AIM TO EXPOSE PORT BACKS

IN a dress rehearsal for a likely grand final matchup the SFL’s two powerhouse sides will battle in Cygnet on Saturday with undefeated Lindisfarne saying it will be looking to expose the reigning premier’s Achilles heel as it attempts to defeat it for a second time this season.

The mouth-watering top-of-thetable clash, which will be exclusively streamed online by the Mercury with commentary from ‘Tubes’ Taylor, will reward the victor with outright top spot on the SFL ladder and almost ensure the minor premiership and a week off in the first week of finals.

Lindisfarne and Cygnet have taken all before them in season 2022 with the only loss between the sides coming in April when the Two Blues took down the Port by 16 points in a shootout at Anzac Park.

Ahead of the highly-anticipated rematch, Lindisfarne playing coach Michael Cassidy was full of praise for the reigning premiers but said there was a chink in their armour they would look to expose.

“They are a quality outfit and they’re obviously really dangerous up forward and their midfielders are pretty strong but I think their backs are where we can exploit them a little bit,” Cassidy said.

“I know they’ve lost a couple [defenders] and I know ‘Duggo’ [Cygnet full back Adam Duggan] was back but I’ve heard he may have done a ‘hammy’ so they’re a little bit short down there so we’ll see if we can expose them.”

Cassidy said his charges would head into the clash refreshed and rejuvenated after a bye last round but despite being undefeated and the only team to taste victory against the Port this year he was not ready to take the mantle of premiership favourite just yet.

“It’s definitely not us it’s still Cygnet at the moment,” Cassidy said.

“[Playing coach] Thor [Boscott] is leading them well down there and they won last year and I don’t think they’ve taken a backwards step from last year.

“We’ve got no doubt they’re the team to beat and still will be the rest of the year but hopefully we can get one up on them down there and help us finish on top. We think we’ll meet up with them further down the track, so we think it’ll definitely be a finals preview of what’s to come.”

While Cassidy acknowledged Lindisfarne and Cygnet had been the standout teams this season he believed the premiership was not a two-horse race and said last year’s runner-up Huonville still had the star power capable of winning it all.

The battle for top spot and premiership favouritism will get under way at 2pm on Saturday.