Coach’s wary take on Sharks

CLARENCE coach Dan Salpietro knows his side may never meet South Hobart-Sandy Bay at a more favourable time but he remains on high alert about the damage the Sharks can still produce.

The Roos host today’s Kookaburra Cup clash locked on top of the CTPL ladder with the visitors, while also sitting seven points clear of them on the 50-over table.

With South-Sandy missing a host of first choice stars playing Big Bash matches, it presents a golden opportunity for the Roos to clear skip clear on both ladders.

But Salpietro has to cast his mind back only a few weeks to when his full strength side was humbled by University to realise that names on paper can count for little.

“We would love to take on a Sandy Bay at full strength but reality is you also love to take them on when they are not,” Salpietro said.

“You just deal with what you come up against. Against Uni, we were at full strength and they weren’t and we lost.

“So no matter whether you are at full strength you still have to be right on your game otherwise you can have a few hiccups and shoot yourself in the foot.

“Although they are not at full strength they have some really good players. We know them not at full strength [they are] still one of the better teams going around.”

While the Roos will be without Ben Rohrer, Sam Rainbird and Riley Meredith, the Sharks have the likes of Alex Doolan, George Bailey, Ben Dunk, Simon Milenko and Hamish Kingston unavailable.

Lindisfarne and Kingborough, who sit third and fourth two points adrift of the leaders, will both be looking to pounce when they take on Uni and New Town.

The final match of the round pits Glenorchy against North Hobart at KGV.

More action will unfold tomorrow when Hurricanes players return for the final round of Twenty20 action, with six teams still in the running to reach Friday’s final.