do everything well, they just go about it in slightly different ways with how they set up.

You would expect South Hobart to have the majority of possession as Devonport are a side that like to sit back and aren't all that concerned with having a heap of the ball themselves, whilst South Hobart are a side that will look to attack, control the ball and get bodies forward. They have goal scorers right through the side and Devonport will be sternly tested by them. If they switch off, allow a player too much space, this is a South Hobart side that could make them pay from anywhere. The front three of Leszczynski, Hess and Hall all pose a serious goal threat and they do a good job bringing their midfielders into the game too. With Turner out you would expect Walter to come in and play alongside Kobe Kemp, and both are more than capable from long range. Then sitting just in behind Leszczysnki is the dangerous Nick Morton who is probably the best goal scoring midfielder in the state. Daniel Syson, who will operate just in front of the back four for Devonport will be crucial in shackling Morton and it's a match up that could go a long way to determining the game. If Syson can negate his influence, and force South Hobart to attack from wider areas, rather than through the middle, it would be a crucial mini victory for Devonport.

His partners in midfield, likely Barnard and Blizzard, will also need to be diligent in denying space to Walter and Kemp by working back hard in defence and pressing them quickly to not afford them time on the ball and force them to go wide. In wide areas, the wingers Gorrie and Denehey will work back hard to support the full backs who are very solid defensively in Smith and Mulraney. With a towering back four that dominates in the air and a superb keeper in Niko Giantsopoulos, who is very accomplished at claiming crosses, they will hope to have South Hobart resorting to aerial attacks, be they via long balls or via the wings. Zupo and Gratton will need to be at their best, as they are likely going to have to do a lot of work, with South Hobart likely to see plenty of the ball and their duel with Leszczysnski will also be pivotal. The dominant striker has scored 19 times this season and is a powerful player that will be able to bring his attacking team mates into the game just as well as putting the ball into the net himself.

Devonport's success in this game will come down to how well they can withstand South Hobart's attacking pressure, they will undoubtedly sit deep and absorb before look to counter punch with their speedy front three. They are very good at playing long diagonals to these three and the synergy with which Denehey, Gorrie and Mann work with is impressive. They work off each other well and make intelligent runs to stretch defences. If Quaile and Feral push too far up field, looking to overlap, which is usually a key component of how South Hobart attach, the Strikers front 3 could well relish the space left in behind. This will mean Lewis and either Brown or Ludford who partner him will need to be sharp to read these long balls and cut them out before anything dangerous can develop.

This is a game that most will expect to be decided by a goal either way, it looks incredibly tight on paper and it wouldn't surprise anyone if it went beyond the 90 minutes. South Hobart have the big game experience and are eyeing off a chance to make history but this Devonport side play with a rare hunger and the way they work for each other is immense. Whatever the result, this has the potential to be a classic cup tie.

PRE MATCH MEDIA CONFERENCE

Hear what Ken Morton and Brayden Mann had to say to the media ahead of the big cup final.

EXPECTED LINE UP's

SOUTH HOBART

DEVONPORT

EYES ON THE PRIZE- Morton and Mann will be hoping to get their hands back on the trophy come 5.00pm Monday.