Top-form Zebras wary of old rivals

HOBART Zebras coach Gabriel Markaj and South Hobart coach Ken Morton have both shrugged off the favouritism tag ahead of their clash in Sunday’s Lakoseljac Cup quarter-finals.

The Zebras go into the heavyweight clash at Darcy St sitting pretty at the top of the NPL Tasmania table after five rounds, seven points ahead of sixth-placed South.

In a rare interview, though, Markaj said he would not be taking South lightly.

“You cannot go into a game where Ken Morton is coaching as the favourite,” Markaj said.

“At the end of the day, no matter how difficult the times are at South Hobart, he can pull off a win. They’ve been dominating the league for 10 years, we have been winning for four weeks.”

The sides met in the opening match of the NPL Tasmania season, the Zebras prevailing 5-3, but Markaj said it would be a completely different match on Sunday.

“We went in as underdogs. This time around I think it’s more a 50-50 battle. We took a lot of things out of that game, but they took a lot of things out of that game as well,” he said.

“I think they’re going to be more prepared, more switched on when we counter-attack.

“They’re going to be more switched on at set pieces, so it’s going to be a very good game.”

Morton said the Zebras would start favourites.

“I think we’re the underdogs, without a doubt, but there’s nothing wrong with being an underdog,” he said.

“Our philosophy is the same. We won’t be sitting back and defending, we will go and attack and try and play some good possession football and try and keep things tight in behind.”

Morton said his team’s form had not been reflected in the early results.

“Our league position I don’t think is a true [reflection] of the football we’ve played. We just haven’t been finishing our moves off, our games off, when we’ve been playing some pretty sharp football,” he said.

Southern Championship clubs Hobart United and Taroona take on Northern NPL Tasmania outfits in away quarter-final fixtures. Hobart plays Launceston City at Buckby Land Rover Park tomorrow, while Taroona takes on the Northern Rangers at the NTCA on Sunday.

NPL Tasmania heavyweights Devonport Strikers and Olympia Warriors meet at Valley Rd on Sunday in the remaining quarter-final.

The Lakoseljac Cup winner earns Tasmania’s only spot in the nationwide FFA Cup Round of 32.