Consistency the key as finals race heats up

THE next fortnight will go a long way to determining not only who will slot into the SFL finals, but which club gets to host the elimination decider, says Cygnet coach Ben Cato.

In one of the most even seasons in recent years, the Port (6-5) is one of four clubs alongside Hobart (6-4), New Norfolk (5-6) and Dodges Ferry (4-6) vying for the last two spots in the top five.

Cygnet today hosts Hobart and with a trek to Shark Park next weekend — Hobart will also host New Norfolk next Saturday as well — a pair of victories could go a long way to locking up fourth spot and a final in front of a home crowd.

The Port has shown its best is good enough to match it with the best in the league, having defeated Claremont and pushing second-placed Huonville to seven points last round, but consistency has cost the team on occasions.

“We are a younger group, we have been a bit up and down. A couple of weeks we have been really good and then we dropped a couple we probably shouldn’t have,” Cato said.

“I think we are about where we should be win-loss wise but if we snuck a couple of those other games we could be a bit further in front of the win-loss ledger. The competition this year is very even for the top seven or eight sides, you have to be near your best each week to win, no matter who you are playing.

“The next couple of weeks are crucial to our season, we have Dodges next week and it would be us three and New Norfolk fighting for those last couple of spots and a home final.”

Hobart and Cygnet played out a thriller earlier in the year, with the Tigers fighting back from 22 points down at halftime to hit the front in the third term, only for the Port to sneak across the line by a point.

Cato said shutting down a couple of Hobart’s prime ball movers will be crucial to winning the all-important midfield battle.

“They have a couple of key guys in [Jayden] Charlton and [Luke] Sullivan through the midfield, it will be crucial we at least nullify their influence,” Cato said.

In other matches today, New Norfolk hosts Huonville, Dodges Ferry faces a must-win match against winless Brighton at Pontville, while Claremont should snap its threegame losing skid against Sorell.