Confident Demons in final countdown
AN unknown Kangaroo Bay pitch holds no fears for North Hobart as the beaten CTPL finalists from the past two seasons hope to make it third time lucky.
The Demons clash with minor premiers Clarence in this year’s semi-final, needing to make the running for a result having finished in fourth spot. But having toppled the Roos in the corresponding match in 2016-17 — before going down to them in last year’s final — captain Caleb Jewell has declared his men would much rather go to war at Kangaroo Bay than a higher-scoring venue.
“They have always been ripping games, pretty low-scoring, I think at that ground as well it will be unlikely not to get a result one way or another,” Jewell said.
“We have nothing to lose, coming in from fourth spot.
“Historically it has been a low-scoring ground, especially when we play them there. I couldn’t tell you what we will turn up and see [today]. We are the ones who have to get a result so we are happy playing there.”
Jewell said the playing group has not discussed losing back-to-back red-ball grand finals, but believes any potential negative thoughts will be dismissed having secured the Twenty20 crown earlier in the year.
“We haven’t talked about it one bit as a group, obviously winning the Twenty20 final, even though it is a completely different format, it is still a bit of a monkey off the back I guess. But we are just trying to take a lighter approach. We probably read into it being a final too much the last couple of years, now we are just trying to treat it as any other game. There is not as much pressure now we’ve won one this year.”
Both teams will be near full strength, with only Jordan Silk and Riley Meredith unavailable because of state duties.
Lindisfarne and South Hobart-Sandy Bay meet in the other semi at Anzac Park, with the Lightning hoping to cash in on a depleted Sharks outfit.
Though skipper Sean Willis, who made his Sheffield Shield debut last week, is available for South-Sandy, four other firstchoice starters — Alex Doolan, Simon Milenko, Gabe Bell and Hamish Kingston — are in shield action. Lindisfarne is missing Charlie Wakim and Ben McDermott.