ADDING COLOUR TO RIVALRY
IT’S back to the future for Dodges Ferry in the SFL on Saturday as the Sharks go retro for their clash with Sorell at Shark Park and the title of King of the Causeway.
Dodges selected a jumper design from the 1990s for the Eastern Shore derby day, which includes playing for the RAW Challenge Cup.
“Each year we try to wear a different strip for the Heritage Round, so this year we’ve gone for the early 1990s when we were in the Peninsula League,” said Sharks forward Cam Hooker. “They used to play in red and blue, so it has changed a fair bit and they’ve added a lot on to the jumper we wear now. I like this one and the colours, and we’ve got a past players’ day on as well, so a few of the past players would have played in this strip.
“It brings a lot of meaning to the club, so I hope we respect it by playing some good footy.”
Dodges Ferry is fourth on the ladder with Sorell fifth and needing a win to keep Brighton (sixth) at bay.
“We’ve always had a strong rivalry with Sorell, which went missing over the past couple of years, but since they’ve got a lot better it has brought that rivalry back,” Hooker said.
“They are going to come out blazing, so we have to play solid, contested footy to show them we are still King of the Causeway.”
With three games remaining until the finals, Dodges is not looking too far ahead.
“We are still trying to push for third spot, so we are very much focused on game by game, taking four points and chasing down Huonville,” Hooker said.
“We need to keep winning games because of how tight from third to sixth is on the ladder. You’ve got to show up on the day because if you drop a game you’ll slip down two or three spots and lose the opportunity to have a home final, and even for maintaining your form.
“Lindisfarne and Cygnet are in redhot form, so you can’t go up against them not playing your best footy, so we’re going to take every game full stream.”
Shayne Stevenson, operations manager at Rural Alive and Well, said SFL clubs had embraced the support of RAW.
“It’s a really good opportunity for anyone to sit down and have a really good conversation about whatever issues they might be having and we are there to support them,” he said. “We pride ourselves on being authentic and genuine and this game is our opportunity to raise awareness of what we’re all about.”
In other games, ladder leader Lindisfarne hosts the Huonville Lions, secondplaced Cygnet hosts Claremont, and Brighton meets New Norfolk at Pontville.