KNIGHTS HUNGRY TO REDISCOVER THEIR MOJO
THE Glenorchy Knights will be looking to bounce back into form in the NPL Tasmania when they take on the Clarence Zebras at KGV this afternoon.
The defending champions have slipped to third on the table after suffering back-to-back losses, but coach James Sherman is confident they can rediscover their mojo.
“We’re all aware of the situation, we’ve talked about it … it’s been a rough month, but we’re OK,” Sherman said. “We’ve got enough quality there to turn things around and the desire is there to turn it around.”
With no Lakoseljac Cup fixtures on their calendar after falling in the quarter-finals, the Knights have played just two games in the last month, losing both to the teams now above them.
They hit their lowest point last week, with a flu outbreak ravaging their squad and a 3-0 defeat to South Hobart causing them to drop in the standings.
“Against South Hobart, we’ve got to say that we weren’t good enough, and we just need to focus again on playing consistently through games,” Sherman said. “We need to make sure we don’t let two poor results rock us too much.”
This certainly isn’t an unfamiliar scenario for Sherman and his side, as they were in a similar position midway through 2021.
A 4-0 loss to Devonport saw them relinquish their lead in the league, but
they finished the season on an eightgame undefeated streak to claim the title.
With multiple fixtures between the top three sides still to come this season, Sherman is keeping the faith that they can do the same again.
“There are plenty of opportunities for people to slip up and we’ve just got to make sure that we don’t,” he said. “That’s a challenge, but it’s one that we’re ready for.”
That will start with today’s fixture against the Clarence Zebras, who sit sixth on the ladder but could still pose a sizeable threat. “They’ve got some real quality up front, with Riley Dillon and Matty Pace in particular,” Sherman said. “South Hobart really did get at us far too easily last weekend.”
Elsewhere in today’s NPL Tasmania fixtures, the Devonport Strikers will travel to face Launceston City, while Olympia hosts Riverside Olympic.