SHARKS AIM TO CLOSE GAP
DODGES Ferry acknowledges there is a clear divide between the Southern Football League’s elite and the rest of the competition, but still believes its best is good enough to win it all.
Ahead of their clash with Claremont on Saturday, the third-placed Sharks conceded ladder leaders Lindisfarne and Cygnet were currently a step above the rest of the competition.
“There’s no point saying there isn’t that clear divide at the moment,” Sharks midfielder Isaac Mathewson said.
“We had our chance two weeks in a row to play both those teams and they managed to get over the top of us, and Cygnet quite convincingly in the end.
“That gave us a good indication of what we’ve got to do in the back end of the year to challenge them.”
Mathewson said the Sharks, who sit two games behind second-placed Cygnet, were still firmly aiming for a toptwo finish and that consistency was the key for them to match it with the league’s powerhouses.
“Our aim is definitely to challenge for top two,” he said.
“There’s clearly a couple of teams that are playing really good footy and are really strong, but we are working hard on our system and our game to be as good as them and challenging them and hopefully get to the pointy end.
“We think our best footy challenges those teams, but we need to be more consistent across the four quarters, like they are.
“Absolutely we can compete with them. It’s a long season and I think we are improving week to week and that’s what we’ll aim to do, and that should put us in a good spot come the back end of the year.”
After a competition bye, the recharged Sharks will look to kickstart the second half of their season against youthful Claremont on Saturday.
“We played Claremont earlier on in the year down at their home ground and they played really well and challenged us, so we are looking to put in a strong four quarters and keep working on things so we can be strong come the back end of the year,” Mathewson said.
The Sharks and the Magpies meet at Shark Park at 2pm on Saturday.
In the other SFL match-ups, the undefeated Lindisfarne will host Sorell, New Norfolk will head to Cygnet to take on powerful Port, while Brighton and Hobart will clash at Pontville.
Huonville has the bye.